"Readings?"

February 10, 2010

“Reading?”

Blessings Folk!

Received an interesting inquiry this morning from a dear friend.

Hey Dale, is it just me thinking so or are all of these "what 80's song, or what color, or what actress are you, etc are you?" quizzes that give a "reading" of your personality just the same thing as fortune telling? Its in the name of "fun" but it is playing with witchcraft and we are not supposed to have anything ...to do with all that. Any thoughts?

Any thoughts? LOL

Many.

First, it is significant that my friend even has this thought/concern/question. When a true believer has something that comes to mind in this way we should take heed to seek the Lord.

Then, a disclaimer. I have never participated in one of these “quizzes”...decided when I first began to use Facebook and the like that I would reject all invitations to Farm, Fish, Test, Question, etc. I do this, not because I think that games and the like are inherently evil, but I just don’t have the time. Happy

Therefore, I speak from not having participated.

I do find it interesting that my friend tells me that varied quizzes seek to “give a ‘reading’ of your personality.”

That cuts to the chase.

If something purports to evaluate who you are through quiz, test and the like, then be very careful.

I do suspect that the spirit of witchcraft is afoot.

This is rampant within our society.

It is especially prevalent within the professing church.

What you say?!

Yes.

I first encountered this some 25 years ago when the pastor of the church where I was on staff sought to evaluate all the staff using psychological instruments…(wait...I had some tests earlier in graduate school...hummm...but, I digress)

I do not fault him.

I believe we were all acting in ignorance.

He tested us all...using the Myers-Briggs test I believe.

He then set us down individually and told us what type personality we had.

In my case he was wrong. Imagine...LOL

He as amazed by the test results...thought they were wonderful, useful. He was planning to use the newfound knowledge to guide him in relationships.

I thought they were a joke.

Since then, I have had many encounters where folk tell my about their personality profiles, trying to explain who/why they are.

It is deep within the structure of the contemporary church.

I do not know of a seminary that does not have required personality profile testing.

We even have what we call “christian psychology”...hummm...psychology means “study of the soul”. Psychology is man’s attempt at explaining who he is while factoring God out. True “psychology”...knowledge of the soul...can only be found in the Lord.

Therefore, I believe the “testing, profiles,” are lies and deceptions of the evil one.

Why?

I believe these things…”testing, profiling”...games, quizzes?...

- keeps us from seeking the counsel of the Lord.

- turns us toward our skills and abilities and away from the Lord’s empowerment through the gifts of the Holy Spirit - prophesying, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, etc.

- cause us to worship the creation rather than the Creator.

  • “unequally yokes” the Body with the world...all these personality profile tests are based upon the work of those who reject the Lord...whether Yungian, Maslownian, Skinnerian, Freudian, etc.

- “blinds” us to what the Lord is revealing. An example. Have you ever met someone who “reminded you of someone else”...you thought they “looked” like another friend..but, then later, you realized that physically they did not? Why did they remind you of the friend? I’ve learned that it is because the same controlling spirit is at play. If the Holy Spirit, we rejoice because we are of the same family. If an evil spirit, the Lord is trying to reveal to us what is happening…

I believe that most within the Body of Christ have had their spirit dulled/quenched by the strategies and tactics of the evil one.

We have been distracted.
We have been “bewitched”...love that phrase...Paul used it in Galatians…
We are “playing” with things that are not edifying to the Kingdom.

We as believers should do what the Lord says…

Philippians 4 
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We should give our total attention to the things of the Lord.

Might we not do better if, rather than wondering what “star” we looked like, we would rejoice in what the Lord says of us…
  • we are saints in the Lord
  • we were sinners, but now have been covered by the blood of Christ
  • we are to be dead to self
  • we are alive in Him
  • we are fools for Christ
  • we are servants of the Most High God
  • we are beautiful in His eyes
  • He rejoices over us
  • His eyes roam to and fro across the earth looking for a man after His heart

I could go on and on… Happy

Is it inherently evil to play a game, answer a quiz and the like?
No.

But, if there is a “check in your spirit…
If there is quickening of the spirit…
If a thought, such as the one of my friend…

If these occur, then the Lord is placing His lov’n hand of correction upon a matter.

Rejoice therefore!

He loves us so much that He desires for us to be pure and undeceived in all things.

Give heed to the correction and allow the Lord to grow us in His holiness.

Blessings!!