Extra Sensory Perception

[Kelly]

Hi Mike,

I am doing a paper on Extra Sensory Perception, and I would like to get your opinion on whether we as Christians are supposed to believe or not believe.

What is your belief or understanding about Extra Sensory Perception?

Can Prophets and Diviners in the Bible be referred to as having Extra Sensory Perception?

Where in the Bible can I find scripture about Prophets and people telling of the future?

In the Bible, what does it say about spirits and ghosts?

Besides Prophets, were there people that had the ability or gift to tell fortunes or the future?

I would really love to get your input and make it a part of my presentation. Ricky also told me that your doing a evening service on spirits and ghosts. I would love to come and learn, can you please let me know the date. Thank you so much.

[Kelly]

Brother Mike,

I need to turn this paper in by Tuesday. I would really love to include your answers and opinion in my research.

[Mike Miller]

Sorry, Kelly. It's been quite a week, and I've hardly had time to be online.

First, Extrasensory Perception, or ESP, is something that is not proven. It depends on who you talk to as to what it is exactly, but the gist of it is that it is an ability to sense or know things by other than ordinary means (the five senses). It can relate to any kind of random event or knowing the thoughts of others.

Prophets in the Bible did not have ESP. They spoke the words of God as He moved them by His Spirit or as He revealed to them in visions. Deuteronomy 13 makes it clear that true prophets of God will 1) always speak in accordance to God's revealed Word and will (they won't tell you to follow other gods, for example) and 2) everything they predict will come to pass exactly as they say it will or they are false prophets. See also Deuteronomy 18:15-22.

The Bible contains many examples of prophets telling the future. For example, the book of Isaiah foretells of judgment coming on Israel and Judah. Those prophecies came to pass exactly like God spoke through Isaiah. However, most prophecy wasn't about future events. Most of it was rebuking and exhorting God's people, calling them to repentance in order to avoid God's judgment.

The Bible doesn't talk about ghosts, like dead people. It teaches that when we die, we go to heaven or hell. There are, however, angels and demons which are spiritual beings. (I'm teaching on angels and demons on Sunday night, by the way). Demons are evil spirits who do all kinds of evil things, but they can do nothing outside of God's permission for His good purpose and will. The demons can be very deceptive. See 2 Corinthians 11:14 and 1 John 4:1.

Some people claim to have the ability to predict the future. I think they are fakes. Psychics, in my opinion, are largely bogus. However, it might be possible that some people can be possessed by demons and therefore have some kinds of knowledge about things that have happened because the demons saw it and revealed it to them. For example, can a police psychic help the police by revealing details of a murder? I don't know. But perhaps a demon possessed person can be told by a demon what that demon or another was involved in.

Again, sorry for the delay. Hope this helps.