Superstition is defined as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.” It includes beliefs and behaviors not sanctioned by God that people rely on for comfort, guidance, or control. As Christians, we are called to live by faith in God and His Word alone. Though superstitious practices may seem harmless on the surface, they ultimately demonstrate a lack of trust in the Lord.
Key Takeaways:
- God condemns all forms of witchcraft, sorcery, divination, and magic as detestable practices.
- Consulting mediums, astrologers, palm readers and the like is expressly forbidden.
- Charms, amulets, and good luck rituals have no power in themselves.
- Fearfully looking to superstitions for guidance shows a lack of faith in God’s providence.
- We are to look to the Lord alone for deliverance, not superstitious practices.
- God calls us to turn from worthless idols and trust solely in Him.
Witchcraft and Sorcery are Condemned
Scripture unambiguously condemns all forms of witchcraft, sorcery, divination, and magic arts as detestable practices. Passages like Deuteronomy 18:9-13 and Galatians 5:19-21 expressly forbid these things and group them among the worst of sins. Consulting with mediums and spiritists is likened to prostitution against God (Leviticus 20:6) and sacrifices made to any other god but the Lord are called “sacrifices to demons” (1 Corinthians 10:20).
Revelation 21:8 declares that all sorcerers and anyone who practices magic arts will be excluded from God’s kingdom and condemned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. These are among the detestable practices sparked by the ignorance of trusting in anything but the one true and living God. He is the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator who sovereignly rules the universe. No magic, astrology, or other superstition can thwart His sovereign will.
“When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
Consulting Mediums and Spiritists is Forbidden
In Leviticus 19:31, God expressly forbids consulting mediums or spiritists. Mediums and spiritists claim to communicate with the dead through séances, Ouija boards, channeling, etc. The Bible clearly teaches that the dead have no contact with the living and cannot disclose anything about the afterlife since “the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
King Saul infamously disobeyed God by consulting a medium to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 28:7). This earned Saul a death sentence from the Lord. God takes the occult very seriously since it demonstrates a lack of faith in His sovereign power and omniscience. Consulting mediums essentially places our trust in the powers of darkness rather than the light of Christ.
“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)
Charms and Amulets Have No Power
Throughout history, people have relied on charms, amulets, and other items supposedly imbued with magical power to protect themselves from harm or bring good fortune. Examples include rabbit’s feet, four leaf clovers, certain gems, and crosses or ankhs worn as jewelry. But Scripture is clear that only the Lord has the power to save, not inanimate objects.
Such charms are essentially modern idols. They signify a belief that certain objects can influence reality apart from God’s sovereign will. But this is impossible, since God alone is omnipotent over all Creation. Psalms 115:4-8 makes clear that idols are worthless lies with no power to help or harm us. As Christians, we must look to the Lord alone as our refuge, not to lucky trinkets.
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:4-8)
Looking to Superstitions Shows a Lack of Faith
At their core, superstitious practices represent a lack of faith and trust in God’s sovereign plan. Praying based on the time of day, avoiding black cats, or refusing to walk under ladders signifies we believe in the occult’s ability to alter our lives more than God’s. But as Christians, we are called to live by faith in the Lord, not by irrational fears of bad luck.
2 Kings 17:14-18 warns that those who place their faith in occult practices kindle God’s anger against them. Jesus similarly rebukes those who continue seeking signs and omens despite seeing His miracles firsthand (Matthew 16:4). If we have already witnessed God’s saving power, what reason do we have to trust in superstitions?
“They would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, ‘Do not do as they do.’ They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal.” (2 Kings 17:14-16)
We Are to Look to the Lord Alone for Deliverance
Rather than trust in superstitions, God calls us to turn to Him alone in times of need. Psalms 50:15 declares “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” The Lord promises to be with us always, to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). No ritual or talisman can make this promise. In fact, they insult God by placing faith in objects rather than the Creator.
King Asa perfectly demonstrated the attitude we as Christians must have towards superstitions. 2 Chronicles 14:11 records “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.”
Rather than trust in superstitions or numbers for victory, Asa placed his faith completely in the Lord’s delivering power. We must do the same by crying out to God in all circumstances, looking to Him alone for salvation.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
God Calls us to Turn From Worthless Idols
Above all, we must remember that superstitions and occult practices are idols and false gods that come between us and the Lord. As Scripture reminds us:
“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say…No idol is anything real in the world and that there is no God but one.” (1 Corinthians 10:14, 19:4)
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
“For this is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.'” (Jeremiah 17:5)
God could not be clearer – all superstitions and idols are completely worthless roadblocks that come between us and Him. As Christians, we must repent of any trust we place in lucky rituals or objects rather than the Lord. We are to look to Jesus Christ alone for our salvation and deliverance.
Conclusion
To summarize, the Bible unambiguously condemns all forms of superstition, witchcraft, divination, and occult practices. Consulting mediums, looking to charms or omens for guidance, and other behaviors rooted in fear or false faith are all forbidden. As Christians, we must look to the sovereign Lord alone for guidance, deliverance and salvation – not rituals, signs or objects. While superstitions may seem harmless on the surface, they demonstrate a lack of trust in God’s Word and distract us from the saving grace found in Christ alone. May we all turn from worthless idols and place our faith wholly in the Lord!
