19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24Then he cried and said, ’Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27Then he said, ’I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29Abraham said to him, ’They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30And he said, ’No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31But he said to him, ’If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

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One dark night two guys were walking home after a party and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery. When they got to about the middle of the graveyard they were startled and stopped moving. There was this terrifying noise, “TAP-TAP-TAP” coming from the shadows. Trembling with fear, they spotted an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones. “Holy cow Mister,” one of them said after catching his breath. “You SCARED us half to death. We thought you were a GHOST! What are you doing working here so late at night?” “Those fools!” the old man grumbled. “They misspelled my name!!”Do you believe in ghosts?Many people will visit Haunted Houses.

Some will dress up like ghosts.

Is it really possible for dead people to appear as ghosts?

Is it possible for a place to be haunted by ghosts?

And what are “ghosts”?

The dictionary definition of the word ghost says that it is “the spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to haunt living persons.” Seances used to be very popular.

Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote the Sherlock Holmes mysteries

believed you could contact the dead.

So did the great magician Houdini.

Mary Todd Lincoln conducted séances in the White House.

Nancy Reagan never held a séance at the White House,

though she was reported to have consulted with an astrologer

when planning her husband’s schedules.

When she was first lady,

Hillary Clinton worked with spiritual adviser Jean Houston

to access an “Eleanor Roosevelt-like consciousness”.

Mrs. Clinton wrote in a column that Mrs. Roosevelt “usually responds by telling me to buck …
up, or at least to grow skin as thick as a rhinoceros.”

Today’s story is about two short, fat old men named Bennie and Charlie. Every Saturday night they met at the local tavern. They would spend the whole evening drinking, talking, and watching ballgames on the tavern TV set. On particular Saturday, it was Halloween night and the subject of ghosts came up. Charlie asked Bennie, “Do you believe in ghosts? “Heck no!” Bennie replied. “I don’t know! Some awful weird stuff goes on in this world, said Charlie. “I’m convinced my dead wife comes back to haunt me every now and then for all the drinking I did during those years we were married.” “Nonsense” slurred Bennie.More of that story a little later!

The Bible gives us some very clear warnings

about consulting with the supposed dead

or having anything to do with those who do.

Astrology is also condemned by the Bible.Isaiah 8:19 says:And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

Deut. 18:10-12 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

Leviticus 20:6 ’And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Leviticus 20:27 ’A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’ ”

It’s pretty clearly what God’s feelings are

about anyone who tries to contact the dead.

Years ago, the Ghostbuster movies were popular.

In those movies, these men captured ghosts from haunted places.

Those movies were not very believable.

Many people claim they have seen ghosts.

Others claim they know that certain places are haunted.

Scientists have set up special equipment to detect ghosts.

They’ve tried to capture them on video.

They’ve failed to come up with anything believable.

We believe that the Bible tells the truth! Amen?

So what does the Bible say about hauntings?

Are there any ghost stories in the Bible?

Point #1. God has allowed a few dead people to return.

There are only a few incidents

that deal with living people

having contact with a “dead” person.

Turn with me to 1 Samuel 28:7-19,

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a seance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.” 9 Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my …
life, to cause me to die?” 10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!” 13 And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.” 14 So he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. 15 Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.” 16 Then Samuel said: “Why then do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17And the LORD has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

King Saul seeks a woman who supposedly was a “medium”…

to ask Samuel who had died about what to do.

But look again at Verse 12!

She is shocked that she actually manages…

to communicate with the dead.

That shows that it did not previously happen!

The ghost of Samuel did indeed rise from the dead

and speak to the living.

Does this prove that the ghosts of the dead

can and do interact with the living?

Well– Yes and No.

Notice that it is the ghost of Samuel, a righteous prophet of God,

who makes an appearance here.

However, this does NOT mean that the spirits of the righteous dead

can return and interact with the living at any time

and for any reason.

It simply gives one instance in which it was allowed.

Turn now to Matthew 17:1-8.1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but …
Jesus only.

Peter, James and John see Moses and Elijah with Jesus.

Moses and Elijah had been dead for hundreds of years!

God allowed their spirits to return for this special event.

So this story of the Transfiguration…

and the story of Samuel returning to condemn Saul…

are the only stories in Scripture…

where the spirits of dead people return to earth.It was extremely rare for that to happen!

They happened for a very special purpose of God.

They are not “hauntings”.

Around 11:30 Bennie decided he’d had enough to drink and he’d better get home before his wife came after him. He slid off the bar stool and stumbled out of the tavern. Charlie motioned for the bartender to come over and asked him, “Do you believe in ghosts?” The bartender laughed and said, “I’ve never seen one and I think you’ve had too much to drink. You better go home!” Charlie agreed so he, too, stumbled out of the tavern. It was a dark, windy night. Somehow in his intoxicated condition Charlie got turned around and ended up walking into the town graveyard instead of taking the road home. More of that story a little later!

Point #2. The Unsaved dead cannot return unless God allows it.22So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24Then he cried and said, ’Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27Then he said, ’I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’

In this story we learn of there being 2 compartments for the dead.

The Rich man wants Lazarus to be sent back to warn the living.

Abraham says it would do not good…

because if they will not believe God’s written word,

they will not believe words from the dead.

This story of the rich man and Lazarus indicates

that no human spirits are allowed to return to visit the living

without permission from God.

If permission is not granted

for the purpose of warning people to flee from the wrath to come,

it would not be given just to have them haunt or scare you.

The wind howled louder and suddenly Charlie heard a voice. “Oooohhhh! Oooohhh!”. Charlie was sure that it was a ghost. Terror gripped him. Finally he mustered up enough courage to run. He ran as fast as his wobbly legs would carry him. Suddenly the ground opened up in front of him, and he fell down into an open grave. He could still hear the voice clearer and louder now. “Oooohhh! Oooohhh!” The hole was very deep and inside it was pitch black. After a few moments, Charlie’s eyes adjusted to the darkness and he made out a form sitting in the darkness with him. It called out his name, “Charlie!…
” “Charlie!” He scrambled in fear, trying to climb out of that terrible grave. Then the figure spoke to him, ’You can’t get out,’ it moaned. But he did! Charlie gave a shout of pure terror and leaped straight up in the air, caught the edge of the hole in his hands, and scrambling out for his very life. He ran for home as fast as he could go. The conclusion of that story in a moment!

Point #3 People can be haunted by demons.Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Who are these “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”?

There are numerous instances in which evil angels (demons)

are recorded as interacting with people.

They are able to manipulate physical things as well.

In the gospels a number of instances are recorded

of demons possessing people

Matthew 8:16,28; 9:32-33; 12:24; and 15:22 are a few exaples.

Matthew 17:18 “And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.”

In these incidents, and several others,

the demon possession involved some physical ailment

Muteness, blindness, sometimes supernatural strength.

The places that are most likely haunted

usually have some sort of violence or death associated with them.

This is clear evidence of the presence of Satan and/or his demons.

I believe it’s possible for a place to be haunted!

This is my explanation for haunted sites.

The people who are being portrayed are ghosts

while they were alive

were in the presence of evil spirits.

Through the way they lived their lives

they invited the evil spirits there.

An example would be a murder.

Then after the death of the human,

when their spirit or ghost was ushered either to heaven or hell,

those evil spirits remained.

The King James Bible has a specific name for those evil spirits.

They are called “familiar spirits”.

They are “familiar” with the lives and habits

of the person who died in their presence

and thus they can impersonate them to the living.

When people say they see or can talk to people who have died,

they are not talking to or seeing the actual ghost of that person.

They are talking to an evil spirit

that was familiar enough with that person when they were alive

and they pretend to be them.

The next time you see a program about ghosts or haunted places,

know that those are evil spirits impersonating the dead.

Why Do Spirits Haunt The Living?

Why do these evil spirits haunt and frighten people?

Why do they impersonate the dead?

Why do they help psychics solve crimes…

or fortune-tellers and mediums foretell the future?

Remember the enemy is out to keep people

from choosing salvation and forgiveness.

Satan will use any weapon he can

to mask the truth and keep people from heaven and eternal life.

And if that means scaring people, confusing people,

misdirecting them, deceiving them, then …
he’ll do it.

Confusion and deception are the main reasons

why familiar spirits interact with humans.

I believe it is biblical to believe in demons.

Hauntings are usually the illusions of tricksters

or perhaps do involve actual demonic activity.

I also believe that seeking the guide of “spirit guides”

or to play with Ouija boards, tarot cards, séances,

or to practice Satanic worship, etc.

is to actually invite the involvement of demons in one’s life.

Let’s see how our story about Charlie ends.

Early the next morning, the men with the burial vault arrived. Inside the open grave, they found Charlie’s drinking buddy Bennie sleeping it off. He, too, had fallen into the hole. The men helped Bennie out of the grave and he sauntered home. Though his wife insisted he tell her where he had spent the night, Bennie never told a soul about his experience. And as for Charlie, well he insists that ghosts really do exist.Closing:

In summary, ghosts or spirits are kept in heaven or hell.

They cannot leave!

They cannot communicate with the living.

However, Satan and his demonic evil angels

Will attempt to deceive and distract the Living.

They can cause some very strange things to happen in this world.

However, Christians need not be afraid!

2 Timothy 1:7 says:For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Jesus says in John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

1 John 4:18 says:There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.