The occult may appear to be entertainment to some, but those who understand the spiritual realm warn that it is anything but harmless. Objects linked to dark practices or rituals are believed to serve as open doors for destructive forces. These forces, once invited, can influence lives in ways that lead to turmoil, sickness, addiction or even death. Such dangers are often dismissed in popular culture, yet many maintain that the consequences are both real and severe.
Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!
Revivalist Isaiah Saldivar recently issued a public warning to comedian Matt Rife after the performer announced he had become the legal guardian of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home, occult museum, and more than 750 haunted artifacts, including the infamous Annabelle doll. “This stuff is not a game. It’s not a joke. Do not get involved in this,” Saldivar said in a recent video.
“You are opening yourself up to demonic spirits”
Saldivar connected Rife’s purchase to the recent death of Dan Rivera, who had toured with the Annabelle doll before dying unexpectedly in his hotel room. “It wasn’t the doll that killed him. It’s the demonic spirits that he opens himself up to when you start touching and getting involved in these occult items,” he said.
Warning Rife directly, Saldivar explained, “When you open yourself up to this stuff, you are opening yourself up to demonic spirits. And you don’t know what will come in—spirits of addiction, murder, anger, rage, bitterness.” He added that such spirits seek to inhabit people, not just objects, and can bring devastating consequences.
“The world is hungry for the supernatural”
Saldivar noted that Rife’s acquisition reflects a larger cultural trend: “People are so hungry for the supernatural… but they go to the wrong sources. Instead of going to God and His power and His Spirit… you go to the dark side and you look for the supernatural.”
He also took issue with comments made by psychic medium Matt Fraser, who warned Rife about the Annabelle doll but described the spirits as “souls that have not transitioned.” Saldivar corrected this, saying, “They’re not souls. They’re demonic spirits… fallen angels that are looking for bodies to inhabit.”
A call to stop “playing with fire”
Addressing Rife and anyone dabbling in occult practices, Saldivar was blunt: “You are playing with fire when you start playing with these things and think it’s no big deal.” He urged viewers to get rid of any occult items in their possession, quoting Scripture’s command to “expose the works of darkness.”
Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!
“The spiritual realm is very real,” Saldivar continued, stressing that the Bible warns of unseen forces at work in the world and calls believers to resist them. “Stop today. Get rid of your witchcraft. Get rid of your occult items. This is dangerous, and it will destroy your life.”
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
