Ways we unknowingly call up unclean spirits

God’s Word promises that anyone in distress who calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved. God sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in those who obey Jesus and will teach and lead them along the narrow path of salvation. At the same time, the Bible warns about other deceitful spirits that will mislead many into calling upon them instead. They do this through popular sources of entertainment, games, and stories.

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 无意中召来不洁之灵 | 繁體中文 > 無意中召來不潔之靈)

 

Romans 10:13 ESV  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

Acts 5:32 ESV  And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Matthew 7:13-14 ESV  “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

1 Timothy 4:1 ESV  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

Ungodly spirits will even disguise themselves as “angels of light” that come to the rescue of those who call for help, in order to deceive the unsuspecting. In other words, each time we call out to any unseen force or being other than God Himself for help, we invite ungodly spirits (also named demons or evil spirits) into our lives and our homes.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 ESV  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Some of the pseudonyms or aliases that ungodly spirits use to deceive many, many people include:

• Forces – Energy, moon, sun, fire, wind, death, universe, Venus, Mercury, etc.
• Spiritual beings – Angels, spirit guides, sorcerers, witches, gods and goddesses of justice/love/righteousness/hell/war, etc.
• Mythical beings – Animal spirits, elves, fairies, fairy godmothers, vampires, wolves, etc.
• Deceased beings – Family members, kings and queens, priests, apostles, knights, religious orders, etc.

When we call upon any of the above, we literally invite Satan to come and “steal, kill and destroy” everything good and life-giving that God has prepared for us.

Ephesians 4:27 ESV  and give no opportunity to the devil.

John 10:10 ESV  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

One example found in the Bible is King Saul, who willfully sought out the “spirit of the dead prophet”, Samuel, through a medium, even though he knew this was forbidden. . Saul engaged in sorcery, and according to God’s Word, was not permitted to live (Exodus 22:18).

Deuteronomy 18:11-13 ERV  Don’t let anyone try to put magic spells on other people. Don’t let any of your people become a medium or a wizard. And no one should try to talk with someone who has died. The Lord hates anyone who does these things… You must be faithful to the Lord your God, never doing anything he considers wrong.

Job 14:10-12 NLT  “But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then where are they? As water evaporates from a lake and a river disappears in drought, people are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ESV  So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Exodus 22:18 ESV  “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

Praise God that through Jesus, we now have the opportunity to repent of knowingly or unknowingly calling up ungodly spirits in the past. Here are some real-life testimonies that demonstrate God’s grace towards us when we repent. In each of these cases, it was the work of the Holy Spirit that brought conviction and freedom.

1. Magic cards | Jesus heals teacher’s longing for acceptance.
2. Songs | Jesus frees manager from blood pact with death
3. Cartoons | Jesus shows ministry worker roots of judgmental spirit
4. Role-playing games | Jesus frees entrepreneur from lies
5. Incantations | Jesus shows teacher dangers of role playing games.

John 16:7-9 ESV  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

Also, see Lies we believe from horror stories.

How Satan deceives us into calling upon demonic spirits

1. Calling upon angels

When Jesus was on earth, He never called upon angels for help, even though He had full power and numerous opportunities to do so. Jesus only called upon our Heavenly Father.

Matthew 26:52-53 ESV  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Hebrews 1:3-4,6 NLT  The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

When He taught His disciples to pray, Jesus told them to pray to the Father, not to angels. We are not meant to call upon angels or be “partners” with them. This is a deception. Jesus came to earth to pay for our sins so that we would have the privilege of communicating directly with God, the Father. Jesus is our only Mediator, never angels.

Luke 11:2 NLT  Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Satan and demons are fallen angels that have deceived many to pray to, call upon, adore, and worship angels. It is worthwhile to note that some who practice sorcery also teach others to call upon angels and archangels for healing, power, and help. There are also angel cards and angel summoning rituals in things such as tarot cards and Magic the Gathering. The Bible warns us against such things. Let us not be deceived into calling upon archangels, angels, guardian angels, angels of light, legions of angels, and so forth.

2 Peter 2:4 ESV  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

Colossians 2:18 NLT  Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,

2. Chants and incantations

There is a record in the Bible (1 Kings 18:20-40) of one of God’s prophets, Elijah, challenging the 450 prophets of Baal (another name for Satan) to prove that their god was more powerful than the God of the Bible. We see that they took up the challenge by chanting the name of their false god from morning until noon – to no avail.

1 Kings 18:26,29 NLT  So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

When Elijah prayed to the God of the Bible, the one true God answered in a most powerful and unmistakable way. That day, the reverence for our holy God fell upon all the people and the false prophets of Baal were executed. 

1 Kings 18:38-40 NLT  Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

Since that time, mankind has come up with numerous other names for Satan and introduced different incantations. Today, we may simply mimic some of these chants without realising their origins in witchcraft and idol worship.

Here are a few examples.

Abracadabra	Incantation used in stage magic tricks. Historically, this phrase was believed to have healing powers when inscribed on an amulet. The Gnostics of the sect of Basilides, for example, believed they could invoke beneficent spirits against disease and misfortune with it.
Om	Hindu mantra that is explained as the sound of the universe. Chanting “om” is meant to bring a person into union with the divine energy or Shakti. Shakti usually refers to the female counterpart of the Hindu god, Shiva.
天靈靈地靈靈	Traditional Taoist incantation to summon the spirit of master LaoZi, a deity in Taoism. Shown in television shows or movies when a Taoism master perform a religious ceremony.

Also, see Chanting dulls the mind.

3. Songs

The Bible features over 100 songs. God even wrote one of them for the Israelites to remember Him by, so they would not chase after other false gods. The lyrics of that song are recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1-43.

Deuteronomy 31:19,22 ESV  “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.

Today, we are surrounded by secular songs that lead us to chase other gods. Some can even feature lyrics along the lines of “Death, come get me” for instance. We need to be alert to the song lyrics our hearts and minds are exposed to consciously or subconsciously. Just as singing worship songs invites the presence of God, singing ungodly songs will invite ungodly spirits.

4. Children’s stories, cartoons, and movies

There are numerous children’s stories and cartoons that portray their young heroes as saviours, who rescue the world with the help of magical powers or friendly spirits. A typical storyline revolves around a child that is overlooked by family or peers, but who then suddenly has access to supernatural forces. The character summons these external invisible powers whenever help is needed to save other people or get back at the “baddies.”

Toy manufacturers package these fantasy characters and their spirit “helpers” for children so that they follow the songs, chants, and actions. Many innocent children simply mimic their “heroes” without realising they are actually dealing with sorcery and calling upon spirits.

Here are a few examples.

Beyblades	Japanese manga series and toys featuring spinning tops enchanted with magical spirits of different creatures. The storyline focuses on a group of elementary school children that form teams to battle one another in spinning top tournaments.
Cardcaptor Sakura	Japanese elementary school manga series about a boy who discovers magical powers after accidentally freeing a set of magical cards. Each card has a spirit that can be called out by the touch of a magic wand.
Dragon Ball/Eternal dragon	Japanese anime television series about a boy who sets out to gather seven wish-granting dragon balls. The game gets players to gather dragon balls and chant passwords to summon different dragons that will grant them wishes to bring their dead back to life.
Final Fantasy Unlimited	Anime television series where one character uses a magic gun to summon monsters.
Harry Potter	Popular novel series about an orphan who finds out that he is a wizard when he turns eleven. He enrolls in a school of witchcraft and wizardry where children are taught spells, curses, transfiguration, charms, astronomy, animal spirit guides, and magic potions to fight off dark wizards. Dark forces, spiritual beings, and mythical beings are introduced.
Ojamajo Doremi	Japanese magical girl anime television series about a group of elementary school girls who become witch apprentices that use spells to save their friends. Each has a “cute” little spirit friend that follows them around.
Percy Jackson	Popular novel series about a teenager with dyslexia and ADHD who discovers he is a demigod, a child of a human and a god. The storyline features his adventures in fighting alongside and against mythical creatures, demons and deities from Greek mythology.
Pokemon (Pocket Monsters)	Popular Japanese media franchise about fictional creatures called Pokemon, which human trainers catch, collect and train to battle each other. Many of the pokemon characters are based on Japanese Yokai folklore and are about ghosts, monsters, spirits and demons.
Steven Universe	Cartoon series about a boy who becomes the youngest member of a team of magical “guardians of the universe.” The boy learns how to use his magical abilities to protect the world. The characters use magic, shape-shifting, and body-merging to become more powerful.

5. Magic boards and cards

Some “games” are more overt in that they teach players to literally call upon the dark spiritual forces and spirits of the dead.

Here are a few examples.

Bloody Mary	The ritual of calling upon the spirit of a woman by repeating her name a few times into a dimly lit mirror. Young people “play” it out of curiousity or to prove their courage. It is essentially a form of witchcraft using a mirror.
Charlie, Charlie challenge	Game of divination using two or four pencils, balanced on top of one another on top of a sheet of paper with the words, yes and no. Players ask a question and watch the pencils rotate to the answer.
Magic: The Gathering	Trading cards that feature spells that owners use to call forth different entities to fight in some duels. Each card has a different meaning and symbolism.
Ouija	A board to call upon a spiritual being to spell out answers to the questions players ask, using a movable indicator, called the planchette. Often played in groups.
Yu-Gi-Oh! cards	Trading card game based on summoning monsters, such as dragons, tormentors, dark magicians, and using them to defeat opponents. Includes the use of spells and traps cards.

6. Role-playing fantasy games

Fantasy role-playing games usually glorify violent conflicts and wars, and appeal to boys and men alike, by giving them the sensation of winning battles. In many of these fantasy games, players need to summon mythical creatures or beings with supernatural powers to assist them. These creatures and beings have their own names, personalities, and powers based on their identities – not unlike the rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces of evil mentioned in the Bible.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Some games also require players to dabble in psychic activities, telepathy, and purchase items to call upon their summoned power. They may even have to make pacts with the things they call upon for help. Each higher level of these games draws players deeper and deeper into the ways of dark magic, all in the disguise of “entertainment.”

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 NLT  And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Here are a few examples.

Age of Empires / Civilization	Strategy game which includes a war game between ancient kings and empires, including Babylon. The game includes monk chanting or casting spells.
Castlevania	Players take the role of a vampire hunter fighting against vampires and other mythological monsters.
Diablo	Based on a story of a war between heaven and hell. The player must save a town from demons and go through 12 different levels of hell to finally face Diablo, the ultimate evil. Involves summoning help from nature or the dead.
Dungeons and Dragons	All players are taught different spells and summons to recruit powerful “creatures.” Many spells require the player to speak certain words out loud. Some also require the use of “holy” symbols.
Final Fantasy Series	Role-playing game in which players take control of a hero or a group of heroes who battle a great evil, using weapons, casting spells and calling upon mystics and demons to aid in their quest.
God of War	Players take the role of a Spartan soldier bent on revenge against Ares, the God of War. Travelling through different areas, including hell and fighting many mystical beings, the player defeats Ares and becomes the new God of War.
League of Legends	Players take the role of “summoners” who call forth different fighting charactesr to battle other summoners for points.
Might & Magic / Ultima / Wizardry	Role-playing games where players control a hero on their quest to defeat a great evil using weapons and magic to cast spells and summon monsters and demons.
World of Warcraft	Strategy game which involves building an army to defeat other players. One of the key characters is the “hero,” a sorcerer that players can call upon to cast spells, such as bringing on a thunderstorm.

7. Bells and wind chimes

Bells are thought to bring good luck in certain parts of Asia. In some Buddhism sects, for instance, ringing a bell may be a way to call upon “heavenly deities” for protection from demonic spirits and for purification of the mind. In some Hindu places of worship, ringing the bell when entering the temple is a way to inform the gods of one’s arrival.

Wind chimes can be found in homes and gardens as part of fengshui. Traditionally hung from pagan temples, shrines, and pagodas, wind chimes were used to ward off evil spirits and attract benevolent ones.

When we follow pagan customs of ringing bells or decorating our homes with wind chimes, we unwittingly give ungodly spirits a foothold in our lives, even if this is not our intention.

There is still time to repent and ask God for forgiveness

It is likely that every one of us has participated in one or more of these rituals mentioned above without realising their spiritual implications. We may ask, “What if I did these things innocently? Surely, they don’t mean anything if I didn’t have the intention to practice witchcraft or call up spirits?”

This is a ruse that Satan uses to deceive many of us, by making us think that dabbling in witchcraft is “not a big deal because everyone else is doing it.” By falling for this lie, we behave just like the rest of the world that obeys the devil. Just because many people practice these things doesn’t make it okay before God. We are told in the Bible that the “days are evil” and that we are to act wisely.

Ephesians 2:2 NLT  You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Importantly, one just needs to do a self-study on what the Bible says about witchcraft to recognise that this is not God’s view. God guards the living spirit that he puts in us jealously and He is grieved and angered when we call upon another spirit. In our loving Father God’s eyes, we commit “spiritual prostitution.” The Bible reminds us that we need to set ourselves apart from the patterns of the world. Our Creator and Spiritual Head may have overlooked our ignorance in the past, but once we know Jesus Christ, we need to turn away from such activities and repent.

 James 4:5 ESV  Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

Leviticus 20:6-8 NLT  “I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community. So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.

Acts 17:30-31 ESV  The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Also, see Breaking off from the occult.

Testimony: Renouncing demons that came from magic cards and games

“Dark magic and occult through gaming and media was a huge part of my younger life. Having the gift of empathy and craftsmanship as a child and not knowing how to use it, while isolating myself and building a fortress to protect myself from rejection, I was inevitably attracted to and turned to media that appealed to my creative side.

Magical, fantasy and stylized graphics caught my eye and imagination, and I was drawn in to Magic the Gathering, Final Fantasy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dragonball and a myriad of other games, movies and media. As a kid, I had no idea of the dangers that these games and media held. Being based on and having a background in the occult and dark magic, this was a very cunning and tricky way for the enemy to appeal to youth like myself. These drew me into a world of sin that was packaged nicely and I didn’t even know it.

In the beginning, I found out about these games and media from friends at school. I wanted to fit in, have more friends, and be accepted, so I began playing the games and watching the shows.

Being raised in a Christian family, my parents had an inkling that this was not good for me. In the beginning, they would discourage me many times from playing these games and watching these movies and shows. With my persistence over time, they eventually gave in and I found myself diving deeper into these games as my creative outlet and escape. I became obsessed with these games and characters, thinking that I connected with their identities and struggles, controlling them in games, and living through their actions and stories.

Unknowingly to a lot of players, kids, and even parents, there is a real danger with these games and media.

I would find myself becoming involved in the occult through these games, listening to or reciting incantations, practicing sorcery, reciting spells and rituals, opening myself up to the world of dark magic and demons, all in the pretence that it was a fun game or a creative outlet. This allowed the enemy and demons to have a foothold on me. Even characters that were masked as good guys were demonic in disguise and based on occult or magic.

At that time, I had no idea the dangers I was getting myself into. Popular, kid- or youth-friendly media, such as Dragonball, Pokemon, Beyblades, and more all dabble and have backgrounds in the occult!

To be honest, it was not easy repenting for playing these games, being involved in the occult and letting go of these games and characters, since it had been a part of my life for such a long time.

Once I prayed, repented, and demanded these spirits to leave me in Jesus’ name, I felt an air of clarity and relief. I was no longer chained and bound to these spirits that have taken over my life for so long.”

May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love God with all your heart and renounce and expel all other spirits you have called upon and summoned.