"Then some little children were brought to him, so that he could put his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples frowned on the parents’ action but Jesus said, “You must let little children come to me, and you must never stop them. The kingdom of Heaven belongs to little children like these!” Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way."--Matthew 19:14 (Phillips)
In our blog post from July 1, 2016, we looked at the dangers of the occult in the lives of adults. Today, let's consider the effects of the occult in the lives of our precious little ones.
Years ago when I did in-home counseling, I worked with a family who had a teenager daughter. The teen's mother was frustrated and angry with the child because she was "obsessed" with a movie that dealt with white magic. The mother would angrily described how her daughter would watch the movie ad nauseam. She would also light candles and chant. As the mom ranted, the teen sat aloofly, seemingly unabashed by the concern of her troubled mother.
You may question how things progressed to that point. The answer--very easily! Think about the TV shows, movies, books (even school books), games, video games, music, and toys that target children. It's shocking! Most of what our children are exposed to is dark and either covertly or overtly incorporate some form of the occult--magic, psychic ability, clairvoyance, etc.
It seems innocent and harmless enough, right? Friendly and cute characters dancing and singing, vibrant colors, and music with a great beat and catchy hook. But, that is how satan operates. The word of God tells us that he disguises himself as an angel of light:
"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
--2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV)
Satan is a liar and a counterfeit who masquerades and deceives. The Bible says he is more subtle. He is good at what he does! Every lure he uses is intended to separate children spiritually from the loving arms of the Father, render confusion into their minds, and introduce darkness into their hearts.
Thoughts to consider:
In our blog post from July 1, 2016, we looked at the dangers of the occult in the lives of adults. Today, let's consider the effects of the occult in the lives of our precious little ones.
Years ago when I did in-home counseling, I worked with a family who had a teenager daughter. The teen's mother was frustrated and angry with the child because she was "obsessed" with a movie that dealt with white magic. The mother would angrily described how her daughter would watch the movie ad nauseam. She would also light candles and chant. As the mom ranted, the teen sat aloofly, seemingly unabashed by the concern of her troubled mother.
You may question how things progressed to that point. The answer--very easily! Think about the TV shows, movies, books (even school books), games, video games, music, and toys that target children. It's shocking! Most of what our children are exposed to is dark and either covertly or overtly incorporate some form of the occult--magic, psychic ability, clairvoyance, etc.
It seems innocent and harmless enough, right? Friendly and cute characters dancing and singing, vibrant colors, and music with a great beat and catchy hook. But, that is how satan operates. The word of God tells us that he disguises himself as an angel of light:
"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
--2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV)
Satan is a liar and a counterfeit who masquerades and deceives. The Bible says he is more subtle. He is good at what he does! Every lure he uses is intended to separate children spiritually from the loving arms of the Father, render confusion into their minds, and introduce darkness into their hearts.
Thoughts to consider:
- Children are called to contend with the enemy, not be entertained by him(Psalm 127:4-5)
- We (inclusive of children) were designed for relationship with God
- A relationship with God reveals purpose and destiny--even in youth!
- Prayer, regular Bible reading, scripture memorization cultivates relationship and draws a child closer to God (Psalm 119:11)
- Spiritual gifts become activated and apparent with there is relationship with God (Isaiah 11:2-4)
- Awesome things begin to happen in a child's heart when relationship with God is cultivated and his word begins to take preeminence in his/her life
- Children become aware and sensitized to the voice of Holy Spirit--his guidance, conviction, promptings (John 16:13)
- A relationship with God cultivates inner peace in a child's heart, builds confidence, develops character, and leadership abilities, promotes good decision-making and life skills, and even regulates behavior (Psalm 4:4)
