3 Things Familiar Spirits Can Do [Isaiah 8:19]

The topic of familiar spirits is very wide.

My goal in this post is not to explore an in-depth study of this topic.

I will only be able to focus on one facet of familiar spirits, and that is their power.

In other words, what capabilities or abilities do familiar spirits possess?

Our main text will be from Isaiah 8:19, which says this in KJV:

“And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?”

This verse is an advertisement of the top three demonic powers that familiar spirits have, which are the ability to peep, mutter, and consult the dead.

Page Contents

#1- Peeping

Peeping refers to their ability to observe, gather, and reveal information that is not readily apparent or known to others.

This supernatural insight allows these spirits to:

Perceive hidden truths: They can uncover facts about people’s lives, histories, and circumstances that are not publicly known.
Discern spiritual realities: They can recognize spiritual authorities and understand the broader spiritual landscape.
Comprehend divine timelines: They are aware of God’s overarching plan and can operate strategically within their allotted time.
Mimic genuine spiritual gifts: Their ability to speak truths can be mistaken for genuine prophecy or divine revelation.
Exploit human vulnerabilities: By knowing personal details, they can tailor their deceptions to be more convincing and appealing.
Navigate legal-spiritual boundaries: They understand the “legal rights” they may have in people’s lives due to sin or other spiritual factors.

Acts 16:16-20 illustrates the deceptive nature of peeping spirits:

The slave girl, possessed by a spirit of divination, accurately identified Paul and his companions as “servants of the highest God” who were showing “the way of salvation.”
This demonstrates how familiar spirits can use their peeping ability to speak true statements, making it difficult to discern their evil nature.
The danger lies in the fact that these spirits can mix truth with lies or use partial truths to mislead people.
While the slave girl’s statement was factually correct, it came from a demonic source rather than the Holy Spirit.
This highlights the need for spiritual discernment, as true statements alone are not sufficient to determine the righteousness of the source.
In other words, the source of information is just as important as its factual accuracy.
This reinforces the biblical admonition to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) by relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance and the full counsel of God’s Word rather than being swayed by partial truths or facts from questionable sources.

Revelation 12:12 gives us another example of how peeping spirits can comprehend divine timelines:

This verse states the devil works with “great wrath because he knows that his time is short.”
This urgency and understanding of spiritual timelines allow familiar spirits to maximize their influence within their limited scope.
We find a similar example in Matthew 8:28-29, where the Gerasene demoniacs when confronted by Jesus, the demons asked, “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?“
This reveals their awareness of the limits of their power, the timeline of God’s plan, and their eventual judgment.
This knowledge makes familiar spirits particularly dangerous, as they can strategically operate within the confines of their temporary authority.
That means, unlike mostly ignorant humans, these evil spirits understand the “legal rights” they may have in people’s lives due to sin or other spiritual factors.

In conclusion, the peeping ability of familiar spirits represents a significant spiritual danger. It enables these entities to operate with a level of knowledge and strategy that can easily deceive the unwary.

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#2 – Muttering

Muttering refers to their ability to communicate in low, indistinct, or barely audible tones.

This form of communication is often associated with incantations, spells, or secret codes.

Muttering serves two primary purposes: to influence humans subtly and to give instructions to other demons.

A] Demonic Communication and Coordination:

Demonic Command Language: Muttering serves as a spiritual language used to give instructions to other demons, allowing for coordinated spiritual warfare against individuals or groups.
Ritual Invocations: In occult practices, muttering often takes the form of chants or incantations used to summon or direct demonic forces.
Transmission of Dark Knowledge: Through muttering, familiar spirits can pass on forbidden or occult knowledge to human practitioners of the dark arts.

B] Influence on Thoughts and Behaviors:

Spiritual Whispers: They can implant thoughts, ideas, or suggestions that seem to come from within the person’s mind.
Spiritual Deafness: Their mutterings can create a form of spiritual interference, making it difficult for individuals to hear or discern God’s voice clearly.
Propagation of False Doctrines: Through subtle influences, they can spread false teachings that slowly lead people away from the truth.
Emotional Manipulation: Their mutterings can play on fears, insecurities, and desires, gradually shaping a person’s emotional state.
Counterfeit Spiritual Experiences: They may produce sensations or experiences that mimic genuine spiritual encounters but lead away from true faith.
Gradual Desensitization: Over time, their constant mutterings can desensitize individuals to sin or false teachings, making what was once clearly wrong seem acceptable.

In 1 Kings 22:19-23, we see an example of a muttering spirit that:

Volunteered to be an enticing and lying spirit in the mouths of false prophets.
This illustrates how familiar spirits can “mutter” falsehoods that sound convincing, even to those who believe they are speaking for God.
This led to the creation of an atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty.
In the long run, confusion weakens a person’s faith and resolve, making them more susceptible to deception.

We find another example in Genesis 3:1-5:

The serpent’s subtle questioning of God’s command (“Did God really say…?”) can be seen as a form of spiritual muttering, sowing doubt in Eve’s mind.

In conclusion, the muttering ability of familiar spirits is particularly dangerous because it is insidious, as it can influence individuals without their conscious awareness. This underscores the need for vigilance, spiritual discernment, and a deep, abiding relationship with God to recognize and resist these deceptive influences.

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#3 – Consulting the Dead

Consulting the dead refers to the purported ability to communicate with, gain information from, or interact with the spirits of deceased individuals.

This practice, also known as necromancy, is presented as a means to access knowledge, guidance, or power from those who have passed on.

The ability of familiar spirits to seemingly consult the Dead is a complex and deceptive power that involves:

Impersonation: Familiar spirits can mimic the personalities, voices, and mannerisms of deceased individuals, creating a convincing illusion of communication with the dead.
Access to Hidden Knowledge: These spirits may reveal information about the deceased or the past that seems impossible for the medium to know, lending credibility to the deception.
Manipulation of Emotions: By playing on the grief and longing of those seeking to contact deceased loved ones, familiar spirits can exert emotional and psychological influence.
Distortion of Spiritual Reality: This practice blurs the lines between biblical afterlife concepts and pagan beliefs, potentially leading people away from true faith.
False Prophecy and Guidance: Information or advice given through these consultations may seem helpful but ultimately leads away from God’s will and truth.
Spiritual Bondage: Engaging in necromancy can create spiritual ties that increase the influence of familiar spirits in a person’s life.
Undermining Faith in God: By providing alternatives to seeking God for comfort, guidance, and knowledge of the future, this practice can weaken reliance on divine providence and revelation.

Consulting the Dead is Dangerous because it can lead to deception and false comfort, as seen in 1 Samuel 28:7-20:

Saul, in his desperation, sought out a medium to consult the spirit of Samuel.
The apparition that appeared, while seeming to provide accurate information, ultimately led Saul further into despair and away from true repentance.
The practice of consulting the dead can provide a false sense of comfort and closure to those grieving the loss of loved ones.
However, this comfort is deceptive, as the entities being contacted are not actually the spirits of the deceased but rather familiar spirits masquerading as such.
This deception can lead people away from genuine healing and faith in God’s promises.

Consulting the Dead is a violation of divine boundaries as recorded in Deuteronomy 18:10-12:

God explicitly forbids the practice of consulting the dead.
This prohibition exists because it violates the boundaries God has set between the living and the dead and between the natural and supernatural realms.
Engaging in this practice opens individuals up to spiritual deception and demonic influence.
Isaiah 8:19-20 contrasts consulting the dead with seeking out God for instructions and the testimony of warning.
As believers, we are called to trust in God’s Word and His promises regarding life, death, and the afterlife.
The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, emphasizing that our deceased loved ones in Christ are with Him, not available for consultation through mediums or familiar spirits.

In conclusion, the ability of familiar spirits to seemingly consult the dead is a powerful tool of deception. It preys on human vulnerability, particularly grief and the desire for supernatural knowledge. This practice stands in direct opposition to God’s command to seek Him alone for guidance and comfort.

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Our Hope in This Spiritual Warfare

In Ephesians 6:12 Apostle Paul wrote that we struggle;

“against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”

This battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil that operate in the abilities we’ve discussed above.

Isaiah 8:19 serves as a stark reminder of the arsenal at the disposal of those who dabble in darkness – wizards, mediums, and witches.

These practitioners are not operating alone but are backed by a multitude of spirits, each with its own set of deceptive abilities.

At first glance, it may seem we face an overwhelming force.

However, as believers, we have a profound source of comfort and power: The Holy Spirit.

In place of peeping, we have the gift of discernment, allowing us to distinguish truth from deception.
Instead of muttering, we are given the gift of speaking in tongues, a divine language of prayer and praise.
Rather than consulting the dead, we have direct access to the Ancient of Days, the all-knowing and self-existent God.

Unlike those who must navigate relationships with numerous familiar spirits to achieve often trivial ends, we need only cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit to access the full power and wisdom of God.

Therefore, we can take comfort in knowing that our Helper, the Holy Spirit, not only lives within us but also empowers us.

As 1 John 4:4 reminds us,

“Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

While the abilities of familiar spirits may seem daunting, they pale in comparison to the power and authority we have in Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Our focus should not be on the strategies of darkness but on growing in our relationship with God and relying on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power through:

Regularly studying and meditating on Scripture [Psalm 119:11]
Practicing discernment [Hebrews 5:14]
Maintaining a consistent prayer life [1 Thessalonians 5:17]
Seeking counsel from mature believers [Proverbs 11:14]
Putting on the full armor of God [Ephesians 6:10-18]
Being aware of the reality of spiritual warfare [2 Corinthians 10:3-5]
Resisting the devil through faith [James 4:7]
Staying alert to the enemy’s schemes [1 Peter 5:8-9]

In Christ, we find all we need to stand firm against any spiritual assault and to live victorious Christian lives as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:57;

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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