Can Psychics Hear God?

In today’s culture, it seems as though everywhere you go there are people, restaurants, airports, and t.v. shows that have normalized different pagan, and spiritual practices. Now, many celebrities endorse, and even have psychics on their shows. 

Psychics can be called by different names like ESPs and mediums. They have supernatural abilities to see into the future and reveal personal information about others. 

So how do you know what they are saying is true? 

Why is it bad to consult a psychic? 

Do they do the same things as prophets do in the church? 

Let’s take a deeper look into these issues.

Are They Telling the “Truth”?

For a long time, I believed that psychics played mind tricks on people. I thought they gave general and vague predictions to people by extracting information out of them and making it seems like they came up with it on their own. This is similar to the concept of the Barnum effect known in psychology. However, as I started to do more research, I realized that people could, in fact, operate under supernatural abilities. However, this is where it could get dangerous if not done through the proper power channel. 

Spirits of divination, fortune telling, and the practice of consulting mediums are strictly prohibited by God in the Bible.

Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:31

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.

Deuteronomy 18:10

Another great example is in the book of Acts when Paul cast the spirit of divination out of a girl. Afterward, an uproar arose in that community for delivering her, and Paul and Silas were thrown in jail.

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Acts 16:16-18

1. Figure out the Power Source

Whenever anyone says they are seeing something in the future or even claiming to hear the voice of God for someone’s life, it is very important to test the spirits and discern where they are getting their information from. You have to be able to determine whether they are in communication with God’s voice or instead a deceptive, demonic voice (Exodus 7:10-12).

Even if a person seems very powerful, it does not mean that the person is operating under God; agents of Satan can have power as well.

You need to determine the source of that person’s power.

The Holy Spirit’s Power:

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

This portion of Scripture teaches us that the Holy Spirit, who is received by every believer upon accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, has freely given His people different kinds of gifts. These gifts are a manifestation of His Spirit, making Him the Source of these gifts. Some of the gifts include the gift of prophecy, the gift of discerning spirits, and the gift of words of knowledge. 

The Holy Spirit can give someone partial knowledge of a person and their future as He wills. 

We see that there are many prophets mentioned in the Bible, who heard and obtained information directly from God, like Isaiah, Daniel, and Jeremiah. Jesus, Himself was able to minister to Nathaniel about being under the fig tree and was able to predict His own betrayal and death before it happened (John 1:48, Matthew 25:21).

And Jesus desires us to be able to walk in these gifts and use them to Glorify Him today. In fact, the Scripture says that greater things we will do. 

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 14:12

Today, these gifts are available to each believer to use and testify of God’s reality. 

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues.

Mark 16:17

True prophets of God have the Holy Spirit as their Source. They are not the same as psychics and mediums whose power source is satan.

2. Does the Spirit Testify of Jesus Christ?

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:1-4

We live in a spiritual reality where God, the devil, angels, and demons are real. As believers trying to live and operate in the supernatural, we need to make sure that we are tuning in and hearing the right source—Jesus Christ.

Psychics, mediums, and ESPs do not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh, that He died, and rose again. They do not believe in the gospel, or in the Word of God. They do not know or operate in the truth. 

This is how you know they are not of God and they are not operating under the giftings or anointing of the Holy Spirit, but rather an antichrist spirit:

They testify against Christ instead of testifying of Him. 

Testing the spirits is about testing whether or not someone is operating according to the truth of the Bible to see if the person has an understanding of the truth in God’s Word. It is also testing their beliefs and whether or not they have faith in Jesus Christ and live according to His principles.

The Scripture mentioned above warns that there are also people who pose as prophets of God, pretending to operate in His gifts, but are actually false prophets. This is why it is important to be able to discern whether a person is of the truth or not.

3. Are They Of The Truth?

Everyone who is of the truth hears the voice of God.

When you are of the truth, know the truth, and live in the truth, you will hear His voice.

Trust that God will direct you in His ways and away from dangerous situations and people.

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.

John 18:37

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16

Psychics and spiritualists tap into spiritual realms of darkness and tune into different spirits that are demonic and antichrist spirits. Unlike Christians who tune into the Holy Spirit, psychics and spiritualists often speak to the dead, channel demonic entities, and allow these beings into their bodies to speak through them, like Abraham Hicks and Bashar. They don’t believe or live according to the Word of God, Jesus Christ, or the Bible.

Practical Tips:

• If someone is claiming to tell you personal information about your life, family, or future, you need to ask yourself if this person has sound doctrine. You need to evaluate whether or not their theology is sound and if they believe and follow Christ. 
• You need to make sure they are living and dwelling within the Word of God. If they are not, you may find that they are following other popular philosophies, ideologies, and different ways of reaching consciousness, communicating with evil spirits, and/or partaking in practices that are contrary to God and to the Bible. If this is the case, then you know that person is not of God, not hearing from God, and their information is ungodly.If you follow that ungodly voice and counsel, you will be following that ungodly spirit that is speaking through them. 

The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which means breath or wind. When you listen to or put your faith in that false spirit, you will be carried away by the wind of that spirit. Your destiny can be negatively hindered and altered when you put your faith in those demonic words. False predictions will try to guide your destiny to form an ungodly identity within you. And as a result, you may begin to believe lies about yourself, be swayed in a certain way on what you should do in life, and you’ll make bad decisions in major life events. False predictions and divinations will try to guide your life away from the calling and purpose that God has for your life.

If you are in real need of direction, I urge you to run to God. 

Seek Him in prayer and in His word. God also has godly people who are sound in doctrine and live in the truth that He can use to help you and lead you with sound advice. There are still godly prophets and people of God who hear God’s voice and leading. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for believers today. Some people think that all supernatural things are automatically demonic—this is not true! God still works in supernatural ways. Therefore, the gift of the Spirit is not meant to be forsaken just because they are supernatural. You just need to be able to discern the supernatural origin of what is being said and done.

Do Not Be Deceived!

People who call themselves psychics are not of God and not of the Bible. Some psychics, witches, and spiritualists do things with bad intentions to deliberately harm others and lead them astray from Christ. However, some people may “innocently” dabble in these occult practices with the intention of trying to help others solve problems or to better themselves.  

Some try to experiment with these things because they do not know the truth about spiritual realms and how dangerous these practices are. It is important to understand that Satan will try to paint these occult practices as “harmless” and “good-willed,” when in reality those who involve themselves in them are being deceived and deceiving others. Even if their intentions to do predictions for someone seem good-willed or merely for fun, these practices are not innocent. They are extremely demonic, dangerous, and led by evil spirits.

Allowing someone to read your future can lead to destruction in your life without you even knowing it.

Do not be deceived by them, but rather stay abiding in the truth of God’s Word. This will help you steer clear of deception. Let the Holy Spirit guide you into what He has in store for your life. Let Him guide you into what He has called you to do. He created you and knows you. You are His child, and He loves you and wants the best for your life.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

John 10:27

Although God still speaks powerfully through His true prophets, if you feel like you continually need to hear from God to find out about your identity, you need to start spending more time with Him in your secret place and get into His Word. 

Spend time alone with God and read the Bible alone with Him. Pray and talk to God continually. He is your Creator and Savior and He wants to fellowship with you. If you are His and you stay in Him, you will hear from Him and He will guide you through every step of your life.

Content from this blog is from Everett Roeth. Check out his content here.