Christians seeking understanding about spiritual experiences are being urged to discern carefully between encounters rooted in God’s kingdom and those linked to the spirit world dominated by darkness.
In a recent discussion with Sergio Chavez, Kap Chatfield emphasized that, “the enemy cannot create anything. He just counterfeits everything that belongs to God,” framing a distinction that underpins much of the conversation about spiritual portals.
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The conversation highlighted that portals—spiritual gateways or openings—are a biblical concept, even if the term itself does not appear in Scripture. “[Jacob] was having a vision…there’s a ladder from heaven and there are angels ascending and descending. That was a portal,” Chavez explained, referencing Genesis 28. The discussion also drew on the New Testament, noting that prayer and worship can open heavenly portals, as seen in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas prayed at midnight and in Acts 2 when the disciples were praying in the upper room. “Something physical happened because they were praying and praising…they opened up a portal,” Chavez said.
The two also warned of counterfeit portals. Many experiences in New Age retreats, psychedelic ceremonies and other occult practices are real, but they are rooted in the kingdom of darkness. “It’s hard to imagine that these are just physical experiences and these are just like figments of their imagination… these are actually very spiritual encounters.” Chatfield explained, highlighting the genuine spiritual activity present in these encounters.
To order Sergio Chavez’s new book, Spiritual Portals, visit Amazon.com.
The conversation stressed that discernment is essential. “Jesus describes Himself as the gate…He is the eternal portal,” Chavez said. Biblical practices such as prayer, intercession and meditation on Scripture remain the safe path to opening spiritual portals in alignment with God’s kingdom.
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Watch the complete video below to learn more about opening portals to God’s presence while avoiding the pitfalls of the spirit world.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
