“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” Mt. 27:50
Who are these people that came out of their grave after His resurrection? Note the graves were opened during the earthquake at His crucifixion … the saints, who had previously died, came out “after” His resurrection. What happened? Are these Old Testament saints? I say, “no”.
I believe they were, rather some later saints, such as Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, John the Baptist himself, perhaps Simeon, (Lk. 2), Joseph the husband of Mary, and others, well known to persons that were then alive. I think maybe they were people who lived during Christ’s days on earth.
Best question is not who were they but what was their “make-up.” We know that at death the body is separated from the soul and spirit, it is vacated and then is deteriorated. It can only be that these saints received a “glorified” body, a recognizable body … as Jesus did. They went back into Jerusalem, and they appeared unto many. Since the Bible is remarkably silent about this, so must we be. My speculation is that these saints had resurrected bodies and went back to heaven when Jesus did. Probably some people in Jerusalem made the comment, “I see dead people”. There are no dead people. There are bodies of those who have died … but no “dead people”. These were living saints!
There are no “dead” non-believers either. We are eternal beings; the soul and spirit of unbelievers do not cease to exist when the body does. They are immediately separated from the body… and from God … I’m not speculating here. Lk. 16:19-30. This man who was an unbeliever was separated by a great gulf that was impassable. Yet, he had all of his five human senses.
The question that comes is, are there some spirits of people that roam, that are still attached to a certain place? Or thing … are there ghosts of people?
This idea is a popular view in some circles but without getting into too much scripture it is simply not true. Death brings immediate separation, and the destination of the soul and spirit is predetermined by decisions made while in the body. Immediately in eternity … no purgatory, no in-between state. Really no such thing as “dead people” … just the spirit and soul of people who once lived!
So, how do we explain the mysteries of hauntings? What I call hang around demons. It’s like the line from the Boll Weevil song sung by Tex Ritter. Just looking for a home, just looking for a home. They are like floaters, demon spirits that look for a place of activity in this world.
I had a friend tell me of a house in Louisiana that had some strange happenings. He described it to me and told me of the little girl that lived there, and they all could see her at night playing the piano and levitating from the piano bench. My friend’s childhood home had been destroyed by fire, but this “haunted” house remained. His wife and sister were with us as we drove to the house where the “haunting” had taken place. They all remarked about feelings they were having as we got near, chills, hair standing up on the back of their neck etc. I felt nothing.
I don’t know what may have taken place at that house but the memories of them being in that neighborhood reignited some fear in their lives. Being there stirred something, I don’t think I can explain that. Maybe some “hang around” spirits in that neighborhood from past events. Recently, I received the following e-mail from a medical doctor in another part of the country. He said they had acquired a new building that once had “abortions” take place in it. He asked about possible demon spirits that may be there because of it. This is a good question and one we get often. Thank God for this doctor and his sensitivity to God’s Word and to the work of demons.
There are demons that are not necessarily territorial spirits that hang around because of legal rights that were attained there. I don‘t believe this is territorial warfare. Spirits walk the earth looking and seeking. This is supported by scripture in 1Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.
Once the demons obtain a right, they tend to want to retain it. I don’t know what may have taken place in a given motel room before I occupy it. Likely, many things that might give rights to demons to hang around. My approach is simply this, I paid for the room and tonight it is mine. I declare this when going into the room. “I don’t know who owns this building, or what has gone on here. What I do know is tonight it is my room and I declare it to be the headquarters of the Holy Spirit.” No demon has a right to me, or you, because of what someone else did. Maybe they have rights to be there, but they have no legal access to me. I say to this doctor. Whatever took place there before is now under your covering in Christ. It is your building, and you have the right to give it to the Lord. You don’t really need another person to do this for you. God will honor your words and your claims to the property. Command in Jesus’ Name that any unclean spirits attached because of previous owners and their misdeeds have no legal rights there now. Make your office building the headquarters of the Lord Jesus where healing takes place in Jesus Name.
When you are in Christ Jesus you have the choice of giving Him Lordship. Demons become squatters until their rights have been removed and they are commanded to go. I have people who ask me to come and pray over their property. The property owner should be doing this. How many times I have heard stories about unusual “hauntings.” “There’s something in my closet, I hear footsteps in the hall, I feel like something is behind me, there is something always watching me . . .” There may be demon spirits involved, there may be a permission that has been given, you can deal with it. You’re the one who needs to take authority.
What about the ghost stories and documentaries on TV about houses and buildings? There can only be one answer, it can only be deceptive demons. They certainly are not spirits of dead people, maybe demons that lived in a deceased person, but not the spirit of the dead. When someone dies their spirit is immediately separated from their body and is no longer earth bound. What you can know in the unexplained phenomenon of the paranormal is that it always falls in the area of demonic deception. We always do better when we focus on what we know to be truth.
Just for Jesus,
Don
Kaye lewis