s a tOWER'S lATEST rELEASE - BEHIND enemy lines : An In-depth Insider's guide to spiritual warfare
Helping A Loved One Leave Occultism
(c) S. A. Tower
8/17/20265 min read
Not In My House
A tarot deck on the kitchen table, a new interest in spells, a shelf of crystals, or a loved one speaking casually about spirit guides can shake a Christian family to its core. Helping a family member leave occultism is not accomplished by panic, arguments, or pretending the danger is harmless. It requires truth spoken in love, spiritual discernment, steady prayer, and confidence that Jesus Christ still breaks chains.
For those who have lived in the occult, the pull is rarely only about rebellion. Many entered looking for comfort, power, answers, belonging, healing, or control in a painful season. That does not make the practices innocent. Scripture is direct about divination, sorcery, mediums, and attempts to seek supernatural knowledge or power apart from God (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). But understanding the hunger beneath the involvement can help you minister to the person rather than merely react to the practice.
Start With Prayer, Not Fear
The occult is spiritually serious, but it is not greater than Christ. Fear can make believers frantic, controlling, and unable to hear the Holy Spirit's direction. Jesus has already triumphed over the powers of darkness. Colossians 2:15 declares that He disarmed rulers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them through the cross.
Pray specifically for your family member. Ask the Lord to expose deception, soften their heart, interrupt destructive spiritual ties, and send laborers into their path. Pray for discernment in your own words and actions. Ask God to show you when to speak, when to listen, and when to be silent.
Do not turn prayer into a performance aimed at them. Quiet, faithful intercession often accomplishes more than repeated warnings delivered in a heated moment. Their resistance may be loud, but God can work where you cannot see.
Speak the Truth Without Attacking the Person
A loved one involved in occultism may expect Christians to condemn, mock, or misunderstand them. Do not confirm that expectation. You are not called to approve of darkness, but neither are you called to humiliate someone Christ wants to save.
Choose a calm time to speak. Ask sincere questions: What drew you to this? What do you believe it is giving you? Have you felt peace, fear, pressure, or confusion since becoming involved? Listen carefully. Their answers may reveal grief, trauma, loneliness, a desire for identity, or a hunger for spiritual experiences that has not been met with biblical discipleship.
Then speak plainly. You can say, “I love you too much to pretend this is spiritually safe. I believe these practices lead away from Jesus, not toward Him. But there is mercy, freedom, and a new beginning in Christ.” Avoid turning every conversation into a debate about symbols, personalities, or occult terminology. The central issue is lordship. Who will they trust, follow, and worship?
Your testimony can carry weight here. A rescued life exposes the lie that a person is too deep, too deceived, or too far gone for Jesus to reach. The gospel is not merely an argument against the occult. It is the announcement that Christ receives repentant people and makes them new.
Do Not Mistake Curiosity for Commitment - or Commitment for Hopelessness
Not every situation looks the same. A teenager watching occult-themed content, an adult experimenting with astrology, and a relative deeply committed to witchcraft may need different conversations and boundaries. Do not minimize early involvement, but do not assume every person has reached the same level of bondage either.
Be careful about labels. Calling someone “demon-possessed” in a family argument may close a door you are trying to keep open. Only God sees the full spiritual condition of a heart. Christians can recognize that occult practices open doors to oppression and deception without claiming knowledge God has not given.
At the same time, do not let concern for gentleness make you vague. Horoscopes, divination, spellwork, channeling, spirit communication, ritual magic, and New Age practices are not neutral hobbies when they seek guidance, healing, protection, or power apart from the Lord. A person may call it self-care or spirituality. God calls His people to seek Him.
Set Boundaries That Protect Your Home
Love is not passive. If occult items or rituals are being brought into your home, you have a responsibility to establish clear boundaries. State them calmly and without threats you will not follow through on. For example, you may say that no tarot readings, spells, séances, altars, ritual objects, or spirit-invoking practices are permitted in the home.
If the person is your minor child, you have a greater duty to provide guidance and protection. Keep communication open, but do not surrender parental responsibility because you fear conflict. If the person is an independent adult, your authority is different. You can govern what happens in your home, while recognizing that you cannot force repentance in theirs.
Do not secretly destroy another adult's possessions or attempt dramatic confrontations. Such actions can damage trust and may intensify hostility. When a person truly chooses Christ and desires freedom, encourage them to renounce occult involvement and remove related materials intentionally. In Acts 19:19, those who believed publicly burned their magic books. Their response followed conviction and repentance, not coercion.
If there is abuse, threats, self-harm, violence, or criminal activity connected to the situation, prioritize immediate physical safety and seek appropriate emergency or professional help. Spiritual warfare never requires neglecting wise, practical protection.
Lead Them Toward Jesus, Not Just Away From Practices
A person can throw away occult objects and still remain empty, fearful, or spiritually hungry. Freedom is not simply the absence of forbidden practices. It is a surrendered life filled with the Holy Spirit, rooted in Scripture, and connected to the body of Christ.
Invite your loved one to read one of the Gospels with you. The Gospel of Mark is direct and accessible, showing Christ's authority over sickness, sin, and demonic powers. Encourage honest prayer, even if their first prayer is simple: “Jesus, if You are real, reveal Yourself to me and lead me out of deception.” God is not threatened by a desperate, imperfect cry.
If they are ready to turn from the occult, help them make that turn concrete. Repentance means agreeing with God about sin and choosing to leave it. They can confess their involvement to the Lord, renounce practices and spiritual allegiances that opposed Christ, ask for forgiveness, and place their faith in Jesus. They need discipleship after that moment, not isolation. A mature, biblically grounded pastor or trusted believer can provide ongoing care, prayer, and accountability.
Be discerning about where you direct them. Not every loud spiritual voice is healthy, and not every deliverance ministry operates with wisdom. Look for leaders who honor Scripture, point people to Christ rather than personalities, respect personal dignity, and understand that lasting freedom includes repentance, truth, prayer, and discipleship.
Expect a Process, Keep Loving
Some family members will respond immediately. Others may argue, withdraw, or return to familiar practices before they are ready to surrender. Their delay does not mean your prayers are wasted. It may mean God is exposing deeper wounds and lies that must be brought into the light.
Do not become consumed by monitoring them. Continue to live a visible, faithful Christian life. Let them see peace that does not depend on circumstances, repentance when you fail, love that remains steady, and trust in Jesus that is more than religious talk. Many people flee counterfeits when they finally encounter the real presence of God in someone close to them.
Keep your own heart guarded from bitterness. You may need support from wise believers who can pray with you and help you remain grounded. Carrying concern for a loved one is heavy. Christ does not ask you to carry it alone.
Your family member is not beyond the reach of God. The same Jesus who met people in bondage, shame, fear, and deception still calls captives into freedom. Keep the door open, keep the truth clear, and keep bringing their name before the One who knows exactly how to lead them home.