If you’ve been hypnotized, you could be under demonic influence. Hypnotism is not of God! If you allow yourself to be hypnotized, even with the best of motives, you are inviting demons into your soul. Hypnotism belongs to the realm of witchcraft.
That’s why I was shocked when I saw a well-known Christian ministry give the green light to hypnosis, suggesting that hypnosis is not evil or dangerous in and of itself. Scripture tells us plainly not to be ignorant of the devil’s devices.
Hypnosis is a trancelike state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject. This is a clear violation of Scripture since the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (see Gal. 5:22-23). Hypnosis hands control over to someone, who can implant evil seeds into your soul.
Indeed, hypnosis puts people in a trance, but it’s not a trance like Peter had on the roof in the Book of Acts (see Acts 10:10). At best, it’s a man-induced trance that opens the floodgates to demonic influence. At worst, it is Satan-inspired and can leave clinical patients worse off than they were before.
Consider some of the roots of hypnosis in modern medicine. Nineteenth Century British surgeon James Braid saw a performance from a theatrical artist who used mesmerism to make people impervious to pain. First, he mesmerized them, then shocked them with a live battery or burned them with candles and they couldn’t feel a thing. He started promoting the practice and deceiving the masses.
The hope is that hypnotism will help with sleep issues, like insomnia and sleepwalking. Proponents of hypnotism suggest it eases anxiety, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. Some say hypnosis helps them quit smoking and lose weight.
With hypnosis, you’ll lose all right.
You lose control under hypnosis of your mind and your body, which can lead to sin. Your Body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should remain under His control (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Hypnosis causes us to violate 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
You never know what the enemy may be suggesting—or what seed he may be planting in your soul—while you are being hypnotized. This is how some people end up with mind control or mind-binding demons.
Some people frame hypnosis as a way to focus on ourselves and find the answer within us. Yes, the answers are in us because Christ is in us. We are called to focus on Jesus, not ourselves.
Consider that hypnosis was founded by a Freemason, Franz Anton Mesmer. His last name is where we get the word “mesmerized.” He wore purple robes and looked more like a wizard than a doctor. He used mirrors, crystal rocks, clocks and tapped into animal magnetism to heal his patients. He even constructed a bath in which iron rods were placed on patients who were tied together with a wet rope. Doesn't that sound like witchcraft to you?
If you’ve been hypnotized, pray this prayer with me to undo what the devil may have done:
Father, in the name of Jesus, would You forgive me for seeking out a hypnotist instead of seeking out Your help? You are my helper. I renounce hypnotism and I reject every evil suggestion and demonic seed that was planted in my soul through hypnotism. I cast out every demon power that infiltrated my soul through hypnotism. Come out, in the name of Jesus! Father, please fill me with your Holy Spirit.
