Are you a clergy member seeking to educate yourself on how to prevent new age and occult influences from infiltrating your congregation? Keep reading.
What is "The Blend?"
"The Blend" is the blending of occult and Christian beliefs and practices. Occult ideation and practices lead away from Christ and can lead a person who identifies as Christian but is not actively walking with Christ into occult bondage. Before they know it, they no longer have a Christian worldview and are in spiritual trouble.
Unfortunately, with the level to which the occult and new age have been normalized in society, these dangerous practices and beliefs are creeping into even the churches.
We, as Christians, must be prepared to stand firm against this phenomenon. But how do we accomplish this?
We must first get educated to recognize these influences, and then also learn how to approach discussing these topics in our congregations.
How does "The Blend" Happen?
Everything comes down to worldview. Consider a person with a mature Christian worldview on one side of the room, and on the other, a person fully steeped in the occult and carrying an occult worldview. "The Blend" happens in the middle.
First things first, get oriented by grounding the conversation into the concept of "worldview" and gaining an overview of the occult anchoring and subsequent deliverance process. You can do that by reading this foundational article.
Leaving the new age to follow Jesus is a process. A long one. An arduous one. It involves the Holy Spirit moving, many decisions, and the entire shucking off of an occult worldview and the creation of a Christian worldview.
How Does the Occult Trap Christians?
Second, learn about how the occult traps Christians by watching this video:
Teresa Yanaros describes the process of how the Enemy deceives Christians by means of "occult anchoring." She draws from a recent insightful sermon by an Anglican priest, and shares commentary on how through complacency, pride, and ignorance, well-meaning people can be drawn into occult bondage. The blending of new-age "spirituality" and Christianity is rampant. Many people are going new age to Jesus, but there are also many who are falling to the wiles of the Enemy. Remain vigilant and stay tethered to the Word.
"Okay, but does this actually happen to people?"
The short answer is yes. Read this testimony from a woman who was deceived by the occult and the new age, and talks about how she attempted to blend these practices with Christianity. (See the end of this article for more real stories.)
Flabbergasted that I was literally an idolator, I turned hard towards the Lord – and then all hell broke loose. My "Gig is Up" moment arrived on cue.
"Spiritual But Not Religious"
People are more than ever identifying as spiritual but not religious, or SBNR, and leaving the churches in droves. This phenomenon, along with the normalization of occult and new age products for sale in stores and online, and occult teachings in media, creates a situation where these concepts can easily creep their way into churches.
The concept of the law of attraction is becoming more and more popularized. We hear from Christians who read the Spirit Sanctified article series on this topic and in doing so, realize they are incorporating these practices and beliefs into their routines, as it's masked by many names, often under the guise of "self-help."
Foundational article about LOA:
Law of Attraction is an occult deception that has been so normalized in our society that most Christians don't even know they both engage in the practice and hold the undergirding belief, both of which create hooks for the Enemy. Let's look deeper.
Let's talk Deliverance.
It's critical to discuss the deliverance factors involved when it comes to getting free of the occult. This worldview shift from an occult worldview takes time and dedication after coming to faith in Christ.
Deliverance is a process, and in truth, a partnership.
Understanding these four factors will greatly expand your understanding of the nuances involved when it comes to occult deliverance and spiritual warfare.
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Closing Thoughts
As a clergy member, being able to recognize occult influences and then being able to respond to those in your flock is paramount to combatting "The Blend."
About The Author
Teresa Yanaros, a degreed journalist with a passion for Jesus, has dedicated her life to investigating media, exposing occult lies, and driving home the truth of Christ. Earlier in her career, Teresa was a successful author who gave speeches and practical workshops across America, after publishing a book that investigated the phenomenon of modern American online spiritualism and attempted to reconcile her Roman Catholic roots with new-age practices. She then had a radical deliverance experience from the occult and now coaches Christians who left the new age to follow Jesus. With over 1M views on her YouTube channel, Teresa has impacted viewers across the world who seek to look deeper at spiritual warfare and how Satan deceives through occult traps in media. After going #newagetoJesus she attended seminary classes and continues to research, investigate, and share information about the new age deception, occult deliverance, spiritual warfare, and Christian theology.
INTERESTED IN THE ACADEMY? If you are a Christian who left the new age, apply to join the CLARITY ACCELERATOR ACADEMY. The Academy takes the entire process from start to finish of getting oriented after leaving the new age, grounding into theology and spiritual warfare, deprogramming new age lies, renouncing Satan's influence, remaining delivered, and establishing a firm context for Christian living and spiritual formation, bible study, how to pray, how to share the gospel, how to build your testimony, how to share your testimony, and put it ALL into this academy. IT WORKS. People's lives are being transformed by this framework, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Jesus, for deliverance!
Teresa is the founder of Spirit Sanctified.
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