Americans celebrate Halloween every year on Oct 31st. And ghosts, goblins, haunted houses, witches, etc, are a common theme to this holiday. Some people have taken this holiday a step further, by wanting to visit and communicate with friends and loved ones whom have died. And have consulted with mediums and spiritists to do so.
There are only a few incidents in the Bible that talk about the living having contact with a dead person or ghost. In 1 Samuel 28:7-19, King Saul seeks a woman with a familiar spirit or demon to inquire of Samuel about what to do. Managing to speak with the dead shocked her, which indicates that it did not happen before.
In Matthew 17:1-8, Peter, James and John see Moses and Elijah with Jesus for a brief period of time. And in Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. We learn that their are two areas for the dead until the Tribulation. And the rich man asks for Lazarus to be sent back to warn the living. These are examples that the spirits of the dead dwell for now, but these situations were very rare and not as common as contact between people and angels.
There are many instances involving contact with angels, both good and evil. God may use a good angel to minister on our behalf. And to do this may require manipulating the physical world. For example in 1 Kings 19:5-7, the angel touches Elijah and provides food and drink for him and in Daniel 6:22, the angel closes the mouths of the lions. And in the case of evil angels or demons, they can manipulate people to do evil. In the book of Matthew, there were a number of instances were demons possessed people. And this possession caused muteness, epilepsy, blindness and supernatural strength.
They also possessed pigs before they ran into the waters and drowned. But we have to also understand that demons have no power over anyone that God doesn't allow. And Christ has given His disciples authority over demons. We are not to focus on demons, ghosts and the spirit world, but on God and his commands in scripture. If we seek out spirit guides and helpers or play with Ouija boards, tarot cards, se'ances or listen to satanic heavy rock music, you can invite Satan into your life. We are to be consumed by the Word of God by knowing Jesus Christ. And it is the Gospel of Christ that we need to be sharing with others for deliverance from sin and Satan in our lives.
Wanda is a wife. mother, public speaker and contributing author of EzineArticles.com. She has been writing about God and spirituality for over 20 years and has researched the bible and its history. Wanda also specializes in christian poetry and children books and believes and teaches that regardless of a person's background or their mistakes of the past, God has a place for them.
She is the publisher and bestselling author of "Kids Ask The Darndest Things About God And The Beginning- Answers From The First Five Books Of The Bible" available at http://www.amazon.com
Visit Ball Publications Christian Books at http://www.ball-publications.com and sign up for "The Knowledge" monthly Newsletter. Gain Knowledge and Power with articles, discussions, tips and special offers that will be provided from time to time. Take advantage of up and coming events, radio & TV broadcasts and recommended products of interest for you and your family!
J Oswald Sanders
No comments:
Post a Comment