The world we live in could be compared to a two way mirror...we are only aware of the
images we can see, but on the other side looking at us is the spirit world. Traditional Christianity does not accept
the existence of spirits and ghosts, and state that it is of the devil. Let us see what is written in the Bible...
God is spirit, we believe and know that.
Christ arouse from the dead and 'appeared' to Simon (Luke 24:34) and he 'appeared'
to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9). To 'appear' means to manifest from the invisible to the visible, from the spirit realm to the
physical realm. Jesus also 'appeared' to two other followers in a form that was not recognizable to them, Mark 16:12.
He also 'appeared' to the 11 disciples and stood in the midst of them while they were having a conversation, Luke 24:36.
He literally manifested right before their eyes! And they were in awe and fear, and he told them in Luke 24:39, "...handle
me, and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me having." He made the statement to show that
the 'spirit' form does not have 'flesh and bone', but he did and was not like the spirits.
In Matthew 14:26 his disciples thought him to be an 'apparition' as they saw a man
walking on water towards them. Obviously the people of that time and era believed in 'ghosts'. Even after the
resurrection, we find in Matthew 27:52-53, that 'the tombs were opened up and many bodies of the saints who have
fallen asleep, arose; and having come forth out of the tombs after Jesus' rising, they went into the holy city and appeared
to many."
Paul writes in the book of Hebrews 12:1 of the fact that there are spirits all around
us... 'Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us."
Even in the Lords Prayer we see a distinct difference in our physical existence and
the other side, 'On earth (the physical realm) as it is in heaven (the spirit realm).
In Mark 9:4, we find the famous Mount of Transfiguration verse, 'And there appeared
to them, Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.'
The physical and spiritual realms can converse with one another !
In 1Samuel 28:15, we read where Saul has a medium call up the deceased prophet Samuel
from the other side of the grave, "And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?" The medium is
written to have seen and contacted many people on the other side. Samuel also appeared as he did when he died, as an
old man, with the same clothing he wore in his previous life.
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells us the story of the rich man and Lazarus, both who die
and are sent over to two separate areas to wait for Judgment day. The rich man asks Lazarus to be sent back to the world
of the living to warn them.
From all the above mentioned passages it is safe to say that in these few instances
there was an interaction allowed between the living and the dead. These examples are small and do not compare to the
common contact that the angels have had with the living all through the bible. Also in Luke 16:27-31, it is
stated that no human spirits are allowed to return to visit the living world without permission, and it cannot be for insignificant
reasons.
Just as angels have ministered to us on God's behalf, (A few examples can be
found in these passages ,Hebrew 1:14, 1Kings 19:5-7, 2Kings 19:35, Daniel 6:22 and Acts 12:23) evil angels and demons can
interact with us also, as you can find in Job 1:12-19, and can possess people as in Mathew 8:16 and 28, 9:32-33, 12:24, 15:22
and 17:18 to name a few. Some evil demons also possessed some swine, and the pigs were aware of this invasion and ran
off a cliff into some water below and drowned themselves, you can read that in Mathew 8:28. I want you also to note
that Christ gave his disciples authority over the demons in Mark 16:17, and in Luke 9:1 and 10:9. And you should not
fear them as is written in Psalms 17:1, where you should fear nothing if your love is upon God.
In the book of Matthew, chapter 12 verses 44-46 (And also in Luke 11:26), we find the
verse, 'When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he roams through the dry places in search of rest, and finds none.
Then he says, 'I will return to my house which I left'; and when he comes to it he finds the place unoccupied, swept, and
decorated. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked then himself, and they enter in and dwell
there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation."
In 1John 4:1 we find this interesting passage:
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. (2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
(5) They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (6) We are of God: he that knoweth
God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." Satan
sends fallen angels and demons to earth to try and deceive us in any way possible because he wants us to doubt
the existence of God. He wants man to share in the same punishment he is destined for, because he is jealous of
man and hates him because of God's love for us. He deceives us mostly by using man himself, but by also disguising
himself, as well as his evil servants as familiar people we once knew...so beware the Ouija board and any channeling
on the other side. They more then likely are not whom they say they are.
Remember, the angels are older then us, and can easily obtain knowledge about the deceased ones life to
masquerade as a passed on loved one trying to communicate with you. You can find in 2 Corinthians chapter 11: verse
14, that Satan and his angels have the power to disguise themselves as helpful spirits to man.
Christianity teaches that the soul is in one of two places after death, that we are either with God in heaven
or in a waiting place for final judgment. In Genesis 25:8 we read where Abraham 'gave up the ghost', which in Hebrew
the translation means 'to breathe out'. Which is a great contrast to how God breathed the spirit into man.
So what is it that we see here on earth, these things called ghosts, spirits, apparitions, specters, etc...?
Is is some type of residue energy? A video recording of a persons life left in the tangle of radio, sound and television
waves? Science cannot put a permanent definition to it, nor has anyone offered definite proof of what it is that we
actually encounter. Albeit, most are deceitful spirits, mimicking the lives of our loved ones passed on, but I do believe
there is something else to it. Something we don't yet understand, or wasn't meant to understand. The mystery has
confounded us for centuries, and will possibly continue to do so even far into the future. But for now, we can only
search, study, and share with one another what we have found, saw, experienced and felt to try and form another piece of the
paranormal puzzle that might one day reveal all the answers.
Stay tuned for another exploration about flying vehicles and advanced technology in the Bible. Coming
soon.
