First and foremost, the dead are unconscious.
The Bible says that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) At death we pass, not into another plane of existence or thinking, but into nonexistence. The teaching that we have an immortal soul that survives after our body dies does not come from the Bible. (Ezekiel 18:4) Thus, any memories from a near-death experience cannot be glimpses of heaven, hell, or the afterlife.
What is the condition of the dead?
THE BIBLE’S ANSWER: “The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going.” *—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.
The Grave, simply put, is where humans go when they die; it is a symbolic place or condition where any consciousness or activity ceases
HOW DEMONS MISLEAD
What is spiritism?
To mislead people, the demons use spiritism. The practice of spiritism is involvement with the demons, both in a direct way and through a human medium. The Bible condemns spiritism and warns us to keep free from everything connected with it. (Galatians 5:19-21) Spiritism does for the demons what bait does for fishermen. A fisherman uses a variety of baits to catch various kinds of fish. Similarly, wicked spirits use different forms of spiritism to bring all sorts of people under their influence.
What is divination, and why should we avoid it?
One type of bait used by the demons is divination. What is divination? It is an attempt to find out about the future or about something unknown. Some forms of divination are astrology, the use of tarot cards, crystal gazing, palmistry, and the search for mysterious omens, or signs, in dreams. Although many people think that practicing divination is harmless, the Bible shows that fortune-tellers and wicked spirits work together. For instance, Acts 16:16-18 mentions “a demon of divination” that enabled a girl to practice fortune-telling. But she lost this ability when the demon was cast out of her.
Why is it dangerous to try to communicate with the dead?
Another way that the demons mislead people is by encouraging them to inquire of the dead. People grieving over the death of a loved one are often deceived by wrong ideas about those who have died. A spirit medium may give special information or may speak in a voice that seems to be that of a dead person. As a result, many people become convinced that the dead are really alive and that contacting them will help the living to endure their grief. But any such “comfort” is really false as well as dangerous. Why? Because the demons can imitate the voice of a dead person and give a spirit medium information about the one who died. (1 Samuel 28:3-19) Moreover, the dead have ceased to exist. (Psalm 115:17) So “anyone who inquires of the dead” has been misled by wicked spirits and is acting contrary to the will of God. (See Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; Isaiah 8:19) Therefore, be careful to reject this dangerous bait used by the demons. Wicked spirits are dangerous, but we need not live in fear of them if we oppose the Devil and draw close to God by doing His will. (Read James 4:7, 8.)
How, then, can we strengthen our faith?
By studying the Bible. The firmness of a wall depends very much on the strength of its foundation. In the same way, the firmness of our faith depends greatly on the strength of its base, which is ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE of God’s Word, the Bible. If we read and study the Bible daily (and apply it in our lives), our faith will become strong. Like a strong wall, such faith will shield us from the influence of wicked spirits.—1 John 5:5.
FYI....
Leviticus 20:27 states… “‘Any man or woman who acts as a spirit medium or is a fortune-teller* should be put to death without fail.+ The people should stone them to death. Their own blood is upon them.’” Source: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures