Why Christians Must Reject I Ching: The Spiritual Consequences of Seeking the Occult

I Ching: An Ancient Guide or Gateway to Darkness? A Christian Warning

The I Ching, also known as the Book of Changes, is one of the oldest Chinese texts, used for over 3,000 years as a manual for decision-making and insight through divination. However, while many view it as a harmless or even enlightening tradition, Christians must ask: What is the true spiritual source of this ancient wisdom? And what are the eternal consequences of seeking guidance apart from God?

What is the I Ching?

The I Ching is a divination tool based on 64 hexagrams—combinations of six lines that are either broken (yin) or unbroken (yang). These symbols represent different forces and outcomes in life. A practitioner typically tosses coins or sticks, interprets the result, and reads the corresponding hexagram from the book to receive advice or insight.

At its core, the I Ching is rooted in Taoist and Confucian philosophy, reflecting beliefs in dualism (yin and yang), fate, ancestral spirits, and harmony with the cosmos. It is not simply philosophical—it is spiritually charged and explicitly used to divine hidden knowledge.

What Was the Spirituality Behind I Ching?

The I Ching emerged from ancient Chinese spirituality, particularly Taoism, which emphasizes following the Tao (the "Way")—a mystical force believed to be the source and pattern of the universe. Taoism recognizes no personal Creator God but sees all of reality as interconnected energy flows.

In Confucianism, the I Ching was integrated as a moral and ethical guide, while still maintaining its use in divination, not as a prayer to the one true God, but as a dialogue with impersonal cosmic forces or even ancestral spirits. This spiritual foundation is pagan and occult, utterly incompatible with biblical Christianity.

Who Are the 'Gods' Behind the I Ching?

The I Ching doesn't involve a single god but interacts with spiritual forces often understood as part of nature or the universe. Taoist beliefs may include veneration of ancestral spirits, nature deities, and immortals—entities that are, from a biblical standpoint, demonic impersonators (1 Corinthians 10:20).

When people consult the I Ching, they are not interacting with God. They are engaging in a spiritual practice outside the boundaries of Scripture, which opens doors to demonic deception.

Dangers of I Ching: The Demonic Entry Point

Many who begin using the I Ching experience psychological and emotional disturbances:

Hearing voices
Seeing flashes of light
Being plagued with anxiety or confusion
Feeling a loss of control
Obsessive behaviors
Suicidal thoughts

These are not random effects—they are signs of spiritual torment. When someone uses divination to bypass God’s voice, they unwittingly enter into communion with demonic spirits who counterfeit wisdom but bring torment, bondage, and destruction (John 10:10).

Biblical Warnings Against Divination

The Bible clearly and consistently warns God’s people to avoid divination and consulting spiritual forces other than God.

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations… There shall not be found among you… a diviner… or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.”
— Deuteronomy 18:9–12 (KJV)

This passage reveals that divination is an abomination—a practice so spiritually dangerous that God detests it. Why? Because it opens the door to bondage, lies, and demonic control.

King Saul: A Tragic Example

King Saul of Israel provides a chilling example. When God no longer answered him due to his rebellion, Saul consulted a medium—the witch of Endor—to summon the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 28). This act sealed Saul’s fate. He died in battle the next day, his kingdom lost.

By seeking the occult instead of repentance, Saul chose rebellion and encountered spiritual death.

“So Saul died for his transgression… and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it.”
— 1 Chronicles 10:13

The Slave Girl With a Spirit of Divination

In Acts 16:16-18, Paul encounters a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination, who earned money for her masters by fortune-telling. She cried out loudly, but Paul recognized the spirit and cast it out in Jesus’ name.

This demonstrates that divination is not merely a natural or psychological phenomenon—it can be spiritually demonic. It also shows the superior authority of Jesus Christ over all demonic forces.

Why Does God Forbid the I Ching and Similar Practices?

God’s prohibition of divination is not about restriction—it’s about protection. Seeking knowledge from the occult is a denial of God's truth and a declaration that He is not enough. This rebellion exposes people to:

Deception
Spiritual bondage
Mental torment
Physical and emotional illness
Death

The occult promises power and enlightenment, but delivers only misery and destruction. It replaces the peace of God with confusion, and His truth with spiritual lies.

Jesus: The True Light That Overcomes Darkness

Jesus Christ is the only source of truth and guidance for life. He said:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
— John 14:6

He also promises the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth (John 16:13)—not random symbols or hexagrams, but divine relationship.

Through Jesus, we find:

Freedom from demonic bondage
Peace instead of torment
Wisdom from above
Eternal life, not spiritual death

Conclusion: Reject the I Ching and Embrace the Truth

The I Ching may appear ancient and wise, but its roots are deeply occult, pagan, and spiritually dangerous. What seems like harmless insight is a seductive trap into demonic torment and deception.

If you or someone you know has been involved with the I Ching or any form of divination, the answer is repentance and turning to Jesus. Renounce the practice, break the agreement with the enemy, and ask God to heal and deliver you from any torment.

Jesus is not only greater than the I Ching—He is the only Way to life, truth, and peace.

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
— John 8:32

Methods of discernment:

• Who was the founder of this modality?
• What was his/her spirituality?
• What culture did it come out of?
• What were their beliefs?
• Who is their God or gods?
Many occult practices within Christianity require discernment. Another method of discernment is the Word of God. The word of God is our measuring stick. The more we read the word, know the word, and have a relationship with the Lord, the more we discern right and wrong. We perish from a lack of knowledge.
Hosea 4:6 declares, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.”
By Teresa Morin, President of Touch of God Int'l Ministries of Healing and Deliverance.
Teresa Morin honored by Marquis Whos Who

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Thursday, June 05, 2025