Do You Ever Miss It?

“Check that place out. I bet ‘D’  would go nuts over it”.

My husband and I were on a long road trip. There had been a lull in our conversation so I was enjoying the view out my window and noticed a historic looking cemetery. I immediately thought of my friend who still leads the group I used to ghost hunt with five years ago.

To this day—I always notice.

I stared at the markers as we drove past, intrigued by the weathered monuments and mausoleums. I smiled wistfully, imagining my former ghost hunting team leader‘s reaction to the place if he saw it.

“Do you ever miss it?”

Surprised by the question, I turned my gaze to my husband. He glanced over at me, curiosity clear in his eyes. Sighing, I turned back in time to see the final edge of the cemetery reflected in the car’s side mirror.

“Sometimes.”

I’ve admitted it before. Yes–there are times I’m still tempted by my former life in the occult and ghost hunting.

Thankfully, not as much as there used to be though. Because I feel called by God to share my past in the occult with people as a means of educating and warning them away from it, I stick very close to my Bible and relationship with Christ. This helps me keep focused on the truth.

Even so, there are occasional low days when I’m frustrated and remember how easy it would be to use tarot cards or a pendulum for guidance. When a new paranormal television show or movie comes out, sometimes those former interests are tweaked. When we drive past an old house or (in this case) a cemetery, I can’t help but think back to the investigations I went on as a medium and ghost hunter. In many ways, pursuing ghost hunting activities (or anything occult related) is very addicting. You might wonder how or why this happens?

There is an adrenaline rush which accompanies ghost hunting through solving of a mystery or experiencing paranormal phenomena. It keeps people interested and coming back for more. Which is kind of the point, isn’t it? 

What are the results of chasing ghosts or investigating allegations of haunting activity? More interest. Belief in ideas which are not found in the Bible. Interest in ghosts, ghost hunting, mediums, or any form of spirit communication will draw people away from understanding or believing what the Bible has to say about God, life, death, sin, and salvation:

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV)

People will ask me so “why are there ghosts?” 

The answer is simple. Deception. 

As Christians, we are discouraged from having anything to do with communicating with ghosts or spirits or seeking them out. Yet more and more believers are being drawn into accepting occult beliefs (unaware) through the explosion of interest in ghost hunting which now influences our popular culture.

But there are so many ghost stories and legends! 

Yes, there are. Ghosts, spirits, and stories of encountering them have been recorded for thousands of years. The first known recorded (traditional–and excluding the encounter between Saul and the Medium in scripture) ghost story was written by Pliny the Younger (AD 61-115). You could even say ghost stories are part of our shared collective experience.

What Christians need to decide is if they will accept the Bible as the authority for their life and beliefs.

I believe what the Bible tells me about the spiritual realm. Spirit beings (angels) were created long ago to serve God and those which rebelled against their Creator (Lucifer as well as a third which fell with him) are what we are dealing with to this day (2 Corinthians 11:14-15; John 10:10) and the enemy’s motive (to steal, kill, destroy) has not changed. These demonic spirits are the source of spiritual harassment. They are the source of information or what is conjured by mediums, channelers, and necromancers for communication and information. And it is they who are creating paranormal experiences for the living.

So yes, while there are times I’m reminded (even tempted) by my past, it will never again be enough for me to abandon the hope I’ve found once more in Jesus Christ. Never enough to walk away from God who loves me so much He sent His only Son to pay the penalty for MY sin so I could be in HIS presence forever.

I know God will never let anything in this world (or the next) tear me from His love. Why or how do I know this?  Because HE pursued me for eight years as I foolishly walked through graveyards seeking information from ghosts (demons). (Luke 15; Romans 8:38-39)

So when those moments of temptation come (and they always do because we have a spiritual enemy), I thank God for all He’s done for me and make the decision once more to look at HIM.