Demon Worship

Whether you know it or not, you are familiar with demon worship. There are many things that make us think, "this is dark" or "this is evil." But what if we could look at our lives and find that our every day decisions are in themselves evil. I would be shocked if that revelation surprised anyone who took the time to read this, but it's not the common viewpoint of the world.

Though there are many, I have focused on ten signs of demon worship:

1. Self-harm (1 Kings 18:28)

2. Deal making (Judges 11:29-35; Acts 8:18-23)

3. Sin justification, excuse making (Exodus 32:22-24; Genesis 3:12)

4. Necromancy, Sorcery, Astrology and any seeking of counsel from spiritual forces outside of God. (1 Samuel 28:16)

5. Altered state-of-mind during prayer or worship (Leviticus 10:9-10)

6. Self-glorification; Showmanship, entertainment and non-submissive behavior in worship (Leviticus 10:1-3)

7. Self-redemption (Mark 10:17-31)

8. Self-reliance, trying to do God's work in your own way (Numbers 20:7-12)

9. Sacrificing others (Deuteronomy 12:31)

10. Sexual acts (Numbers 25:1-9)

Just as pride and self-will are at the very essence of sin (Isaiah 14:12 with Proverbs 16:18 and Luke 10:18), so are the motivators behind demon worship.

The world today has a "good enough" mentality that says that, "If God is basically good, and I am generally good, then how could He reject me?" The issue with that statement is in the statement itself. God is not "basically good." God is ABSOLUTELY good.

If we presuppose that God demands worship, or that relation to Him is, in its essence, worship, then we can also derive that relation or worship to anything else is evil.

Demons are spirit beings, similar to humans in that they are eternal, but different in that they are not flesh-bound and not made in God's image. Demons have chosen to be separate from God. We can call anything that is not God, which we give ourselves over to in any way, demonic.

We can also suppose, then, that, if one attempts to worship God in an improper way, than that in itself is evil and so becomes in its nature demonic worship.

Some of these things are obvious, others may be less so.

Worship of Baal, Ashtoreth, and Molek often consisted of cruel demands like child sacrifice - so people could behave much as they pleased.

I leave it between you and Jesus to identify what issues are in your heart and life, but let me call out one thing:

“Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord."(Leviticus 18:21 NIV)

What disobedience to God do you excuse in exchange for comfort, success, or self-image?

Discussion points:

Read Deuteronomy 6:13-19, 24-25. What parts of your life are not in submission to God?

Why do we sacrifice joy in God for happiness in the moment?

For those of you who have struggled with self-harm, what helped you stop?

Are you about God's success or yours?

At what point does remembering the dead become necromancy?