Sunday, April 14, 2024

Sub Series 2 Ghosts

 Ghosts, spooks, and spirits 


We are currently in a sub-series of the “Getting to Know the Force” series. We have already talked about Angels. We just talked about the fact there is a devil, he is real, and yes, he hates you and wants to keep you from leading anyone else away from him. What about demons? What about all those successful Ghost Hunting Shows? What about Mediums and such? Are they real? Is that loving and kind dead Grandma trying to contact you from beyond the grave? What does The Word say about all this? That is what we will be discussing today.

If you remember from our past study, The Word warns us of this.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for 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 from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God” 1 John 4:1-3
Why are we warned of this?
“This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them” 1 John 4:4-5
If you receive a visit from a “ghost” or a “spirit” of a “dead relative,” I would probably just ignore them and leave the area, but if you truly want to know, ask them about God. If what they tell you is against the Bible? They are not of God. They are also not your “dead relative.”

I can hear some of you saying. But how do you know?
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” Hebrews 9:27
This is why making the right choices today, while you are here, is so important. Do so while it is called today. No one knows what tomorrow brings. Jesus tells the story of the rich man and his barns in Luke 12. The rich man is going about his life and accumulating more and more riches, and Jesus calls him a fool.
But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'” Luke 12:20
James warns us of this.
“Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15
We also read this warning here.
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7
Today is the day. Now is the time. Once your time is up on earth, it is too late. Now there are two prevailing thoughts on death. One, “Absent the body, present with the Lord.” The other, “The dead sleep in Christ until the day Christ returns.”

Absent the Body, Present with the Lord

This phrase comes from 2 Corinthians 5:8:
“Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
This phrase suggests that at death, a believer's soul or spirit immediately leaves the body and enters God's presence. It emphasizes the immediate transition from earthly life to being with God in heaven.

This view offers comfort and hope, as it promises believers immediate presence with God after death. It also suggests that death is not an end, but simply a continuation of existence in a different realm.

Sleeping in Christ until His Return

This concept is found throughout the New Testament, referencing believers "falling asleep" or "resting" in Christ. Some examples?
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
And here
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-20
This metaphor compares death to sleep, with the implication that believers will experience a period of unconsciousness or rest until the resurrection at Christ's return.

This view emphasizes the continuity between this life and the next, suggesting that death is not simply a disappearance, but a temporary state before the final resurrection and judgment. It also highlights the hope of the bodily resurrection, when believers will be reunited with their glorified bodies.

As you can see, either of these views can be used to argue against you dying and roaming around haunting people. As much as you may wish to. Death is not the end, but it IS the end here on earth.

You can see how this would be one of the reasons God warns us against dealing with those who claim to contact the dead. They are not contacting your dead loved one. I know I know, some of you do not even believe in Mediums and such. However, look at this warning.
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.” Leviticus 20:6
Also, look here.
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord your God is driving them out before you.” Deuteronomy 18:9-12
Now first, God would never waste time warning us against something that does not exist. I’m not going to warn my children about the big purple bunny in the backyard because there is none. Second, God is not going to warn us about harmless things. I will not warn my children not to touch their noses, but I will warn them to not touch the hot stove. Do you see the difference?

If demons and evil spirits were not real, then Jesus Himself would have never given us this parable.
When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” Matthew 12:43-45
Not to mention casting out demons. Luke 11:14, Matthew 8:16, Mark 1:39, just to name a few places. Yes, ghosts are real. Yes, evil spirits are real. Yes, demons can and do possess humans.

If you go to a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, you are not talking to grandma, you are talking to a demon and one that you could very well be asking into your life. This usually never ends well.

If you know someone who has not heard the truth, the Gospel, tell them. Today. Do not wait for someone else to do it. What if no one else does? Do not wait for tomorrow. What if tomorrow never comes for that person? Think about 9-11-2001 A Tuesday. Nothing special. Nothing going on, yet the world changed that day. Over 3000 people breathed their last breath here on earth that day. None of them knew it would be their last morning of waking up. Last kiss. Last goodbye. Do not wait. You may be the only Jesus that some will ever see. What do they see?

How about you? Have you taken that step? Have you been adopted into the family of God? Now is the time. Today is the day.
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7
Are you His child? Have you accepted His call? If you have not already done so, you need to ask Jesus into your life, then say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

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