Perhaps, by now, you've heard the unthinkable story about the woman in San Fransisco who was seen dropping her young sons into San Francisco Bay. Lashuan Harris, described as mentally ill by her own family members, claimed she had been hearing voices. The 23-year told investigators she had stopped taking her anti-psychotic drug once she got her schizophrenia symptoms under control over the summer, but the voices returned Tuesday night and were with her when she dropped her children into the water, according to a law-enforcement summary obtained by The Associated Press.

You may recall the prosecution of a woman named Andrea Yates, who confessed to drowning her five children in 2001. A Houston Post article read: HOUSTON - Andrea Yates never told her husband that she heard voices and saw visions that she said led to her eventually drowning her five children last June... "She kind of described it as her dark period, that she was in a dark place," Russell Yates said, referring to his wife's two suicide attempts two years before she killed her children.

MORE COMMON THAN WE CARE TO IMAGINE

Hearing voices and seeing hallucinations are becoming quite commonplace. Some high-visibility celeb is bound to come out of the closet and make "voice-hearing" all the rage. I watched "Field of Dreams" a few weeks ago, a film in which the leading man hears a voice from his corn field. "If you build it, he will come," the voice says. Ultimately, he winds up playing catch with his dead father, saving the family farm in the process.

Weird. Two thumbs down.

WAY down.

I'm convinced, folks, that the reason the Scriptures refer to the Holy Spirit as "holy" is to distinguish Him from all the UNHOLY spirits Satan has unleashed, set out to destroy people's lives. "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me," said Jesus Christ in John 10:27.

Respected Christian counselor, Neil Anderson, writes: During a conference, I noticed a lady who wouldn't sing with the rest of the group and seemed quite agitated. She slipped me a note after a morning session: "Please don't leave town without helping me. I have been diagnosed as having multiple personalities and a dissociative disorder.

"During our time together the Lord revealed that when she was seven years old a terrifying dark presence appeared in her room. It told her it would kill her unless she granted its request to share her body. The presence didn't leave until the day we met together. Later she wrote:

"I started hearing voices and having imaginary friends when I was seven years old. Bulimia began at age 10, promiscuity at age 12. I spent 10 years in a cult. When I came out of the cult, I sought deliverance at the suggestion of a Catholic priest. But I beat up the priest and left bruised myself. It frightened me so badly I never did anything about it again.

"I am now of a sound mind; the voices are gone. I feel clean and fresh inside for the first time I can remember. I don't live in a tiny corner of my mind or outside my body. I live inside now with my Lord."

I wish that this woman's experience of childhood seduction was an exception. But I have counseled dozens of adults who can trace their problems back to childhood. That's why it's critical that you teach your children the reality of the spiritual world and equip them to defeat Satan's attempts to seduce them.

CHRISTIAN KIDS: ARMED & DANGEROUS

We must arm our kids, teaching them that resisting an evil presence in their room is as important as avoiding strangers on the street. Especially with guided imagery, which introduces people to a "spirit guide, " taking place within America's school systems. About 7 years ago, my own daughter complained that she was being withheld from recess, without parental approval, so that she and several other "gifted" children could learn to call upon "friendly bears" to help them in dealing with their problems. Thankfully, I had taught her better than this and she said she would pray when they were told to close their eyes rather than participate (good girl). I was livid! The day after my call to the principal demanding she be withdrawn from the class, I was awakened by the school counselor's call as she attempted to convince me the classes were "just fine" and, as a Christian herself, and as a professional, she could vouch for their validity. Well, you can imagine how well THAT comment was received. Needless to say, my daughter was pulled from the program. The same happened to my second son, by the way. His teacher called to inquire as to why I had not submitted the required paperwork. After all, she said, "all the OTHER parents are submitting THEIR gifted children."

Give me a break. Barring very few, public schools are New Age indoctrination centers. Once the "elite" students are pegged, these little leaders of tomorrow are fed a steady diet of well-disguised, one-world, anti-Christian, anti-nationalistic, self-loving, liberal, tree-hugging, mamby-pamby rubbish. Frankly, most who are reading this were part of this program in one way or another. But that's another broadcast. Only this morning, while visiting a friend recovering from an automobile accident, did I see a TV screen in the apartment across the hall, two boys about 7 years of age, looking on as colorful occultic symbols were floating across the screen on the video game they were playing.

I'm convinced MANY people hear voices on every socio-economic level, but few are willing to fess up. Psychiatrists prescribe drugs for schizophrenics. A saying among recovering alcoholics is: "Pay no attention to the committee in your head."

The legendary Napoleon Hill, author of "Think and Grow Rich," which sold over 7 million copies, was an advisor to two presidents and a friend of the richest and most famous men of the 20th century. He spent 20 years compiling the case histories and money-making methods contained in this book and almost every motivational speaker out there will tell you what a great book it is. In one section of the book, Hill describes the conversations he held with his "Master Mind" group which included many famous DECEASED leaders from the pages of history, which he regularly called upon. At first, these counselors were invited. In time, they came when they were unexpected and uninvited. Ultimately, the man who said, "Whatever the human mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve," was tormented by the very spirit guides over which he thought he had control. According to his own children, Hill was hearing from his unwelcome little friends till he died. Millions have read this book and applied his "success" techniques. Before my salvation, I was among these readers. But that Master Mind stuff is where it got too strange for me, even though a very successful friend of mine gave me the book telling me, "If you're ready for success, the answer will pop out at you from every page."

Sure, buddy. I've since enlightened quite a few people whose bosses were encouraging the reading of this "classic."

THE BATTLE FOR THE MIND

People seldom open up regarding the mental struggle going on in their heads for fear that people will think they're nuts. I've noticed that almost every person who claims they were hearing voices heard things that were of a very demonic nature (1 Tim 4:1). If the things you hear from real people, or from voices in your head, don't line up with Scripture, the source is undeniably demonic... even if it comes from your shrink, your parents, your pastor or priest. Even those with legitimate instances of Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID, more commonly, MPD) should carefully weigh what's being said against the standard of Christ.

The following excerpt is from a website I found under the keywords "Hearing Voices." There were literally a quarter of a million sites that included this phrase, from literary and film works to the name of a rock band. Psychiatric sites, gay and lesbian sites, history sites, humor sites, et al. This one was called "Hearing Voices: Rumours of Madness" by a man named Ron Coleman. Here's a portion of the site:

Ron Coleman was one of the founding members of the Hearing Voices Network, an international organisation that provides support to people who hear voices. A voice hearer himself, he is now Director of Action Consultancy and Training (a mental health consultancy group) and Publishing House (Handsell publications). The main aims of Ron's talk were to: - 1. Deconstruct the diagnosis of schizophrenia 2. Demonstrate the pragmatic nature of voices or 'verbal hallucinations' 3. Provide a better way of working with people who hear voices ...By accepting the reality of voices, and understanding the consequences of the experience, Ron believed that professionals would be better able to help voice hearers.... Much of Ron's work has been supported by a wide range of research carried out by psychiatrists and psychologists...

Yes, psychology and psychiatry are always there to "help." Fallible, afflicted humans helping other afflicted humans. Misery loves company. The blind leading the blind. Doesn't it make sense that when there's a problem with the product we should consult the manufacturer? Even Jesus posed the question, "Can Satan cast out Satan?" (Matt 12:24-27). No, but in our humanistic "we can do it" culture, turning to the God of the Bible isn't too high up on the priority list any more. Sure, "God" gets mentioned quite a bit, but it's not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It's certainly not Jesus, who said He was, and proved He was, God incarnate.

The following disturbing excerpts are from an article called "Learning to Live with the Voices" by T. Newhouse, from a website called "Mental Health World."

...The voices were loud. They would say hellish things, cruel and violent things about my friends, family, employers. My psychiatrist tried various medications to no avail. For two years I worked full time... despite the loud voices in my head. But I was coming home at night crying and drinking too much to combat the fear and disgust generated by what these voices were saying to me. The next therapist wanted me to see the voices as a "psychic" purification. "Try not to judge what's coming out of you. Think of it as the mind's version of the stomach flu." Because I'm very sensitive, it was hard for me not to judge what the voices were saying. And I continued to be torn by the voices that opposed my own beliefs, my feelings, my spirit.... the voices were very frightening, saying cruel and violent things... Despite [a psychologist's] help, and use of these techniques, I was still terrified by the voices three years after they began. They became progressively worse, until everywhere I looked, a negative hallucination would be triggered. I entered a psychiatric hospital until, thanks to my friends and family, I was able to move home... After a few months of rest, the voices calmed down, but they still interfered. I got on SSI, pursued various classes, and did a little massage...When the voices are the only reality, it's hell on earth. I work on developing beautiful realities by playing and listening to beautiful music, writing poetry, reading books, and meditating. And I remember: "Let the voices have their own reality, but live in your reality." Meditation* is so important because it relaxes me and I can actually experience a divine reality... Lately I've been distressed by a new set of voices speaking against people I love...

Sigh. This poor girl went from couch to couch looking for help... drug to drug, New Age techniques included, and she's STILL oppressed by these voices. Whether it's an eating disorder, low self-esteem, rape, incest, etc., the good news is that there IS deliverance through Jesus Christ. "For THIS purpose was the Son of God manifest: to destroy the works of the evil one, " (1 Jn 3:8).

Are you hearing voices? I'm convinced that, with a willing heart, a sincere desire to be set free and a determination to do the work necessary, as one relinquishes control of their lives over to One who is bigger than any problem, you can be set free. For the Scripture tells us "those whom the Son sets free are free indeed," (Jn 8:36).

Either that's true or it's a lie. My experience is that it absolute truth.

Need pastoral counseling and prayer? Write or IM me at team1min@aol.com. Now, rate this article below and eMail it to your friends. Thanks!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pastor Michael is founder of t.e.a.m. ministries (team1min@aol.com). His eMail broadcasts, known as "Your Town for Jesus" (SEARCH it!) are reaching tens of thousands WEEKLY. Log on at http://www.PlanetaryMinistry.org Michael's mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Michael is the author of numerous booklets on a subjects that will interest the thinking Christian. Since 1999, he has written and broadcast hundreds of inspirational articles and a dozen booklets, all designed to accelerate the process of spiritual development in God's people.