What are ghosts??

This is suited for October, but I thought I would write on it now anyways since this was on my mind.

I've heard ghost stories as I'm sure you have or had some of your own. Maybe you've seen a ghost, heard one, felt one....who knows. I had a little experience with all three a couple years back, creepy I know. But it's really not that big a deal so I won't go into it in details. Plus, I don't want to creep out some of my friends/family.

Some people are scared of that thing...I won't lie, it gives me goosebumps sometimes (no, not the books), but there's a difference between being terrified of something and being aware. For example: I'm extremely aware, but I become uneasy when I smell one of my sons toxic diapers in the making. However, I'm not afraid of it.

Alright, sorry, back on topic. After hearing about ghost stories and such before that whole thing I did a little research to see what ghosts/hauntings are all about. As humans, we tend to be interested in things such as the paranormal. That doesn't make it right though. My thought process once I became a Christian was this...how can there be ghosts if everyone goes to Heaven or Hell after death. That's what most people tend to forget. I was fortunate enough to do research before I experienced any of the above so I wasn't fearful when encountering what some would call "the supernatural".

Here is one of the best biblical articles I have found on the subject that I will post for you -- I got it from www.gotquestions.org. This website is awesome and I've found it to be very reliable as it is based on loads of research and most importantly the Bible.

Here it is:

What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings? Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified yes. If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is no. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.

Hebrews 9:27 declares, “…man is destined to die once, and after that to facejudgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death –judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23), and hell for those who do not receive Christ as Savior (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24).There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earthin spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts,according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.

The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings that can connect and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15indicates that demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities demons possess.

The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Matthew 5:1-20. A “legion” of demons possessed a man and used the man to “haunt” a graveyard. There were no “ghosts” involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people astray, and to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics that claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is a person trusting in a psychic instead of trusting in God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price, will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums, all things that previously were shunned, are increasinglybeing considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh, and the angels likely weep, at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.

That is the end of the article. What I have personally done and would say about this is if you have this kind of stuff happening. What I did, and recommend is ignore it, resist it, but definitely embrace the situation in prayer and study God's word. When it comes to demons, the bible tells us to resist. Far too often people do the opposite and the situation persists or gets worse. I am not an expert in the field, but that is just what I have noticed from my experiences.

Thank you for your reading and may God bless you and yours!

Joey