Spirits

Intelligent beings which exist separately from bodies. God is spirit and he has given human beings a spiritual entity. He has also created a realm of spiritual beings--some have remained good, others have become evil. Evil spirits seek to control and destroy people, but Jesus Christ has the victory over them.

God is spirit

John 4:24 See also Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4; Revelation 1:4, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 4:5, Revelation 5:6

God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Other spirits

The spirit of human beings

Proverbs 20:27 See also Job 32:8; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 8:55, Luke 23:46; John 3:6; Acts 7:59; James 2:26

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.

The spirits of the dead

Isaiah 26:14 See also Proverbs 2:18; Isaiah 14:9; Hebrews 12:23

The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them.

Angels

Hebrews 1:14 See also Judges 6:21–22, Judges 13:20–21; Zechariah 6:5; Acts 23:8

Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Satan

One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

Demons

Revelation 16:13–14 See also Luke 6:18, Luke 7:21; Acts 23:8; 1 Peter 3:19; Revelation 18:2

And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

The role of spirits

As instruments of punishment

1 Samuel 16:14 See also Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Samuel 19:9; 1 Kings 22:20–22 parallel 2 Chronicles 18:19–21

Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

As instruments of testing to inspire faith in believers

1 Peter 5:8–9 See also Job 1:8–12, Job 1:22, Job 2:3–6, Job 2:10; Matthew 4:1 parallels Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2; James 4:7–8

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

Evil spirits and humanity

Possession by spirits

Mark 9:17–18 parallel Luke 9:39 See also Matthew 8:28 parallel Luke 8:27; Matthew 15:22 parallel Mark 7:25; Mark 1:23 parallel Luke 4:33

Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

Casting out spirits

Matthew 8:16 parallels Mark 1:34, Luke 4:40 See also Matthew 12:28 parallel Luke 11:20; Matthew 17:18 parallels Mark 9:25–26, Luke 9:42; Acts 5:16, Acts 8:7

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.

Consultation with spirits forbidden

Deuteronomy 18:10–11 See also Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6; 1 Samuel 28:8–9; 2 Kings 21:6 parallel 2 Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19, Isaiah 19:3

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.

Discernment and testing of spirits

1 John 4:1 See also 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:2–6

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Jesus Christ has supremacy over all created spirits

Colossians 2:10 See also Mark 1:24–27, Mark 1:34 parallel Luke 4:41; Luke 4:33–36, Luke 10:17–19; Colossians 2:15

And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.