New Age Manipulation
Devotions for Growing Christians
New Age Manipulation
2 Corinthians 2:11 - We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:4 - The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 11:14 - Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
What is the “New Age” movement? Some Christians are unaware of this term. Other Christians have dismissed New Age as just another branch of humanism that has been unduly attacked by a small group of fanatical Christians. Most Christians have heard New Age terminology bandied about, but they’re not sure what it’s all about.
To begin with, there really is a New Age movement, but much of it is hidden because many of the groups do not label themselves "New Age.” More importantly, the movement is not neutral. It’s ominous, and Christians need to be aware of its underlying thought patterns and goals. Concisely defined, it’s is a worldwide network of loosely interconnected organizations and groupings which ultimately are all committed, more or less, to a global "new world order" in which worldwide political and religious unity and harmony will exist.
Almost all these groups are heavily influenced by eastern religious thought and advocate meditation, yoga and other self-help methods of realizing and developing the individual's inner wisdom and spiritual potential. Spiritual-mystical experiences that enable the individual to tap into or attain unity with a "higher" or "cosmic" consciousness or "force" are often advocated. The mental transformation that these experiences bring about opens the way for people to learn "advanced" new habits and attitudes. Most New Agers maintain that this is the basic means by which the goal of global unity will be attained. If this description of some basic New Age ideas sounds totally foreign to you, read on! Many Christians are largely unaware of the subtle ways New Agers are infiltrating our society with their ideology.
Growing Christians need to be discerning and alert. Behind this movement is the hiss of the age-old serpent. On the surface, the push for worldwide peace and unity appears noble and admirable, but below the surface this movement is masterminded by Satan himself. In reality, it is a worldwide manipulation of human souls. Unwary souls are being manipulated to pave and prepare the way for a notorious world leader of the end times - the Antichrist. Under the guise of a better world for all mankind, Satan is maneuvering for a massive takeover.
The first clue that this movement cannot be from God is that the core groups openly deny that Jesus is God. Although many New Agers use "god-talk" and biblical language, quote the words of Jesus, and refer to Him as “a god” - the bottom line is a denial of Jesus as the only Son of God, the God of the Bible.
Even a brief look at New Age materials should convince us that this movement is not neutral and harmless, but is actually satanic and dangerous. The fact its proponents are “loving” and their ideology has an appearance of innocent humanitarianism should not be surprising. The Bible teaches that this is one of the ways the enemy of souls operates. Three passages in 2 Corinthians describe Satan's devious tactics.
“We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes.”
According to 2 Corinthians 2:11, we’re not in the dark as to what Satan is up to in this world. Why? Because the Bible clearly informs us of the devil's perennial strategy. Ever since he fell into sin, Satan's aim has been to take away God’s glory by thwarting God’s purposes in this world. Satan’s schemes are devised to keep non-Christians from coming to Christ, and to keep Christians from being effective for Christ.
One of Satan's most successful methods in accomplishing his goals is the gaining control of our culture, or the overall thought patterns and concepts of our society. This strategy is effective because the culture in which we live influences our mind-set and way of thinking so much - whether we realize it or not! As long as the cause of Christ is countered, Satan doesn't care whether the culture is characterized by capitalism or communism, humanism or hedonism, asceticism or atheism. One of the schemes that Satan employs to gain control of a culture or sub-culture is to counterfeit Christianity by starting false "movements.”
Satanic-inspired movements always have some aspects of truth and goodness about them, because imitation and deception have always been one of the devil's chief ways of ensnaring souls. Religious movements that are not Christ-centered are counterfeit movements. They look good on the outside, but they’re satanic at the core. Communism, for example, looks appealing with its apparent emphasis on equality, but its basic atheistic philosophy proves it is one of Satan's counterfeit movements.
The New Age movement is one more of the enemy's counterfeit schemes. It sounds good to the unsuspecting and uninformed, but behind the mask of all the talk about peace and unity lies the scheming mind of Satan. As Christians, we long for worldwide peace and unity, but we know that it can only come about through the return of Christ. No counterfeit "messiah" can bring true and lasting peace. Let’s not be deceived or manipulated by a scheme that ultimately denies the Lord Jesus Christ - the only Prince of Peace.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 informs us that unbelievers are blinded by Satan. In what area has the god of this world blinded the people of this world? He has blinded them to the "gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God." Satan doesn't mind if Christ is recognized as a great human leader and teacher. These facts don't save anyone! Satan's aim is to keep the light of Christ's glorious deity and gift of salvation from people at all costs.
The devil has designed all kinds of mind-blinders, so that the divine light is blacked out, and the New Age movement is one of them. All the promises of the "Age of Aquarius" are part of this Satanic cover-up. Satan's tempting promise in the Garden of Eden that "you shall be as God" is still blinding people today. The great emphasis on human potential and "the force within" as well as the "god is all/all is god" presupposition continues this lie and blinds unbelievers to their lost condition. Only in the light of the good news of the glory of Christ are subtle lies exposed. Even though Satan tries everything he can to block that light from unbelievers, he can never put out that eternal Light!
“Satan disguises himself s an angel of light.”
2 Corinthians 11:4 tells us that Satan is able to hide his true identity, using a most disarming costume. Who would ever think that an "angel of light" would like to see people separated from God forever? But that is exactly where the movement for global peace and unity will lead its followers. To be sure, there are "peaceful" experiences along the way. Mystical experiences attained through altered states of consciousness are not just imagination. Such experiences are real - but they are manipulations by the 'angel of light.’ Satan knows that these experiences help to blur the distinction between the Creator and His creation. Some people even claim to have met an angel of light and other "ascended masters" in their mystical trips. These spirit beings all talk of peace and love and unity, but always apart from the supremacy and deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the basis of 2 Corinthians 11:4, we know that these so-called spirit guides are, in reality, demonic spirits masquerading as angels of light.
Although we don’t deny the possibility of God-given spiritual experiences, they will always be Christ-centered and biblically based. The temptation to seek mystical experiences through transcendental meditation, yoga, self-hypnosis and other techniques is not of God! It is rather an open door to the world of eastern religion and the occult. Be very cautious of relaxation and visualization techniques - they can very easily be used as first steps to the dangerous altered conscious states. Stress-management seminars, if not biblically based, can be used to teach these types of techniques. Many of the widely advertised self-help videos and courses that claim to teach people how to overcome bad habits and develop greater personal potential are promoting New Age techniques.
We shouldn’t be surprised if the “angel of light” is trying to introduce New Age methods into the Church in christianized garb. Beware of Christian seminars advocating non-biblical types of meditation. Be wary of church seminars giving assertiveness training or personal potential development courses. These courses could be used by Satan to turn our focus from God's power at work within us to our own human potential. What subtle manipulation!
There is a new age coming, but it will not come about through the New Age movement! God will bring about global unity with the return of Christ (Revelation 22:1-3). In that great day the Throne of the Lamb will be established, the nations will be healed, and the curse of sin will be lifted! Is there any better description of true global peace and prosperity?
- Dave Reid