I believe in the existence of such things as witchcraft, voodoo, etc. That Fortune-telling, mysticism, and the like can actually can have a perverted power behind them. Some are just crazy and are trying to make money. If there is true supernatural power they can access, what authority/whom do they access it from?
What spiritual power does this come from? The Bible calls these entitites "powers and authorities" (referring to the power structure of the enemies' kingdom), "demons" meaning fallen corrupted angels, and "unclean spirits" meaning yet another type of spiritual entity that preys upon living humans.
Some lump all this sort of thing into 'the devil', but the devil or shaitan as the Muslims call it is not personally involved in all such activity (that would make it omnipresent like God - and it certainly IS NOT).
Yet all such things may be put in the category of the kingdom of the enemy.
The basic explanation of what is going on with this involvement of humans by wicked spirits is that they are a form of parasite.
par·a·site (pr-st)
n.
1. Biology An organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival of its host.
2.
a. One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.
b. One who lives off and flatters the rich; a sycophant.
3. A professional dinner guest, especially in ancient Greece.
Spiritually then, corrupt spirits of the kingdom of satan/shaitan attach themselves to humans to "grow, feed on and be sheltered in" the human host.
The Bible even refers to a human as a 'house' or 'temple' - depending upon the context of the body's use. House is negative. Temple is holy.
They contribute nothing and because of their voracious unchecked appetites will cause the host organism (human) to be destroyed before it's time.
Because humans also have a spiritual component it is possible that the human spirit will not make peace with God during this period of hosting, may be corrupted beyond relief and will itself be lost to God after death.
Spiritual parasites use many methods and schemes to sucker humans. The Bible says that they tempt us by means of our own lusts.
If a gambler, then the games are a way in.
If addicted to sex, then the perversions of love are another.
What person who has experience with a drug addict has not heard the term "monkey on my back"?
There is no good psychological reason for one who has kicked the habit via a good rehab program to return to drugs, yet they do.
THEY THEMSELVES testify to something beyond their own mind which draws them in.
In the middle ages, gluttony was assumed to be a method of spiritual attack YET TODAY IT IS FORBIDDEN TO PREACH AGAINST IT.
(Very strange. Sex was once a subject not discussed in polite company, yet today it has been replaced by gluttony. We hear about tithing all the time, but when was the last time you heard a sermon about gluttony? It is a forbidden subject in church.)
Corrupt spirits do indeed use gluttony to fasten themselves upon a human. Ever see a man or woman with a food obsession? Partly physical, like drugs, partly psychological and partly spiritual.
The Bible and tradition teaches the saints of the benefits of fasting (even gives guidelines on how to do it and what sort of attitude one should have in the process) - YET THERE IS NO PREACHING ON THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF FASTING AS SOMETHING ONE OUGHT TO DO.
Jesus fasted. As Christians we are encouraged in church to follow His example, EXCEPT IN FASTING.
Witchcraft, voodoo, fortunetelling and mysticism are corrupted forms of religion and as such provide a semi-legitimate excuse for spiritual parasites to work their way into the human host.
By what authority do these spiritual entities act?
The really sad thing is that these things are done BY HUMAN AUTHORITY. The Bible teaches that satan lost all authority when it was forced out of heaven. The first thing it did when it arrived on earth (See Genesis ch 3), was to usurp human authority to itself.
Humans GIVE THEMSELVES to these destructive parasitic spirits. When this is done, the human loses control and the spirits reign supreme.
Christ comes to seize that authority from the corrupt spirits, remove the parasites from the human, and return the humans' original authority - PROVISIONALLY ( a small bit at a time and only under direct supervision - as an adult will do with a child).