We are in the middle of a series at church about Spirit stuff. You know, vodka, gin etc...lol JOKING!

Anyway, last week we had a couple guest preaching about spiritual warfare. They only got half through, so we get more next week, but it brought up some questions for me. Since nobody at church will talk to me () I thought I'd see what you guys think.

I don't really know what I think about all this, and I don't really want to find specific answers, but I'm interested in different opinions. So lets keep it jolly.

Q1. They did a lot of talking about the "spirit of the day". Like if something bad happens in the morning, and puts you off for the rest of the day, an evil spirit entered the day. I would argue that some days are just crappy, because life is crappy, because of sin. What do you think?

Q2. Evil spirit vs. mental illness? What do you think?

Q3. They talked a lot about our reliance on God, and that if we keep that right, we will be resilient to attacks by evil spirits. Basically they made it sound like if you get bullied or whatever, that is evil spirits, and if you let it gt you down, that is your fault for not trusting God enough. I kinda think that is a bit screwed up. It's OK to feel bad after somone does something awful to you, and you shouldn't blame yourself.

Q4. Can the spirit of a dead person possess you? The lady told a story about how she had felt oppressed for 45 years, and it was because the spirit of a lady called Anne was living in her. Anne was unjustly hung 400 years ago, and was worried about the fate of her children.

Q5. If Q4 can happen, can the spirit of the dead person be converted/saved? Coz according to them it can. Anne became a Christian, and was then taken away to heaven.

Oh something I know a bit more about than children! I'm no expert but here's my thoughts.

1. No, things happen and "bad days" consist mostly of just bad psychological stuff (hormonal imballances, personal mental effects, etc.). Demons can cause you problems during the day and some days just find better openings at you than others.

2. Just like bad days it can be any veriety of factors. All mental problems I have seen arise from physical problems. Now demons are more effective at tormenting the psychologically ill. I can't recal any case or story where a mental illness was caused purely by demons except in the Bible. But the Bible doesn't lie so some mental problems are demonic in nature. But not the majority.

3. I am a firm beliver that reliance on God will protect you from any evil. That said it does not keep you away from evil. The evil still happens to you. The more you cling to God the more demonic forces will step it up on you. You become a priority target. So God will protect you, but that does not mean life is going to be all perfect and free from temptation. If you talk about Jesus a lot it really gets to them though.

4. Spirits of dead people do not come back without Gods approval. At least that's what all the evedance I've come across points at. Almost every instance of "spirits coming back" are demons posing as people. That definatly happens. Depending on the type they can take on a lot of very real seaming forms.

5. Every instance of a person really coming back to earth has been a person that was already saved. So unless I'm really missing a big piece of the puzzle that's a negative.

Just a heads up demons love being talked about and will take heavy intrest in this conversation. Never call them by name. However the names of Jesus and God heald in respect scare them from action. So I sugest singing some praise songs if spiritual warfare is a topic on hand. It works well. It's another good excuse (like we really need excuses) to praise God.

^X2

Q1. They did a lot of talking about the "spirit of the day". Like if something bad happens in the morning, and puts you off for the rest of the day, an evil spirit entered the day. I would argue that some days are just crappy, because life is crappy, because of sin. What do you think?

I think that if one is a born-again Christian, the Holy Spirit indwells us and an evil spirit cannot enter.

Q2. Evil spirit vs. mental illness? What do you think?

I know someone who used to work in a mental hospital... 95% of the patients either claimed to be Jesus, Satan, or some sort of spirit.

Q3. They talked a lot about our reliance on God, and that if we keep that right, we will be resilient to attacks by evil spirits. Basically they made it sound like if you get bullied or whatever, that is evil spirits, and if you let it gt you down, that is your fault for not trusting God enough. I kinda think that is a bit screwed up. It's OK to feel bad after somone does something awful to you, and you shouldn't blame yourself.

As Christians we should expect to be bullied and roughed up... its not the easy life. And if we don't feel awful, then we aren't human! Its at the lowest points when we are closest to God... I always think abotu the footprints poem...

Q4. Can the spirit of a dead person possess you? The lady told a story about how she had felt oppressed for 45 years, and it was because the spirit of a lady called Anne was living in her. Anne was unjustly hung 400 years ago, and was worried about the fate of her children.

I don't think the spirit of any person can possess you. And I have a lot of trouble believing that story... and all the 'facts'...?!

Q5. If Q4 can happen, can the spirit of the dead person be converted/saved? Coz according to them it can. Anne became a Christian, and was then taken away to heaven.

How can a dead person make a life-changing decision?

Having said all that... spiritual warfare is sooo real. Its more apparent outside of the Western world, but that is because ethnic religions are very very spiritually based. As in, spirits take bodily form - think shamanism etc. People 'see spirits' because their world is very spiritual. Here in the Western world, we try to deny anything spiritual... so its not as 'visible'... but the warfare is just as bitter and violent. Think of nuances and exorcisms etc. We've had a couple of cases in NZ where people have tried to exorcise spirits and ended up killing the victim because the spirit didn't come out in time. I think that is very very very real. I went to Papua New Guinea and was allowed (as a woman!) inside that Haus Tambaran - the Spirit House. And we preached the gospel in there and boy was the spiritual oppression heavy. My word, it was actually hard to breathe and it was really really great to get out of there!

And also, its not only negative! How many stories have we heard about angels appearing to guide people, or who came to deliver something at the much-needed time... I don't think we ought to discount the spiritual unseen side of life just because we can't see it! But then I don't think we need to read so much into it either... balance!

1. I don't agree. For one thing, I think spirits are more interested in making us sin than making us sad; for another, there are some days that are just bad...and some that change...and I think your attitude is far more responsible than any spirit anywhere.

2. I think that there are mental illnesses and also that one can be indwelt by an evil spirit. Not sure how to know one or the other.

3. I agree with you. It's OK to feel bad...and it's also good to get back up and at it and not let it get you down. I mean...if things go crappy, you can either go "ok this is gonna be a terrible day/week/whatever cause so and so was mean to me", or you can be hurt but get back up and keep going. Maybe it has to do with trusting that God can make things right...but...I don't think you can blame it all on evil spirits.

4. o.O Umm...no...I don't think so. The spirits of people go to their eternal destiny when they die - not to some lady to watch over her great-great-grandchildren (err...it'd be more greats than that if she died 400 years ago...but still ). I think the only biblical account of any communication with someone who was dead was when Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah(?) were there with him.

5. Absolutely no in my opinion. Partially because of what I believe about #4...partially because I believe that once dead, it's too late to choose Christ.

1. They did a lot of talking about the "spirit of the day". Like if something bad happens in the morning, and puts you off for the rest of the day, an evil spirit entered the day. I would argue that some days are just crappy, because life is crappy, because of sin. What do you think? - I don't agree. We are human and screwed up sometimes we just wake up with a bad attitude, because of the previous day, our hormones, or just plain feeling discouraged. - I do think that sometimes (for more reasons then just to make you have a bad day ) Demons are involved when they're trying to attack you.

Q2. Evil spirit vs. mental illness? What do you think? I think both. I think a lot of stuff is actually what it is a mental illness caused by maybe a birth defect, or they where just born that way. a accident somewhere along the line, something that scared - hurt you etc. But, I do think sometimes its demonic. You know when someone is depressed for no reason nothing happened mentally to them, or physically(a sickness or inbalance I mean) they have literally no reason to be depressed nothing bad is happening to cause it, I think sometimes that demonic. And, i also think that sometimes anorexia and bulimia is demonic attack.

Q3. They talked a lot about our reliance on God, and that if we keep that right, we will be resilient to attacks by evil spirits. Basically they made it sound like if you get bullied or whatever, that is evil spirits, and if you let it gt you down, that is your fault for not trusting God enough. I ] kinda think that is a bit screwed up. It's OK to feel bad after somone does something awful to you, and you shouldn't blame yourself. Ya, thats screwed up. We have emotions and feelings and things get you down look at the disciples things got them down and I'd say they where usually not being attacked.

Q4. Can the spirit of a dead person possess you? The lady told a story about how she had felt oppressed for 45 years, and it was because the spirit of a lady called Anne was living in her. Anne was unjustly hung 400 years ago, and was worried about the fate of her children. - in my opinion, Demons love to act like other people. Or say there a angel (Joseph smith eh?) to get people esp christians to listen and follow them. Or just pretend like they're someone to accomplish whatever it is that they want. if the lady felt that way, I'd say she was possessed by a demon trying to keep her from whatever. not a 400 year old person...."{ I believe ghosts are possible if God allows it but i don't believe at all they "posess" people. that silly.

Q5. If Q4 can happen, can the spirit of the dead person be converted/saved? Coz according to them it can. Anne became a Christian, and was then taken away to heaven. Or maybe that demon was just done with hisher work in her? - No, I don't think the spirit of someone can be converted I think the bible makes it very clear after death.. your screwed.

1. Yup, life just sucks at times!!

2. Both.

3. Screwed up.

4. Nope. But I do think that demons could pretend to be dead people. But then, what about Saul and the witch of Endor?! Hmm...

5. No. See above


Spiritual warfare is very real and very serious.

^ I think that could be an interesting topic of conversation, because I don't honestly think it's through a lack of faith of anyone. I think that God doesn't always choose to heal people, because it's somehow for their better good to not be healed...and it's not due to lack of faith at all.

I believe that in the Westernized world, we really underestimate the power of the spiritual relm. As the Bible says, our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities. But that being said, we still need to define some of these supernatural happenings through biblical glasses. Just a few observations...

Bad days....yeah, we all have them, and they aren't necessarily "demonic" in origin. We sin. Others sin. The world is infected with the results of sin. Sometimes all Satan has to do is leave us alone to make our own messes. On the other hand, Satan does have the power to mess with our lives, but only to the point the God allows. I'm thinking of Job on this one. We can't blame Satan for everything - in fact, I think that's what he would love! - but if it's a legitimate attack, we must fight back!

I believe demons can still possess people; however, I do not believe they have the power to possess Christians - for this reason: every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and a demon cannot coexist in the same body. Light and darkness cannot dwell together. Period. So, yes, demons can possess non-Christians, but they are limited in that respect when tormenting Christians.

As for ghosts and stuff....I think someone already said this but.....I think most of the time those are demons parading as spirits of the dead. I do believe it is possible to contact dead spirits, but I do not believe they can be brought back to earth. Basically, I think Satan has the power to do a lot of creepy things like that, but I'm not going to go near that sort of stuff to find out! I'm staying far, far away!

So, yeah, basically I think we underestimate spiritual warfare and its true intensity, but at the same time, we need to be careful in how we interprete certain "spiritual" happenings.

Yeah, but I still don't want anything to do with it!

I have to hold my peace on this because I do believe in ghosts and spirits of departed people and animals. I've witnessed it and experienced it firsthand. I'm not crazy. It was nothing like...stupid ghost whisperer like but...I've seen it.

Yes, I beleive demons can possess people, but ghosts of deceased people don't.

I think demons can take advantage of a bad day or situation or mental illness and grab hold. Anorexia is a good example- I am in treatment for it- dealt with it for 15 years now and there have been times were I have seriously thought "this isn't me, this isn't me controlling me."

I don't think mental illnesses or any other neurological condition (ie epilepsy or seizure disorders, Cerebral Palsy etc...) are the work of demons. But it's interesting we learned in our psych nursing course that some mental illnesses like antisocial personality disorder (that is basically the disease of sociopaths- people who start by killing and torturing animals and move up to people and kill for fun) those disorders can't be really traced to any neurological deficit- in other words, it's not like conditions where there's too much/little dopamine, serotonin etc... meds don't really work on them, nor do other therapies. THAT makes me wonder if there's something else going on there.