To Christians (mainly), what is your take on spirits?

Question

According to the Bible, we are to test the spirits: 1 John 4:1-3...1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Question 1) Given the light of this passage, why do so many Christians say that all spirits are demons come to deceive people?
Question 2) Given the command to test the spirits, why do Christians say that communicating with spirits is wrong? If there is no communication, there is nothing to test.

I'm not sure that I see how I am attacking the answers or lumping everything together? My affiliation should not matter in regards to the question though. My affiliation is stated throughout other posts.

Answer 1

Wow, that is a poser.

I will qualify by saying....I think.

I think it might be that Christians are born again of holy spirit and it is "Christ within you, the hope of glory."
There are demonic spirits -- some say (but I don't know) that addiction can be a form of 'demonic possession' for example.

My guess is that Satan would not offer a choice that is obviously bad. We inherently know the difference between good and bad. More likely the choice between Good and Best, hoping that we'd be choosing the good choice and therefore the lesser.

That being said...
Answer 1) Christians automatically assume that Holy Spirit that is in them is from God, so just jump to the chase and say "all other spirits" are demons.
Answer 2) The communication and the testing is what Christians do do. They preach Christ as the Son of God risen from the Dead (etc.)

Another angle to approach this is kinda wimpy but I think the books after Thessalonians are written to the leaders of the church. While we may learn a lot from them, much of it is addressed to seasoned veterans and leaders.

Answer 2

answer 1) there is only one Holy Spirit, so all other spirits are not
answer 2) if there is no communication with the spirits there is nothing to test... is not really an accurate statement.

anybody who wants to study Scriptures (or the Bible) must read every passage in relation to other passages that references the same topic, as well as study a vast number of available information (outside the Bible) relating to who was speaking the passage, who were the intended audience, what were the prevailing conditions, and so forth... (most Christians also pray to God to ask for guidance to understand the passages)

that is why, it is not always easy to explain certain topics just by referencing a single passage of Scripture, for some (because of some reason or another) may try to twist what that passsage actually means to suit a particular concept that they want to push.

having said that, there are a lot of passages in Scripture that say that people should not communicate with spirits, but that doesn't mean that people are not to test the spirits...

in a very simple explanation, everybody can test a spirit by comparing it to what the Bible teaches and usually a sure sign test is that if a spirit leads you away from God (& away from Jesus), then that spirit is not of God.

a last note: Scripture should not be used for debating but for instruction.

Answer 3

My take on spirits is that there are good spirits and
there are evil spirits.

I have had this conversation with another christianand we both believe that the evil spirits in
the world were kicked out of heaven with satan
when they made a stand against GOD. It is a sin
to start communicating with spirits, since they
can and will manipulate you to the point where you
believe them.

Answer 4

i have been told that one way to test a spirit is to ask to shake its hand. An evil spirit will attempt to shake a good spirit will not. All spirits are spirit children of God before the earth was created there was a war in heaven in wich 1 third followed satan and never recieved a body like the 2 thirds that followed christs plan. therfore all the spirits that followed satan are on this earth and try to tempt us and in some cases posses us. They are very angry and jelous that we have a body and they dont. So u can imagine litterally billons of evil spirits reside here on earth tempting all of us to the oppisite of the will of God.To go back to why the evil spirits are willing to shake are hands is because of that jelousy and want of a body.My great grandfather died at age of 96. The last few days of his life he said and i belive with all my heart that his wife my Great grand mother visited him to comfort him before he died.Yes there like i said billions of evil spirits but we have are ansesters that watch over us and love us as well.

Answer 5

some spirits will go to heaven also at some point....when you attack the answers you wont be getting more....im trying to answer one at a time and youre lumping everything together....
testing isnt communicating We arent here to pick upart the bible and what is your affiliation

Answer 6

Mines a Jack Daniels.

Answer 7

When we talk to people we are talking to their spirit.

"For the mouth speaks of that which fills the heart."
Matthew 12:34

Love in Jesus' name

Answer 8

i think u r getting mixed up, if a spirit aproaches us ,then we r to test them, we r not to befriend them,and the first question ,i don't know thatall chritians believe that all spirits r demons.what about the holy spirit?think about it

Answer 9

I don't think he wants you teasing them...it's only if one approaches you...