WHAT ARE GHOSTS AND OTHER INVISIBLE SPIRITS?
Noah's Dove
http://paapsi.org/
WHAT ARE GHOSTS,
AND OTHER INVISIBLE SPIRITS??
By Jim Wihelmsen
Ghosts like UFO’s are a topic that stirs the imagination and sparks
intrigue into the minds of most people. With so many sightings
worldwide there must be something real to all of this. Much of our
intrigue comes from the fact that most of us want to know what happens
after death. Ghosts in this sense are representing a hope of an after
life. This hope creates a drive to search for answers. I find that
most people attracted to the supernatural are people who are sensitive
to and more aware of life that goes beyond the five senses. They are
“seekers” looking for more in life than what they have. Most also
desire to be better people as a result of their quest.
Real experiences
Many people have experienced seeing the appearance of departed loved
ones or those of well-known people from the past. It is assumed that
ghosts are the spiritual remains of the deceased existing on another
plane of existence in an energy form. Very convincing cases have been
produced to suggest that some ghosts seem to linger on with unresolved
and unfinished business to accomplish. Other cases would indicate that
in a traumatic death the person seems “stuck” in a place or area where
the event took place. Sightings have become so popular that it is
harder to find someone who has not had a supernatural encounter.
Seek to find
To the curious minded seeker who wants to find out what is really
going on, making contact would seem like the only logical action to
pursue. This can be very dangerous in a spiritual way and at times
even a physical one. Without having all of the information many
seekers have plunged into many different forms of contact.
Within the “New Age” movement, a Medium, Psychic or Channeler is
sought after to contact spirit guides, angels, ghosts of the departed
and even aliens. One popular “New Age” group offers a book and course
(“A course in Miracles”) to assist in making contact. These practices
have become increasingly popular.
Discernment is needed
In all of these practices what guidelines are used? What standard is
applied to help an individual to discern “crafty manipulation” from a
real spiritual experience? And even the real experiences, How do you
know where the supernatural sources you contact are coming from? What
is the standard used for discernment and guidance? Is “A course in
Miracles” able to guide you? There is a refusal within most “New Age”
thought to even believe in any negative or evil entities. It is
believed that Satan does not even exist, that he is the
personification of man’s own ignorance. Ignorance, not Satan becomes
the enemy,, therefore the more we become educated in spiritual truths
the less evil should exist? Our own History and that of other cultures
certainly do not testify to that!
It is difficult to approach this subject as a Christian without being
attacked as being “Non inclusive”, “narrow minded” or “judgmental”. I
will let the scriptures speak for themselves, It is because of my
heartfelt respect for those seeking, that I make this attempt to
provide you with all the information. In this you can either accept or
reject and take whatever future actions you want. At least you have
been informed to what the Bible has to say. With an open mind you
might want to consider some very important points that you were
probably not aware of.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH:
Ghost are not departed loved ones!
The Bible has much to say about this topic that most people today are
not aware of.. This lack of understanding in many cases is because
they have never been taught from the Bible about ghosts at their place
of worship. Another reason is simply today many people do not believe
the relevancy of the Bible at all. It will become clear with just a
few scriptures what happens to us when we die.
Job 7:9-10 “As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes
down to the grave does not come up. He shall never return to his
house, nor shall his place (body) know him anymore.”
This makes it very clear that the departed do not “roam” the earth or
return. They stay dead and separated from this level of existence.
There are more scriptures that concur with this thought.
Heb 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment”:
There is a judgment placed upon the dead that determines what happens
to them next. This determination has nothing to do with good works, or
spiritual knowledge it has to do with your reliance upon God to direct
your life. (Eph 2:8)
So where do we go Old Testament style:
Before Christ finished his first mission to earth on the cross;
departed souls went into a hollow earth. There exists two chambers
within, separated by a gulf. The Apostle Luke recorded Jesus as
describing this very idea to the people as he spoke about the realties
of the afterlife.
Luke 16:22-31 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the
angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And
being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of
his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you
received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now
he is comforted and you are tormented. 'And besides all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass
from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then
he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my
father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them,
lest they also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham said to him,
'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' "And he said,
'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will
repent.' "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the
dead.”
The rich man went to a real literal Hell, while Lazarus went to
Abraham’s bosom. What sounds weird makes sense when you understand
some cultural customs and expressions. A bosom in ancient times was
called the space (like a pocket) formed above the belted waist by a
robe-like tunic. It was often used to carry things while in the
marketplace. A common practice a couple of thousand of years ago. We
no longer wear such apparel and some cultural meaning has been lost.
“Abraham’s bosom” then, was this “pocket” in the earth. Because the
beggar was named, this was to be taken as a literal event and not just
a “story”. The dialog here says it all. Even if one were to return
they would not be believed. The implication is that God is not going
to use this method to get people to believe in any form of afterlife.
To believe “Moses and the prophets” was to believe the written word;
the Old Testament. If you won’t believe the Bible you just won’t
believe. For the dead to return was not allowed in the Old testament
times and even more so in the New. (cf/ w Isa 28:29)
WARNING: The Bible has determined that speaking to invisible spirits
may be hazardous to you health!
The Bible does not say that it is impossible for the dead to speak to
the living. In 1Samual 28:7- 12 the story is told of King Saul’s
attempt to speak to the departed Samuel through a woman with a
“familiar spirit”. She makes the connection and brings the two
together. She is also shocked because Saul had hidden his appearance
from her but supernaturally knows that he is the King! (You could get
the death penalty doing this back then) Samuel reveals the future to
Saul but so is a sentence for disobedience to God.
“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the
LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also
for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of
it; And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned
the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. Chr 10:13-14
Just because this practice was real and produced real results does not
mean that this is an approved method by God. Quite the contrary, this
is a practice prohibited by God clearly in no uncertain terms.
Deut 18:10-12 There shall not be found among you any one that makes
his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a
charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a
necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the
LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive
them out from before thee. (KJV)
Some things changed in New Testament times:
In the New Testament it is recorded that after the death of Christ he
went into this area of Abraham’s Bosom to set the captives free. Eph
4:8-10. There was a removal of those in Paradise. Now those who die in
faith go directly to be with the Lord in another dimension called
Heaven.
.2 Cor 5:8 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent
from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
Contact with the deceased is not even suggested in the New Testament.
What changed in the New Testament was the upper part of the inner
earth or Paradise, its empty now. This was only a holding tank for
those who died in faith. When Christ would become the bridge across
dimensions, by his finished work at the cross, those that died with
faith in God could now be released to into Heaven. The only thing
mentioned speaking through people in the New Testament times were
demons. Here is one of several examples:
Acts 16:16-18 Once when we were going to the place of prayer we were
met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the
future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-
telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These
men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to
be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so
troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of
Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the
spirit left her. (NIV)
I wish those that think this is foolish or that I am being unfair to
Casper, could sit just a few minutes in on a “deliverance”. Suddenly
all the intellectual theories are gone, as you might see the vile
hatred and contortions they are provoked into by simply using the name
Jesus. God sees this contact as insulting. He would rather people
contact him directly as this verse clearly indicates
Isa 8:19 “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should
not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?”
SO WHAT ARE GHOSTS AND INVISIBLE SPIRITS
In view of such conflicting statements from the Bible with the
experiences many are having today, The question remains, What are
ghosts and every other kind of invisible spirit? Ghosts are
disembodied spirits, but not of normal humans.. They are an unusual
result of a special judgment by God imposed upon a very unusual group
of creatures. I say creatures because they are not human or angelic
they were a combination of both! In Genesis 6th chapter we are given
the background of the world just before the Great Flood which was a
judgment from God.
Gen 6:1-4 “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face
of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God
saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took
wives for themselves of all whom they chose... There were giants on
the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came
in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were
the mighty men who were of old, men of renown”.
Much controversy hinges on the interpretation of the “Sons of God” and
the “Giants”. For the sake of space, the quick version is this: The
“sons of god’ are fallen angels that took human form, married and
interbreed with the female population of Earth. Their offspring were
called the mighty men of renown. These were half human and angelic
beings mortal yet eternal beings. As Judgment was passed upon the
earth, these hybrids and their fallen angel parents were sentenced to
everlasting chains of darkness as described in 2 Peter 2:4 and
Jude1:6.
“ And angels who did not keep their own domain,(angelic order) but
abandoned their proper abode,(a body) He has kept in eternal bonds
under darkness for the judgment of the great day,” Jude1:6. “For if
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”
2 Pet 2:4
In this text, most of us get the visualization of Angels shackled to a
dungeon like pit. In the Greek we get quite a different picture. This
special sentence is actually described as a wrap around shroud of
darkness of obscurity, or as Strong’s put it - a ghost. The chains
have more of a meaning of a cycle of going up and trailed down. This
cycle is understood by the event at Gadareneas. As Jesus commanded
Legion a group of unclean spirits out of a man, they begged him not to
send them back to the pit. They were cast into a heard of pigs and
drowned. These were disembodied spirits that possessed a man and then
placed into animals. They roamed upon the earth but belonged in hell.
These are the angels that sinned before the flood and their offspring.
This is the cycle of going up and down.
Through various practices of communication (Ouija board) and conjuring
up spirits, (Psychic’s Mediums, Seances) they are called up from the
pit to roam once again until being cast back down.
A Plan to give false Hope of life after death.
These ghosts of the Giants have been around for thousands of years.
They have roamed the earth as invisible agents for their leader Satan.
They can have knowledge of crimes because they inspired many of them.
They can know your most personal experiences as they might have been
there or someone else’s from hundreds of years ago. They are
conspiring against mankind to give a false hope and idea of life after
death. They are getting mankind ready to receive them once again in
the living flesh as prophesied in the scriptures along with their
leader. These “New Age” forms of contact with spirits are the most
dangerous events to happen to mankind since the time before the flood.
If you will not believe the truths in the Bible about a personal God
who loves you, I guarantee you will believe THE BIG LIE!
Paranormal experiences would increase at the end times
1 Tim 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;
II Th 2:9-11 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness (a wrong way) in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie:”
I believe we are in these “last days” with a New Age that is to be
brought in by the return of Christ. We are told here that just prior
to this, many people shall depart from the God of the Bible by
seducing spirits. Now these are real entities that do not have
mankind’s best interest at hand. You cannot hedge around this
scripture. There is no other way to interpret this text, there are
evil entities that exist and you must have some standard to discern
the difference. Without discernment, you could be seduced to a wrong
belief system.
Even in the wording from the original Greek, the implications are that
these are morally decent people who want to be more. In their search
they are seduced and deceived from reality. They do this because they
do not believe in the God of the Bible as truth. Rather they accept
some self made image or alternate source. This seduction is
accomplished by appealing to emotions and needs that in themselves are
not wrong. What is wrong is the offer of a counterfeit means of
fulfilling these needs in ways contrary to and warned by God not to
pursue.
A plan to make Evil Good, and Good Evil
A good example of this is the new popular show on the Sci-Fi channel
where the announcer explains about this John Edward’s special “gift”
of speaking to the dead and re-uniting them with their living loved
ones.
Every one would love to have a “second chance” to resolve or have
closure on lost relationships or to have the assurance that their
loved ones have passed on to a better place. In this very emotional
experience, people are amazed by the personal information made known
to the “medium or channeler”. With tears of joy they are comforted by
the closure and assurance that, indeed they’re loved ones have passed
on to a better place.
Now if I or anyone else were to try to explain that there might be
some serious dangers with this type of processes, the usual response
is, “How dare anyone try to take that experience away from them by
saying it is wrong.”
This is where the seduction comes into play. This is also where good
is made to look bad and bad looks good. The end warm and fuzzy happy
results would appear to speak for themselves. Why would anyone oppose
something that created such positive results and take those persons
hope and joy away from them How cruel? If you believed the warnings in
the Bible, you would feel compelled to warn of the dangers. The
motivation is one out of care, not some competitive jealousy! But this
is where the Bible believer is caught in a catch 22 situation. A
pretty slick trick by the enemy. So how do we warn you? How can we
present facts you should consider? A seduction happens by creating
illusions based upon what a person wants to hear. Illusions will not
last or fulfill, they will eventually lead to disappointment and
destruction either in this life or eternity. It’s not real.
War for the Souls of Mankind
There is a war going on between heavenly creatures. Some of them are
evil. They do not have mankind’s best intentions. They can come
sounding like angels of God but they are here to deceive and destroy.
2 Cor 11:14-15 “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself
into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness,
whose end will be according to their works”.
This is the seduction! Acting and Doing good things in deceitful wrong
ways. So how do we discern?
I Jn 4:1-3 “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. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of
God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come
in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist,
which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
We are to use some common sense and realize that not every entity is
good. There really are evil ones as well. The Bible is very clear
about that fact. The discernment centers around the person of Christ.
He is our only mediator and advocate. ( I Tim 2:5, 1John2:1) A spirit
will either speak in harmony to God’s Word and claim HIM as Lord or it
will tell you something of a different Jesus not one who is God in the
flesh.
They will also become irritated by your questions about Jesus being
Lord. That is what “testing the spirits” means. If you do not believe
me put it to the test. The next time you astral project, or invite a
walk- in or have any contact with any kind of Angel or spirit ask if
Jesus is Lord or declare that as a statement. You may be surprised at
the response you get.
Gal 1:8 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.”
God desires to guide you personally not through the dead or lying
spirits, ascended masters or even angels.(It is God that sends his
angels to assist and most of the time we are unaware. Heb 13:12. No
where in the Bible did anyone “seek out to contact their angel”) He
wants to hear from you alone!
Ps 9:10 “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for
You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.”
Matt 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.
The Real Promise
Matt 21:22 “ And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive”.
In context God is saying he will meet your earthly needs through
prayer. We are also promised that if we need wisdom concerning any
decision in our life, or knowledge about God’s ways concerning matters
in our life he wants us to ask!
James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives
to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
In having a personal relationship with our creator...Jesus, we are
guaranteed that he will direct your life. Wisdom knowledge and the
assurance of our eternal salvation will be known!
Rom 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
“Called according to his purpose” means to agree with God. To agree
with him is to do things his way not “alternative ways.”
John 14:13-20 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the
Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my
name, and I will do it. If you love me, you will obey what I command.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to
be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,
because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he
lives with you and will be in you, I will not leave you as orphans; I
will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but
you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you
will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in
you”.
You have to take the first step toward God by his ways. You need to
acknowledge your wrong ways as sin. Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God;”
You must receive him into your heart by inviting him in. He is the
only walk-in you need. John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”
.Born of God is to be “Born Again” by his Spirit. The only Spirit you
need in your life. In this manner you “receive him” and become one of
his children. Then you will begin to hear a voice or sense a direction
in your life like you never have experienced before.
It is all a prayer away: Accept this invitation: Rev 3:20 “Behold, I
stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Just Pray: Jesus forgive me of my wrong ways and come into my heart
and help me live for you. I thank you for saving me. Amen.
In conclusion:
Ghosts are real but just because something is real does not make them
real good!
The Phantom Piper
>
> WHAT ARE GHOSTS, AND OTHER INVISIBLE SPIRITS??
"About To Be Pissed Off" I should think...
> In conclusion:
>
> Ghosts are real but just because something is real
> does not make them real good!
*/>|:~[ Sod off, you eejit!
(What Do You Know: I Was Right!),
The Phantom Piper
Glenallan
Tea for Two
It was a pleasant day, and Bill Henderson felt himself
released from the toil of working life as he stepped off the
bus at the beautiful little town of Bridge of Allan. He began
to think that its surrounding area was a beatiful but
forgotten backwater on the tourist trail.
Bill had some business in the town with his solicitor friend,
Archie Cameron at his Main Street office. He glanced
at his watch and it dawned on him, in his forgetfulness
he was actually an hour and a bit too early for his
appointment.
Still, he reasoned, this was a heaven-sent opportunity
to view the town in the 9 o'clockish morning sunshine.
Soon, he had walked the length of Henderson Street,
taking his time, towards the little railway station,
peering into shop windows as he went
With time on his hands, he hung about for while watching
two young back-packers and an old lady board a two carriaged
little train bound for Edinburgh. He wondered for a
second or two whether to take the short journey with them.
As it happened the old lady was being seen off by
a second old lady who had a tiny dog. It is one of life's
mysteries, he mused that if there is an old lady with a
dog around, she will want to speak to him. And so she did.
They struck up a conversation about dogs and soon they were
making their way back to the little town's main street .
The old lady informed him that she had come to live in
Bridge of Allan in 1965 and was really from Glasgow,
like him.
In the warm sunshine he began to think that this was
one of the most pleasant little encounters he could
ever have. By this time he decided that it would hardly
matter if he was half-an-hour late for his appointment
and invited the old lady for a cup of tea in a small
cafe in the main street. She seemed delighted
at his offer and sat down.
Bill approached the waitress at the counter and
ordered a two-cup pot of tea and some scones. He asked
her if she would take the lady's coat .
She replied, "What lady, Sir?"
He turned round and felt a cool draught.
�Oh, you've been talking' to Mrs Brown. She was killed
in the train crash at Polmont last year. We just don't
have the heart to tell her."
"It was the wee dog that sniffed you out.", she smiled.
�Did she stop you getting on the train.?�
He was puzzled and left soon after to
meet with Archie in the Main Street.
"Hello Bill, come in. Sit down man.
You look as though you've seen a ghost".
"Aye, Right Archie.�
G
--
HardySpicer
> in the train crash at Polmont last year. We just don't
> have the heart to tell her."
> "It was the wee dog that sniffed you out.", she smiled.
>
> He was puzzled and left soon after to
> meet with Archie in the Main Street.
> "Hello Bill, come in. Sit down man.
> You look as though you've seen a ghost".
>
>
> G
> --
Cue Twilight zone music...
La N
The Phantom Piper
>
> He was puzzled and left soon after to
> meet with Archie in the Main Street.
> "Hello Bill, come in. Sit down man.
> You look as though you've seen a ghost".
An horrific and terrifying tale, which chillingly
and brutally describes the gruesomely tragic
and sorrowfully bitter waste of money for
unconsumed Tea and Scones.
Shuddering,
The Phantom Piper
Glenallan
Aye, I know.....It's a frightening tale. ;-)
Anyway, he took the scones round to Archie's place,
so I was later told.
G
--
Glenallan
Glenallan
Glenallan
Aye, I know...a really frightening tale. :-)
BTW...he took the scones round to Archie's office.
G
--
Glenallan
Four times he did that.
Fifeshire Floozie
Fifeshire Floozie
>> The Phantom Piper wrote:
>>> On Sep 23, 6:25 pm, Glenallan <glenal...@msn.com> wrote:
>>>> He was puzzled and left soon after to
>>>> meet with Archie in the Main Street.
>>>> "Hello Bill, come in. Sit down man.
>>>> You look as though you've seen a ghost".
>>>
>>> An horrific and terrifying tale, which chillingly
>>> and brutally describes the gruesomely tragic
>>> and sorrowfully bitter waste of money for
>>> unconsumed Tea and Scones.
>> Aye, I know...a really frightening tale. :-)
>> BTW...he took the scones round to Archie's office.
>
> Four times he did that.
:)
The Phantom Piper
>
> Anyway, he took the scones round
> to Archie's place, so I was later told.
Ah. Well he'd have *had* his Tea then...
Ba-Da-*Bing*!,
The Phantom Piper
Jeffrey Hamilton
LoL It really *was* a Twilight Zone moment. <g>
cheers......Jeff