When contemplating the beliefs behind animistic thoughts there is an extreme and unrealistic fear in which a person feels as if they must somehow appease the gods or spirits so as not to offend them. Some of this exaggerated folklore and superstition comes from a real sense by which they discern a spiritual dimension which is beyond their physical or natural senses.
The spirits by which many of these associations are made is largely within the realm of the demonic as it is customary for these manifestations to oppress by imposing fear within the heart of the individual resulting in a paralysis of their humanity.
This is how the scriptures depicts Satan and his entourage of demons as they are committed to steal, kill and destroy and they are given the imagery of a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.
If you read the pages of the bible this theme of evil is prevalent within the stories of the text which record all kinds of various physical and emotional maladies.
So I generally agree with these animistic groups that there are spiritual realities to contend with and it is presumptuous and an oversimplification for modern scientific theory to assign every occurrence to naturalism. This is because the scientific community has only been able take a peek into the mysteries of the universe and so for them to be overly dogmatic about their statements or findings is an odious portrayal of arrogance. However, in balance with their views this does not necessitate a demon to be in or behind every bush as this too is also erroneous.
Furthermore an Australian group took a survey to determine the degree of belief from a world wide perspective concerning the case for the paranormal and of those who were interviewed there were about 70% of them who affirmed this idea which is comparative to the Gallup Poll which showed that 75% of Americans also agreed to this position. Perhaps this trend is why all of these paranormal reality shows are so popular.
Anyway when these animists react to this fear by participating in ritual sacrifices this is equivalent to what the New Testament describes as making offerings to malevolent demons in a trick or treat fashion and ironically Satan or the demons are not here to benefit us and their names are synonymous with the words accuser, slanderer, and adversary. The devil is also depicted as the father of lies as he is a deceiver and a counterfeiter of truth.
He would allow you to think that he is somehow worthy to be worshipped or feared by honoring him through oblations and yet they are only creatures that are subjected to the Almighty God who alone is worthy to be praised.
Additionally I believe that the animistic society “fears” because to some degree they understand the righteous requirements of a Supreme Being or Law Giver. This innate sense is hardwired into the main frame of their hearts as they intuitively know that they are to be responsible moral beings therefore giving them a real sense of right and wrong as being accountable for their actions. This reality is conveyed to the conscious which nags at the mind of a person resulting in a feeling of guilt which is intertwined within the very fabric of their soul by which they either suppress or reconcile with this truth.
Resultantly this moral knowledge has an ultimate purpose in that it resolutely drives us to seek God.
Also as you are reading through this post it may seem as if there is some duplicity or a paradox to my statements concerning fear. Yet the difference is that there is a healthy “Fear” of God which is unlike the repressive “fear” of the spirits or false gods. The disparity here is that “The Fear of the Lord” leads us to repentance or contrition as being based in a response to love while the enemy employs his fear as a weapon to attack you on the basis of hatred and revenge. The final outcome is that God’s “Fear” is redemptive while Satan’s “fear” is condemning.
So for the animist who is living under this kind of daily evil oppression means that they don’t have real and lasting peace with these spiritual beings and yet it is the love of the Almighty God through Christ which determinately casts out this fear because fear has to do with judgment.
This is the essence of the good news or the gospel in that Jesus came to set the captives free and to loose those who are bound in the prison of their lives and soul by healing those who are oppressed of the devil.
Jesus is a mediator whose mission was accomplished by redeeming mankind unto God by saving us from our sins/offenses and sinful nature therefore making peace with God and destroying the claim that the enemy has to our souls by liberating us from the final stronghold of death by obtaining on our behalf eternal life with the Supreme God and Creator.
God lovingly made a provision for sin by declaring us righteous through the gift of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus who died on our behalf and unlike the demonic counterfeit which requires the personal cost of continual offerings Jesus has freely given of Himself as a ransom once and for all.
He took our offenses as a sin bearer as He suffered and died upon the human implement of the cross. It is a price that we could not or did not have to pay which resulted in God reconciling the world to Himself through this sacrificial love of Jesus who laid down His own life.
This is all possible because the nature and character of God is merciful and gracious and He pursues us with a passionate love so much so that He was willing to reconcile us to Himself even while we were yet His enemies.
Therefore the holy and righteous Christ died in that the Godly suffered for the ungodly.
Anyway when you believe and trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior you
take on immunity to these spiritually dark forces. The bible communicates this in such a way so that we are described as being more than conquerors.
Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail against us and that greater is He that is in us (Holy Spirit of truth) than he that is in the world (evil spirit of falsehood). Additionally the bible says that no weapon formed against us shall prosper and that the spiritual weapons of our warfare are not weak but mighty through the pulling down of strongholds.
So when seeking help it is not necessary to consult a Shaman to be liberated from these troubling spiritual forces as he too is subjected to these same demonic entities. So for him to seemingly manipulate spiritual beings doesn’t mean that his actions are completely freeing as his influence is limited as being underneath the same power which formed many of these calamities to begin with. The witch doctor, medicine man and shaman are only instruments to do Satan’s work in bringing about a false sense of security in an often hostile world. Sin and suffering is the consequence and tragedy of life but salvation in Jesus is the supreme victory against this evil defeater.
Also how much power is there in a Shaman who is subjected to death when you can serve Jesus who has risen from the dead and who can continue to intercede for you long after the shaman is expired? The shaman is temporal and spatial but Jesus is eternal and omnipresent.
Also what kind of sacrifice did the Shaman make on your behalf instead he would rather exploit you by taking away your resources to benefit his livelihood and yet Jesus is not a charlatan as He did not come to receive but to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus graciously heals and delivers and therefore there is no need to depend upon the rigorous and ritualistic demands of a Shaman.
Finally, if the Shaman is a bondservant to Satan, who has been judged and will futuristically be sentenced and confined to the lake of fire, then how is it possible that this co laborer is able to ultimately bring deliverance to those who are subjected to evil if he is a captive and prisoner himself? Rather it is God who shall supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory and He in turn has given us everything we need for life and godliness. We are likewise instructed that if we seek first His kingdom and righteousness then all these essential things of life will be added unto us.
You may be familiar in dealing with unholy spirits but when you become a child of God you are given the Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide who leads you into all truth and who gives you a new nature which promotes goodness and pleases God.
It is a confusion and distortion to associate these false spirits and gods, who are demonic and temporal in origin, as being some form of emanation of the Supreme God as they are antithetical to His holiness and will consequently be judged along with all His enemies accordingly.
Now regarding the subject of the afterlife the animist is unsure about this state of existence and so I would like to leave you with a post that I wrote about near death experiences and life after death which is followed by a video link about people who have experienced this reality. This will reassure you that there is hope in Christ which is both now and beyond the grave. Also I am including the testimony of animists whose lives were changed when Jesus miraculously healed them which is confirmed by the stories in the New Testament book of Mark which I am also including a link to as well.
Lastly I would like to share with you my personal testimony in which Christ miraculously intervened in my own life.
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2009/10/29/is-hell-real/
www1.cbn.com/video/african-animist-meets-the-great-physician
www1.cbn.com/content/freedom-demonic-strongholds
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/
In conclusion God is knowable and you can be united to Him by experiencing His power, presence and love. The benefit of being a believer is that He is with us always even to the ends of the earth and it states that He will never leave us nor forsake us. So as we draw near to God then He draws near to us who like a friend sticks closer to us than a brother.
Finally all I ask is that you pray to Jesus to make Himself known to you in a real and tangible way whereby you can believe upon Him and therefore be refreshed by tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How to have a relationship with God