Openness to the supernatural and to strong emotions typifies the Charismatic Renewal. But where does this openness lead them; to freedom or to bondage?
Certainly, forty years of charismata hasn’t lived up to its promises, the Church is more divided than ever and popular culture just keeps invading her. For all that openness to the Spirit, the outcome has been ghastly.
Just think! For two thousand years there was never a call given by the Church to open up to the Spirit. Why is that? Then along comes the Charismatic Renewal and it seems that is all we hear. Openness was never a requirement before so what made it all of a sudden so important? There are conferences devoted to opening up to the Spirit, we get ecclesiastical exhortations about opening up to the Spirit, it seems everywhere we turn we are told to open up to the Spirit.
Why is the same technique taught by New Age gurus promoted by the Church? Why is the door to the human spirit deliberately set open for occult invasion?
According to Masters and Houston an “altered state of consciousness” is the easiest way to contact occult entities. By altering consciousness we can drop the ‘shield’, and the contacts become possible. (Robert Masters and Jean Houston, Mind Games)
There are various occult techniques for altering consciousness to open up to the occult and knocking down the ‘shield’ is one of them. The ‘shield’ has been put in place by God to prevent an invasion of the human soul by demonic entities. And what better way to drop the ‘shield’ than to open up to whatever decides to enter it?
The openness is most deceptive; charismatics often live in the belief that God speaks to them directly and all the time. They have either opened the door to unclean, lying spirits or simply conversing with themselves. And for sure God is not telling them where to park, when to sit, or what to eat, etc. Though this type of delusion is a bit comical, it is also dangerous, because opening people up to occult entities is no laughing matter.
But there is another deception in all of this. Holiness is not dependent on us as much as on the call given by God. We don’t choose Him, He does the choosing: No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44) – and no matter how open one leaves himself to the Holy Spirit, God will not enter much less remain within the soul that is occupied with sin and self indulgence. If any entity walks though that door it most certainly will not be the Holy Spirit. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 12: 43-45: "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.” Therefore it is most imprudent to teach people to leave their souls open, because one never knows what may waltz in and take up residence there.
