Communication and Interaction with the Spirit World

The Bible contains much information about the physical and spirit realms, including communications and interactions between them. Much of this information is extremely important to the Father's elect children who will live during the last few years before Christ returns. At this time, there will be an increase in both the number and activity of evil spirits who intend to destroy the elect. Therefore, it is vitally important for the elect to know and understand something about the communications and interactions between these two dimensions of existence in order to discern when they are taking place and who or what is causing them.

In today's world, just as in ages past, there are many people who have the ability to communicate and interact with the spirit-realm. This communication and interaction falls into two categories:

1. Communication and interaction with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and their servants and powers
2. Communication and interaction with Satan and his servants and powers

Communication and Interaction with God

Normally when people think of communicating with the God of the Bible, they think of prayer. Although prayer is a way to communicate with God, prayer is a one-way communication and sometimes you must wait a considerable length of time to determine the outcome of your prayer. The Bible also documents two-way communication with God in which he provides an immediate response. There are also many methods by which God initiates communication with people in order to give them knowledge, insight, understanding, or instructions.

The following are some of the ways in which the Creator God communicated with people in the past:

• The Creator walked and talked with Adam and Eve.
• The Creator spoke face-to-face with Abraham and ate a meal with him.
• The Creator spoke to Moses out of a burning bush on Mount Sinai, out of the fire and wind, and from the top of the mercy seat.
• The Creator communicated with the people of Israel through the ephod, breastplate, urim, thummim, and teraphim in order to answer questions that were put to him and to give knowledge, insight, understanding, and instructions to his people.
• The Creator communicated with people through dreams, visions, and the casting or drawing of lots.
• The Creator sent spirit-beings to communicate his thoughts and instructions to them.

Other than through prayer, the following are some of the ways God communicated with people after the advent of the Messiah:

• Jesus personally appeared and spoke to many people after his death and resurrection.
• Jesus spoke out of a bright light to Paul.
• The spirit of God gave knowledge, insight, understanding, and instructions to people.
• God communicated with people through dreams, visions, and the casting or drawing of lots.
• God sent spirit-beings to communicate his thoughts and instructions to people.

Communication with the Sovereign God

The following are important foundational things about communication with the Sovereign God which you should have firmly in mind before continuing this study into communication with the spirit world:

• Neither in the past nor today has the Sovereign God (God the Father) communicated with his children in the same way that the Creator God (Jesus Christ) did. See Jn.1:18; 5:37; 14:13-14.
• God the Father has delegated all power and authority in heaven and earth to Jesus Christ (1.Pet.3:22), including the care, protection, communication, and direction of his elect children.
• From the creation of humanity until the gospel age, the Creator God who became Jesus Christ either personally communicated knowledge, insight, or the will of the Sovereign God (God the Father) and himself to people or he directed the method by which these communications were made.
• Today, Jesus Christ either personally communicates knowledge, insight or the will of God the Father to people or he directs the method by which these communications are made.
• Today, the Father's elect children who have his holy spirit are allowed to communicate with him through the authority of Jesus Christ.
• Today, as in the past, God reveals and communicates his knowledge and will to his people through both physical and spiritual methods.

By B.L. Cocherell b9w29