Halloween Guesting at the GSpot

I enjoyed my time yesterday as guest of Vince Golangco for the “edumacate” segment of his radio show at Mellow 94.7.

This is the 2nd time I was invited in his show, but the 1st time ever to talk about a section of “spiritual intelligence“, one of the core beliefs of  Business Values 2.0.  Consistent with his show’s theme,  I got to talk about spirit world and demon possession. I guested with his shows before, but I shared then my other passion, that is social web and what we are doing at  Web Safety Philippines

I find it cool, because when the world is recognizing spirits, ghosts and demons, I got to talk about Jesus!

Going back to the topic, the spirit world is as real as the physical world, to better understand our experiences with spirit beings and place it on the right context, we have to recognize  its governing principles and laws  and how it affect our life on earth.

Lets begin:

What is spiritual intelligence?

Spiritual intelligence is [1] our ability to recognize  the patterns, the natural and spiritual laws that governs our the physical and spiritual world, and [2] respect for the one who created and holds it together.

To have a higher spiritual quotient, the better for us in making decisions that affect our life and future of the family. For example, one natural and spiritual law is “seed time and harvest”. In the natural, we understand that when we plant, we can expect a harvest. This is a basic agriculture principles that our farmers observe. To get a bountiful harvest, they got to determine and observe the best time to plant and use the available technology. This is also a spiritual principle, our decision in life is a seed. Bad decisions will lead to bad harvest, good decisions to good ones. Consequences of our actions is inevitable, it’s not a question of if we will receive what is due us, but a question of when. Some may get a way for a little while, but the harvest will eventually overtake them.

Thus, if we want to make the best of our short life on earth, we must seek to gain spiritual intelligence and increase our spirtual quotient.

The basics

The spiritual world is as real as the physical world. To deny it’s existence is foolish. Before I tackle our experiences with spirit beings, let’s look at the basics, who are the spirit beings:

1. The Creator: GOD
2. The created 1: Angels
3. The created 2: Human

There are no demons on the beginning, but a third of angels decided to stage a coup and take the throne of God. The leader of the rebellion is Lucifer, whom we also know as devil or satan. And the angels that followed Lucifer are now known as demons. The act of rebellion corrupted their nature, thus, evil was born in the spirit world. Likewise, their act of rebellion brought consequences, the immediate effect is that they were thrown out of  their residence, heaven, and is now roaming around the earth. Their future and permanent residence is what we call, the “lake of fire”. Please keep on mind that they are not yet there.

Soon evil entered the physical world when they influenced man to refuse to follow the parameters set by God, thus, the influence of evil grew in the physical world. Eco balance was also affected [rain and floods only happened during the time of Noah].

Human are spirit beings.

We are a unique creation, we were created in the image and likeness of God, angels are not. Though, both human and angels possess intelligence  and “will” to make decision, God did not create robots but creatures who would choose to follow Him. 2/3 of angels followed him, and man has to make a decision too, if they want  to follow Him.

What made man different from angels/demons is that we have a physical body, a soul and a spirit. Animals have a body but no soul.  And though man sinned against God,  God redeemed him back thru the cross. Fallen angels has no redemption.

Of Ghosts 

As mentioned above, demons were thrown out of heaven and they are here on earth. Angels are frequent visitors of the physical world, and primarily to help and protect the people of God. Not to mention that God himself would like to manifest himself in the physical world from time to time.

Thus, we have interaction with the spiritual.

Ghosts are real, but if you believe ghosts are lost spirit of a departed man, you are mistaken.  When man die, they either go to heaven or hell, there is no transient point

Luke 16:22-2422 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, a where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

Ghosts are demon, also known in the bible as familiar spirits. The hebrew word means “household servants”. Familiar spirits emulate a dead person and makes its presence felt to deceive the living relatives. The word is used in the passage below

Deuteronomy 18:10-1210 Don’t let anyone among you offer a son or daughter as a sacrifice in the fire. Don’t let anyone use magic or witchcraft, or try to explain the meaning of signs.11 Don’t let anyone try to control others with magic, and don’t let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people.

After the failed coup, there is so much hatred against God, and for his precious creation. So the first agenda is to turn human beings against God, thus, the fall of Adam and Eve. The devil knew that a holy God plus a sinful man is equals to separation. But God has other plan,  He sent Jesus, to serve as the payment for the sins of mankind so he can redeem mankind back to Himself.

Thus, the devil will do everything to deceive human beings and turn them away and against God, and hide from them the truth. And this is the truth:

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.

And this is the mission statement of demons

John 10:10 a The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

Of demon possession

It is a state where demons takes over a person, and controls him/her.  Biblical facts on demon possession

1. Human can be possessed by more than one demon                                                                                                                                Luke 8:3030 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “Legion,” because many demons were in him
2. Manifestations of a demon possessed person

• Can predict future                                                                                                                                                                 Acts 16:16 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.
• With super human strength                                                                                                                                             Mark 5:44 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
• May result to illness
  • Epilepsy                                                                                                                                                                    Luke 9:39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.
  • Mute                                                                                                                                                                         Luke 11:14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.
  • Scoliosis                                                                                                                                                                   Luke 13:10-1310 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Casting out demons

First and foremost, it is ONLY JESUS who has the authority to cast out demons, in a true sense

Matt. 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to [Jesus], and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

But for a show, demons may play around and pretend that exorcism can be done outside Jesus. Likewise, Christians  are given delegated authority to cast out demons, but only in THE NAME OF JESUS

Mark 16:1717 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Now this one is funny, though a demon can deceive people by casting each other out, but when someone play around casting demons out in the name of Jesus, this will be the result

Acts 19:13-16  13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15(One day) the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

How to protect yourself from demon possession

A demon is a restless being. Angels are meant to live in heaven, they are made for heaven, not earth. Thus, the urge to possess someone to find some rest.

Matt 12:43-45

43″When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.

The only protection people have against demon possession is God. If Jesus lives in the heart of people, a demon cannot enter. This is a good reason why we would want Jesus to dwell in our heart than a demon.

John 10:10b I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.

To have Jesus in ones heart is simple, you don’t need to undergo a religious ritual. You just need to recognize and accept what Jesus did on the cross

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Then  get down on your knees and pray something similar to this

LORD Jesus,  I come before you with humility, thanking you for what you did for me. I ask for forgiveness of my sins, and prays for a change life; I accept you as Lord and savior of my life.

Cool, isn’t it?