Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Angels or Demons?

For by him [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him. (Colossians 1:16)

God tells us in His word that spirits do exist in this world, either in the form of angels (God’s Helpers) or Demons (Satan’s Helpers). He does not tell us exactly when He created the angels, but it seems according to Job 38:6,7 that it was early in the creation process. On what were its [the world’s] footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? They watched with joy and rejoiced as God created.

Satan and his demons are angels who were created holy and perfect, but later fell into sin, turning against God. He doesn’t tell us at what point Satan sinned, but we know that He created all things perfect and holy because .... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31).

Have you ever watched the show “Ghost Hunters” on the Sy-Fy channel? I have watched it only a couple of times. The “Ghost Hunters” are hired by people who fear that spirits are living in vacated buildings, homes, old ships, prisons etc. Their job is to determine if certain sounds or phenomenon are actually spirits or just the creaking and moaning of an old building or old rusty pipes and heating systems.

I am always a little leery about watching reality shows and movies about ghosts. I have never felt comfortable playing the OUIJA Board. I’m not so sure it’s just a harmless game.

A year or so ago, a young woman whom I know asked me if I had ever seen an “Orb”? She pulled out a photograph which had been taken at night. It was a picture of people sitting around a campfire. Hovering above the group (friends of her son) at the campfire was a circular light and in the center was what looked like a man or an angel with arms outstretched over the group. She pointed to the figure and said to me, “That is my son”. Her son had been murdered months before over a drug deal that had gone wrong. She then pulled out several other pictures with the same phenomenon. She felt certain that her son was still present in spirit and was watching over his friends and family.

There are a lot of things we don’t know about the spirit world, but what we need to know, God tells us in His word. God Himself is a spirit. He surrounds us and watches over us daily. He is omnipresent and omnipotent. That means He is present everywhere and knows all things. Jesus promises in Matthew 28:20: And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age…and in Joshua 1:4 - As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you and in Deuteronomy 31:8 - The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. God is comfort. He represents goodness, safety and love. He is light and life.

God promises also to send His Holy Angels to surround us and protect us from harm. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)… and, he will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11)

God also warns us in His word about the devil and his demons. As “angels” the devil and his helpers are very powerful. Jesus says: Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and also… he was a murderer from the beginning… a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). He makes us doubt God’s love for us. He said to Eve in the garden: You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3: 4,5).

So, do the spirits of people who were once alive really hover unseen in space? If so, are they good spirits or are they harmful. Do our loved ones come back from the dead to haunt us or talk to us? Should we fear them? Should we talk to them? Do people really need the “Ghost Hunters”?

The answer to all of the above is an emphatic “NO”. Once a person dies, he/she is gone from this earth. That person is either in heaven with God or in Hell with the devil. Our soul is a spirit but God does not allow the souls of anyone, believers or unbelievers, to float around in space or come back to haunt people. He tells us: man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

At the moment of death our soul leaves our body and is judged. Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior go directly to heaven. Those who have chosen to reject God’s free gift of Salvation during this lifetime, will go directly to hell. When Jesus returns on the last day the souls and bodies of all people who have died, from the beginning of time until the present, will be reunited to live eternally in Heaven or Hell. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
(John 5: 28, 29)

So what does this tell us about haunting spirits? What does this tell us about the paranormal activity that we hear about and see on shows like the Ghost Hunters? Are these things real or figments of someone’s imagination? What about “Orbs”? Were those shown to me in the photographs real? If so where do they come from?

Satan can take on many forms to deceive us. He can wear many “hats” so to speak. He makes himself look good in order to lead people into sin. The spirits who are supposedly brought up in a séance or show up as an Orb in a photograph are very possibly real, but are the work of the devil and his wicked angels. Stay away from them. Don’t give the devil a foothold by searching dark places looking for them or believing they are a dead family member or loved one. No matter how harmless or “good” they may seem, they are evil. God warns us: Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1Peter 8: 8).

Remember also that we are surrounded by God’s holy angels daily. They serve Him by protecting His people from harm (Heb. 1:14). He will not send them to frighten us. He will not send them to haunt old buildings and dark deserted places. We will not see them with our eyes until we are called home to heaven. If they should at some point take on human form according to God’s purpose for us, we will not know they are angels. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)

Stay in the word. Read it and study it daily. Love God and put Him first in your life. You will be truly blessed and you will have nothing to fear from the devil and his wicked schemes. You are protected by Jesus.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

By Kristeen - To God be the glory!

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