Angel or Demon

**Angel or Demon** is what some people want to know when they've been visited, or encountered some paranormal phenomenon. Those who often have paranormal experiences are usually, but not exclusively, tied-in (*bound*, or poss. *enslaved*) to some form of spirit channeling or practice.

the serpent of old who is called the devil
and Satan, who deceives the whole world;
he was thrown down to the earth, and **his angels**
were thrown down with him."
—Revelation 12:9 *New American Standard Bible*

## Ruler of the World

The "Ruler of the World" (John 12:31) controls, dominates, and has a monopoly on all channels of spiritism, even within World religions (*See* Babylon the Great). Therefore, people who engage in spiritism, come into contact with highly intelligent beings who are Adversaries of God. They serve to deceive and mislead people often guising themselves as Angelic guides, dead loved ones, in some cases—extraterrestrials, and even "God" himself (2 Cor. 11:14). For our protection, The Bible condemns spiritism and warns us to keep free from everything
connected with it (Galatians 5:19-21).

## Origins

*Also*: Origin of evil

The Bible tells us that long before God formed the earth, He created millions of spirit creatures, or angels (Job 38:4, 7; Revelation 5:11). Each of these angels were endowed with free will—the ability to choose between right and wrong. Some of them chose to rebel against God, and they abandoned their position in heaven to cause trouble on the earth. As a consequence, the earth became “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:2-5, 11; Jude 6). About 96 CE, the apostle John wrote about how these angels of adversary wield great influence over the earth, misleading millions of people (Revelation 12:9). They exploit mankind’s natural curiosity about the future (1 Samuel 28:5, 7; 1 Timothy 4:1). Although some supernatural powers seem to help (2 Corinthians 11:14), in reality, the adversary angels are attempting to blind people’s minds to the truth about God, his name, and who He is (2 Corinthians 4:4). They do not bear witness to God's name.

## Baiting

Spiritism does for the *Spirit deceivers* (1 Corinthians 10:21) what bait does for fishermen. A fisherman uses a variety of baits to catch various kinds of fish. Similarly, "they" use different forms of spiritism to bring all sorts of people under their influence. A common type of bait is divination—the practice of foretelling the future. Some forms of divination are astrology, the use of tarot cards, crystal gazing, palmistry, or searching for omens and signs in dreams. Searching for signs in dreams is a common practice in many so-called Christian religions.

Although many people think that practicing divination is harmless, the Bible shows that fortune-tellers and *deceptive spirit beings* work together. For instance, Acts 16:16-18 mentions “a demon of divination” that enabled a girl to practice fortune-telling. But she lost this ability when the demon was cast out of her.

Another common bait, that is used to mislead people, is by encouraging them to inquire of the dead. People are vulnerable when grieving over the death of a loved one, and are easily deceived by wrong ideas about those who have died. A spirit medium may give special information or may speak in a voice that seems to be that of a dead person (1 Samuel 28:3-19). As a result, many people become convinced that the dead are really alive and that contacting them will give them relief, insight, or an advantage. However, such “comfort” is both false and dangerous. Be mindful that “anyone who inquires of the dead” is misled by wicked spirits and is acting contrary to the will of God (Psalm 115:17; Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; Isaiah 8:19).

1. ↑ Awake! (2017) No. 2—What Does the Bible Teach About Spiritism?
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 **Demon**—a highly intelligent spirit being, superior to humans, who has used his free will to *slander* God (*See* Adversary); but of more concern—does not bear witness to the name of God (in contrast to those who Love God—John 17:6; Matthew 6:9, 10; Acts 20:24; Hebrews 2:12; *Compare* Exodus 3:15).

## Out of time

and there will be no more fortune-tellers.
I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars,
so you will never again worship the work of your
own hands. I will abolish your idol shrines with
their Asherah poles and destroy your pagan cities.
I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations
that refuse to obey me.”
—Micah 5:12-15, *New Living Translation* (NLT)

The Adversary and his angels know that they have only “a short period of time” before they are put out of action, and they are now more vicious than ever (Revelation 12:12, 17). Even so, many people who have either lived in dread, or were enslaved to spirits, have been able to break free. The Bible tells us both how to resist wicked spirits and how to break free from them. Consider the example of the first-century Christians in the city of Ephesus. Some of them practiced spiritism before becoming Christians. When they chose to break free from spiritism, “quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody” (Acts 19:19). By destroying their books on magic, those new Christians set an example for those who wish to resist wicked spirits today. People who want to serve God need to get rid of everything related to spiritism. That includes books, magazines, movies, posters, and music recordings that encourage the practice of spiritism and make it seem appealing and exciting. Included, too, are amulets or other items worn for protection against evil (1 Corinthians 10:21).

1. ↑ God—*who is Jehovah*

## Resisting

and darkness, without divination.
The sun will set for the prophets,
and the day will go dark for them.
The seers will be ashamed and the
diviners disgraced. They will all cover their
faces because there is no answer from God.”
—Micah 3:6, 7, *New International Version* (NIV)

Some years after the Christians in Ephesus destroyed their books on magic, the apostle Paul wrote them: “We have a struggle . . . against the wicked spirit forces.” (Ephesians 6:12) The demons had not given up. They were still trying to gain an advantage. So, what else did those Christians need to do? “Besides all of this,” said Paul, “take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s [Satan’s] burning arrows.” (Ephesians 6:16) The stronger our shield of faith, the greater our resistance to wicked spirit forces will be.​—Matthew 17:20. We strengthen our faith by studying the Bible. The firmness of a wall depends very much on the strength of its foundation. In the same way, the firmness of our faith depends greatly on the strength of its base, which is accurate knowledge of God’s Word, the Bible. If we read and study the Bible daily, our faith will become strong. Like a strong wall, such faith will shield us from the influence of wicked spirits (1 John 5:5). Because Ephesus was a city filled with demonism, Paul told them: “With every form of prayer and supplication . . . carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18) Since we also live in a world full of demonism, earnestly praying to Jehovah for his protection is essential in resisting wicked spirits, and we need to use Jehovah’s name in our prayers (Proverbs 18:10, Romans 10:13).

## Prayer

but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.
—Matt. 6:13, *King James Version* (KJV)

In the *Lord's Prayer*, Jesus prayed to the Father: “Deliver us from the wicked one” (Matthew 6:13) and the Father, Jehovah will answer such earnest prayers (Psalm 145:19). Though *wicked spirits* are dangerous, we need not live in fear of them, if we oppose the Devil. Draw close to God by doing His will (James 4:7, 8). The power of wicked spirits is limited. They were punished in Noah’s day, and they face their final judgment in the future (Jude 6). We are advised to avoid every kind of spiritism and to always apply the counsel of God’s Word (1 Peter 5:6, 7; 2 Peter 2:9). By Jehovah, we can be sure of victory in our fight against deceptive forces.

## Sources

* BT, *Spirit Creatures​—How They Affect Us*