SPIRITS

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the SPIRITS, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world – 1 John 4:1

SPIRITS are supernatural beings. GOD is a Spirit. Man is a spirit, with a soul, living in a body. Angels and demons are also spirits. There is a Spirit Realm! It truly exists. It is not a figment of fertile imagination. Unfortunately, many people who are curious about this subject dabble in it ignorantly. This subject is so vital that the right information about it could spare us and our loved ones untold agony and suffering! The answers to the spirit world cannot be found in science, under a microscope, through a telescope or in a laboratory. The secrets of the spirit can also not be found in religion. Certainly many religions refer to the spirit world, but are largely unreliable. Eastern religion, for instance, speaks of the spirit world, but its numerous books often contradict themselves on the issue. The ultimate Source of Truth about the spirit world is the Bible, God’s Word!

There is a bright, beneficial and wholesome side of the spirit world – the realm of good and righteous angels: “And of the angels He says: ‘Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire’ ” (Heb. 1:7). Scriptures reveal a bit of the realm inhabited by myriad of angels: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Rev. 5:11). They were created before the existence of the earth. Job had a glimpse of eternity past, when God asked, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? ...When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4,7). The “morning stars” is a biblical symbol for angels, while “sons of God” refers to angels who shouted for joy when they saw the earth being created.

As spirits, angels cannot die (Lk.20:36). Hebrews 1:14 states God’s purpose for creating them: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” They are God’s messengers, created to aid human beings in fulfilling God’s plan of salvation. Angelic assistance includes protecting God’s people in numerous ways: “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psa.34:7). God uses the holy angels to protect and take care of His own. We should be very thankful to God for having created these powerful angels for our benefit. We also should constantly ask God to place these angelic servants around His people to protect them from harm: God “shall give His angels charge over you, to keep [preserve or protect] you in all your ways” (Psa.91:11).

The other side of the spirit world is the dark realm, which is a reality we must face. Thank God, the Bible provides us with valuable information to be divinely defended from it and make us aware of its deceitful ways. But, how could a good and loving God allow this dark side? The Bible provides the answers. Angels were created with free will, capable of sin, and able to choose between good and evil. Evil began with one of the angels, Lucifer (later called Satan), who rebelled against God (Isa.14:12-14). He became filled with iniquity, violence, pride, and corrupted wisdom (Eze. 28:14-17). Lucifer led a rebellion against God and was cast down to the earth with those angels that followed him (2 Pet. 2:4). By the time Adam and Eve were formed, Satan was already on the earth and instrumental in the fall of humanity (Gen. 3:1-5).

Now, “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan” and his hierarchy of fallen angels or demons – principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and wicked spirits – are on a mission to deceive, “steal, kill and destroy” (Jh.10:10a; Eph.6:12; Rev.12:7-9). The unseen spiritual warfare has increased in these end-times (1Tim.4:1). Praise God: “the weapons the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…” (2Cor.10:4-6).