A GLIMPSE OF GOD AND THE SPIRITUAL

                                                   A GLIMPSE OF GOD,  AND THE SPIRTUAL

NDEX:
- INTRODUCTION
- GOD'S ATRIBUTES
- BIBLIAL INFORMATION REGARDING ANGELS AND OTHER SPIRITS
- RESULTS OF YIELDING TO THE DEMONIC
- NOTES 1, NOTES 2
 - CONCLUSION


 - INTRODUCTION
  Living in the natural universe that is perceived through the five senses, (and we being somewhat skilled in the manipulation of the matter and energy thereof in order to supplement our knowledge and needs) makes it difficult to grasp what is not subject to our regular methods of study. This is the spiritual realm. So much more can be said about this topic, but because of its intrigue one can veer off course with regards to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ if it is over emphasized. In the Bible, the Lord does, however, gives us sufficient information about the spiritual realm in order to give us a glimpse at the bigger picture and a healthy knowledge of some of the not so visible things we have to deal with.

PLEASE NOTE: Before I ATTEMPT to engage in the risky task of trying to explain GOD and spiritual things I must declare before GOD ALMIGHTY THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE that I acknowledge that all the thoughts and wisdom which do not agree with the revelation of the Scriptures whether by myself or anyone else is futile and foolishness, and that GOD is not and cannot be grasped, nor subjected to, nor MANIPULATED, by anyone’s  knowledge, wisdom, or abilities. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. “And now we see as through a glass darkly, but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 Cor.13:12

GOD HIMSELF, IS THE MYSTERY OF ALL MYSTERIES!

Please consider this weak study a very tiny glimpse of HIS UNFATHOMABLE MAJESTY.

 Understanding the Spiritual as Described in the Bible:  To begin with we must try and understand a little about God according to what He has revealed about Himself in the Holy Scriptures. (It is imperative to understand that there is an infinite distinction between God and all other spirits)
 GOD' ATRIBUTES:
 1 – “GOD IS A SPIRIT” John 4:24, “and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”  

 2 - GOD IS OMNI PRESENT - HE alone possesses this characteristic.

“But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, the heavens (the Universe), and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built?” 2 Chronicles 6:18

“’Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?’ says the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:24

“For in Him we live, and move, and have our being…” Acts 17:28

So although we are contained in Him yet we are not able to perceive Him unless He reveals Himself to us. Distance and location is irrelevant to Him.

(Mystery) The universe is contained in God (so to speak), but this is not His dwelling place. “…then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place…” 1Kings 8:39,

“…Our Father which art in Heaven…” Matthew 6:9

3 – GOD IS ETERNAL – “…even from Everlasting to Everlasting YOU ARE GOD.” Psalm 90:2 God is not restricted by time. Again, God alone has no beginning, and no end, He is eternal. God is the only One without a beginning.

4 – GOD IS CREATOR – “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1, “All things were made by Him (Jesus) and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3 This characteristic alone belongs to GOD – to make something out of nothing “…and calls those things which are not as though they were.” Romans 4:17.  We can create only from what already exists.

5 – GOD IS ALL POWERFUL – “…for nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37, Jeremiah 32:27 This attribute is God’s alone.

6 – GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS – “His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5, Hebrews 4:13 This attribute is also God’s alone.

7 – GOD REFERS TO HIMSELF AS MALE, BUT NOT A MAN – All throughout the Scriptures, From Genesis to Revelation, God refers to Himself in the terms of Male, but definitely not a man. “God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent…” Numbers 23:19, “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit…”Isaiah 31:3

From the Scriptures we learn that even though He is Spirit, “…for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I (Jesus) have.” Luke 24:39, yet He regards Himself in the masculine gender, we can learn that the spirits can have gender characteristics (even Lucifer/Satan, and most of the angels are genderized in the masculine), so we are given a body that corresponds to the nature of our spirit within us. With regards to God, Who is Perfect, Complete, Whole, the female characteristics of the human race are also contained in God, “And God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.’’…So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them.” Genesis 1: 26-27

8 – GOD IS THE ONLY GOD, THERE IS NO OTHER – “See now that I, even I am He, and there is no god with Me.” Deuteronomy 32:39, “I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside Me.” Isaiah 45:5

9 – GOD IS ONE, BUT REVEALS HIMSELF IN PLURALITY – FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT – Genesis 1:2, 27, 3:22,11:6-8, Matthew 3:16-17, John 1:1-3,10:30.
 

BIBLICAL INFORMATION REGARDING Angels and other Spirits

WHAT ARE SPIRITS?
 Spirits are life forms that do not have a physical body, but actually are the life forces of living things "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead." James 2:26. Our spirits are created by God and are the real us inside our bodies. Spirits are not subject to the manipulation, control, and laws of the physical world. From the Scriptures, it appears that not all spirits have a physical body they can express themselves through, and are thereby restricted in their ability to function directly in our physical world, but are able to do so in other ways. Luke 11:24-26. Angels and devils are spirits.

• Angels are spirits – Hebrews 1:14
• Angels were created – Ezekiel 28:15, Colossians 1:16
• All living things have a spirit – James 2:26
• Devils are fallen angels – Matthew 25:41, Rev. 14:12
• There is a spiritual realm that parallels our natural realm – Ephesians 6:12, 2 Samuel 5:23-25, 2 Kings 6:16-17, 1 Chronicles 14:15, Daniel 10, and impacts the behavior and actions of man.
• Multiple demons can possess man and animals. Mark 5:9-13,
• Angels and Devils are NOT omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent! These attributes belong to GOD ALONE!
• Possession by demons into man can only happen as a person yields themselves in obedience to the demons, or makes ourselves vulnerable by losing control of our behavior and passions; ie. giving into fits, lusts, hate, drunkenness  and drugs... Luke 8:2, John 13:26-27, Proverbs 25:28
• (People can impart evil spirits on to others through abuse (rape and other forms of sensual contact). 1 Timothy 5:22-24
• Animals which are under human care, if exposed to demonic activity can become possessed. In the Scriptures this can be concluded why God had the Children of Israel destroy every breathing thing in certain communities that He was avenging which had given themselves over to out of control corruption and immoral behavior. This also is an interesting indication of the scope of our responsibility and influence. We open and close the gate to every kind of power and influence. Truly God has given man dominion over the earth. Our rule can be to the benefit or the detriment of those under our care, and we are accountable. Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13, Luke 8:33

ANGELS – Were created to minister to God in service and worship

Psalm 103:20,  148:2

• Angels are also His messengers Daniel 10:5-12, Luke 1:19,28
• Angels minister to God’s people Hebrews 1:14
• Angels surround those that fear God Psalm 34:7
• Angels war against the powers of darkness (the fallen angels). Daniel 10:13, Revelation 12:7-9

Examples of Divine and Angelic Interaction: Supernatural (beyond natural or even rational explanation) breakthroughs, deliverances, rescues - miracles, visitations, visions.
                        
Examples of Demonic Activity: Brutality, cruelty, perverse (deviant from the natural function) sexual, social, behavior, excessive uncleanness, hate and fits of rage, dual and multiple personalities... Hatred for anything related to the God of the Bible, and especially the person and name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. There is also the possibility of supernatural activity.

RESULTS OF YIELDING TO THE DEMONIC
 - DEMONIC CONTROL PRODUCES ACTS AND BEHAVIOR THAT SUPERSEDE ALL RATIONAL THINKING AND BEHAVIOUR - LUKE 8:2, JOHN 13:27, ACTS 5:3, 1 SAMUEL 16-26 This is one of the clearest examples of how someone under demonic influence reacts with unreasonable/irrational judgment, hatred, and violence, as well as the other behaviors mentioned above.

Spirits, both good and evil, can be sensed, heard, perceived (as in visions) Job 4:15-16, they influence behavior and thinking, 1 Samuel 13-16, Acts 5:3, cause illnesses Luke 13:10-13, Mark 9:25,

NOTE 1 - With regards to the Devil and demons, in the Bible God gives us grave information for our knowledge and defense, including the objective and activities of this realm. Jesus, speaking to those who were opposing Him said, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a MURDERER from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is NO truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own (native language), for he is a LIAR, and the father of it.” John 8:44 “The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy….” John 10:10.  In short the purpose of the devil is to contradict, counterfeit, destroy everything God has said, set up, and established. Consequently because God is GOOD, everything that opposes Him is evil. As people, if we disbelieve, disobey, or oppose anything God says, we are making ourselves a tool of the devil and a victim of his devices, and also an enemy of GOD. Matthew 16:22-23.James 4:4. 

NOTE 2 - Another distinct difference in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ that no other ministry in history prior was able to accomplish, is the ability to cast out devils. Matthew 12:28, Luke 11:20, Mark 16:17, Acts 16:18. In the Old Testament, there was no provision available to remove demonic activity other than to destroy the host. But now through the Power of the Spirit of Christ, and through the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, He has enabled His disciples to carry on this ministry in order to liberate people from the power and influence of the forces of the kingdom of darkness. Jesus indicated through the Scriptures of the Bible the plight of demons that are looking for a host to enable them to move in the natural world - Matthew 12:43, Luke 11:24
 THE REALMS OF CREATION - In the Bible God indicates to us 3 realms: - Heaven - where God Himself dwells. - The Heavens = the universe. - the Spiritual realm/the heavenly places - Ephesians 1:20-21, Daniel 10:12-13, Revelation 12:7-8
                     

Conclusion – The point of this entire exercise is to awaken our understanding and knowledge of God, and the spiritual realm, with the goal to clarify our perception of the world around us and the life we live, to deepen our concern, alert us to danger, and shore up our sense of responsibility. “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:10-12
The real us are our spirits within us. We have a soul, and we live in a body. Indeed, we ourselves are spiritual beings living in a natural universe while in this flesh.  
Not every issue, thought, problem, you are dealing with is from people or the physical world.