To the average human being, the spirit world is an enigma. Questions abound concerning the spirit world, beginning with the question: Is there a spirit world? Do angels exist? If so, what are they? Where did they come from? How did they come into being? What do they do? Is Satan real? If so, when and why did he change from being Lucifer? What are demons? Do they actually exist? Ultimately, IS THERE AN UNSEEN SPIRIT WORLD THAT AFFECTS HUMAN LIFE? This series of postings will answer all of these questions using the Holy Word of God–the only source of spiritual Truth.

Since the Garden of Eden man has lived in a physical world that is detected by his five senses. It is through those senses that man proves to himself that something exists. But there is another world that man’s senses cannot detect. Being an intellectually self-directed creature (creation), man cannot fully understand that world because it transcends the intellect, unless that intellect has been taken over by the God of the universe. This means that the individual has been truly converted, that he has received and is being directed by the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16/Phil. 2:5). Only this saint can understand the ultimately important, ultimately powerful spirit world. Such a saint knows from the first chapter of Hebrews that angels serve God as spirit messengers sent forth to minister to those who have answered His call to eternal life. He knows from Ephesians 6:12 that man’s contentions with other men and even himself are in fact the outcome of his struggle against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wickedness (demons-evil spirits) in high places.” The world, including the vast majority of the church world, does not understand that the hostile thoughts and attitudes man exhibits are injected into his mind by powerful spiritual agents controlled by the devil.

Why has this Truth remained a mystery to both the churched and the unchurched world? God, Who knows all things, explains in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4: “If our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost, whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.” Note that Paul equates not believing God’s Word with being lost and not understanding the spirit world. As this age comes to an end man desperately needs to understand the spirit world that will play an ever-increasing role in world events.

Spirit beings have played a major part in the operation of the universe from early on. In fact, spirit beings–angels–were created before the earth came into being. Angels were present when the Lord created the earth, sun, planets, stars, etc. Through the Word, Who came to earth as God’s begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth (Jn. 1:1-4,14), God created myriads of these spirit-composed beings, each having a mind and powers greater than those of men who would later come on the scene. These spirit beings were given the ability to reason and choose, to develop emotions, attitudes and intentions. This freedom, as we will see, led to the downfall of many of them. To show how majestic these creatures are, it is stated in Hebrews 2:7 that Jesus Christ was created “a little lower than the angels.” Proof of their elevated condition over the man Jesus is the fact that He died. Angels are immortal. Being composed of spirit, they cannot die. They are also called “sons of God” in Job 1:6 by their Creator. Next: Why did God create angels? L.J.