Keith, I don't believe in ghosts, but does the manisfestation have to be demonic?!
Of course we have no way of knowing for sure, but as it relates to the incident I mentioned in my earlier post, what would be the purpose for a familiar spirit/demon to contact two small children, and in the image of their mother?!
Is it possible it could have been angelic?!
I don't believe for a second that my great grandmother was sitting in that rocking chair, but I'm not so sure I want to believe it was a demon either.
The scripture reveals the following Spirits,
Human
Divine
Demonic
Angelic-Righteous
We are to test the spirits, to determine what Spirit is at work. In your case, it can't be a human spirit, as they need a body to manifest.
So the choices are Divine, Demonic or Angelic, anytime in scripture where Angels appeared they had a clear message, you knew what they were etc. Plus there was aura of Holiness about them. So then the remaining spirit is demonic in nature. Familiar spirits fall into this category. They are low level demons that are familiar with people and can manifest themselves as such. Of course this is my opinion.
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We are to test the spirits, to determine what Spirit is at work. In your case, it can't be a human spirit, as they need a body to manifest.
So the choices are Divine, Demonic or Angelic, anytime in scripture where Angels appeared they had a clear message, you knew what they were etc. Plus there was aura of Holiness about them. So then the remaining spirit is demonic in nature. Familiar spirits fall into this category. They are low level demons that are familiar with people and can manifest themselves as such. Of course this is my opinion.
Thank you, Elder, for your response...
It stills leaves me to wonder though why a familiar spirit would reveal itself to my granny and aunt...guess we'll never really know the answer.
Perhaps because their momma had been buried alive?!
Some things we just can't explain with current facts. Most of what I have seen had an explanation. I went to a college whose main admin building was said to be haunted. People often heard whispered voices, and it was pretty spooky listening to things like that.
They did a remodel on the building a few years ago. When they tore the plaster off the walls, they discovered an
old...
dead...
uncommon PA system of a sort-pipes through the walls from one office to another to talk through. The pipes could be corked off or talked into to relay messages room to room. It was neat, but it wasn't ghosts.
If you believe in ghosts you are more likely to have an encounter. Not impossible if you don't believe, just highly unlikely. We have active imaginations, and explain what we think we experience in terms we can understand. Timmy could run with that one, but it is true anyhow.
I agree, visions and dreams... God speaks in those ways. No reason why He couldn't use someone from your memory to speak to you. He used a donkey to speak once, after all...
I do believe that people can be called back though. The witch of Endor called up Samuel, and Samuel rebuked Saul. I don't think that was a vision, a fake (since the witch didn't know Saul til Samuel came), or a demon. Could be mistaken though.
We are to test the spirits, to determine what Spirit is at work. In your case, it can't be a human spirit, as they need a body to manifest.
So the choices are Divine, Demonic or Angelic, anytime in scripture where Angels appeared they had a clear message, you knew what they were etc. Plus there was aura of Holiness about them. So then the remaining spirit is demonic in nature. Familiar spirits fall into this category. They are low level demons that are familiar with people and can manifest themselves as such. Of course this is my opinion.
Pastor Keith, I believe that the Scriptures reveal the following spirits:
Divine Spirit: Spirit of God Human spirits: embodied when living; disembodied when dead (i.e. ghosts – see Samuel and other instances when believers thought they saw or encountered ghosts) Unclean spirits: once living; part demon part human in origin; these seek out bodies to possess to live out their lusts (see Nephilim in Genesis 6; Related - 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6) Familiar spirits: spirits who act as spirit guides for witches etc. Demonic spirits: also known as devils & demons (fallen angels) Angelic spirits: holy Angels that serve God Almighty
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