As New Age ideas permeate mainstream culture more than ever, many Christians struggle to distinguish harmless trends from those that could be spiritually harmful. On a recent episode of “Live Free with Josh Howerton,” Pastor Carlos Erazo, along with Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, discussed eight ways that Christians might unknowingly invite demonic influences into their lives.
The conversation kicks off with a look at a popular item, particularly around Halloween: Ouija boards.
At first glance, Ouija boards may seem like any other board game where players ask questions and supposedly receive answers from the other side. Critics argue that any responses come from subtle, involuntary movements of the participants that guide the pointer to letters they expect. But even though you can find Ouija boards easily, including on Walmart shelves, Pokluda warns that these games can have serious spiritual ramifications.
“Ouija boards can produce results. You might even get the name of a deceased person. Remember, Saul consulted the witch of Endor and spoke to Samuel—or perhaps a demon posing as him,” he shares.
However, it’s not just those who dabble in dark practices that seek to contact spirits. More frequently, it’s everyday people looking for solace during times of loss.
“When people grieve, they sometimes engage in strange behaviors. They miss their loved ones so much that they turn to mediums, unfortunately interacting with demons masquerading as those they hold dear,” Pokluda cautions.
“It’s crucial to be cautious, as Satan operates within legal boundaries. He looks for any justification to interfere in your life. Demons do the same, waiting for that legal entry point,” he explains, adding, “They’ll say, ‘Now I’ve got you; I can influence your life. I can affect your family.’”
Ouija boards are just the start of many New Age traps Christians should be wary of.
“Things like crystals, manifesting, tarot cards, and horoscopes—none of those are spiritually neutral. The enemy can use any of these to gain access to you,” warns Pokluda.
Erazo shares a personal experience to highlight Pokluda’s warnings. A couple of years back, while traveling in El Salvador with his wife, they attended a performance at their beach resort. As they watched, they both started sensing “spiritual elements” woven into the dance routines.
Despite feeling a sense of unease, they stayed, hoping the performance would shift toward something more benign.
“Eventually, we thought, ‘This—this is too much; we need to leave.’ We both felt we should have left much earlier,” Erazo recalls.
That night, they both had unsettling dreams: “My wife dreamt of being stabbed, while I saw a sniper aiming at me,” he recounts.
The experience taught them an important lesson: “Never give the enemy an inch.”
To find out more about the spiritual traps that Christians often overlook, check out the episode linked above.
