I have come to learn that Denmark has a ‘state sponsored church’, supported by its citizens, the taxpayers. The Evangelical-Lutheran church is the ‘National Church’ here in this country we are currently visiting. In all honesty, it’s been fascinating for me to learn more about this beautiful country and the culture and mindset of the people here. Say what you will about a church that is joined at the hip with the government, but you do have to admit that it is intriguing that they recognize their citizens as having ‘spiritual’ needs as well as physical, emotional, and mental needs. No one is compelled nor expected to be a part of the state church, but it does cover marriage and burial costs for those who are ‘members’. I am not sharing this to endorse nor condemn the national policies here which include a universal health care system, but it does explain the high tax rates here which go to helping meet all the needs of its citizens.

I heard a statement made by someone in passing…how commendable it was for the government to at least recognize the person as a ‘whole’…which caught my attention and prompted this post today. It was the term ‘whole person’ that caught my interest.

The Bible teaches that you and I were created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27).

It was Jesus who made it known that ‘God is Spirit’ (John 4:24); and in case it has yet to dawn on you…we humans were designed and created to be ‘triune’ in nature: as in spirit, soul, and body.

We were created to be ‘spirit beings’ (like God, and in His image), we were ‘housed’ in a physical body (with physical needs) and we possess a ‘soul’ that consist of our mind, intellect, and emotions. So when you read Paul’s prayer that God might ‘sanctify us completely… and that our whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thess. 5:23) it makes more sense to see how we were designed to function in this life. A life, I might add… that was intended to include walking with God our creator. There was just one problem though … we were all adversely affected by... sin.

Sin not only separated us from God (Isa. 59:2) but it was the reason we are/were ‘dead’ to God, which is what we see in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24). Paul would later explain in greater detail what our condition was prior to coming to Christ, in Ephesians 2:1-3- ‘we were dead in trespasses and sins’. I should also add that there was a ‘curse of death’ that was on each and every one of us (John 3:36; Rom. 5:12) And yet, to those who have truly ‘come to Christ’…those are the ones who have ‘been made alive’ or ‘quickened’ as he explains there in Eph. 2:1.

Now this is where it gets interesting and even relevant to us. Since God is a ‘Spirit’ and one must interact ‘in the spirit’ in order to ‘worship God’(John 4:24)…then it stands to reason that there is a ‘spiritual realm’ in this life/world. However, if that ‘third part of us (spirit) was dead’ …then it would be challenging to have much recognition or awareness to that spiritual realm. Hence, the reason Paul adds that prior to coming to Christ and being ‘made alive’…there was ‘another spirit’ actively working in/through us and controlled us through our fleshly/physical or ‘carnal’ nature. Again, look at Eph. 2:2-3, and then 1 John 5:19.

Paul mentions the ‘prince or ruler of the power of the air…the spirt who now works IN the sons of disobedience’ (Eph. 2:2). Can I just tell you this is not a ‘good spirit’ as we are reminded that in this spiritual world/realm…there are also evil (not good) spirits that exists. And it is our ignorance and lack of understanding to this world and these powers of darkness that might explain why ‘God’s people …are destroyed for a lack of knowledge’ (Hosea 4:6). Jesus referred to him/then as a ‘thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy’ (John 10:10). Peter warned believers to be on guard and alert and vigilant for them (1 Pet. 5:8). Paul told us to ‘give them no place’ (Eph. 4:27)

So consider this: When Jesus was on the cross nearing death, we have recorded in the gospels, seven quotes or sayings uttered by Him as He was hanging there, struggling to breathe as He bled out. One of the most profound statements He made, IMHO…was when He asked the Father to ‘forgive them (those who were taunting Him)…for they knew not what they were doing’ (Luke 23:34).

Have you ever stopped to ask why…those people ‘didn’t know what they were doing’? Take a look at what Paul writes in 2 Cor. 4:3-4. He tells us plainly that ‘the god of this age…blinds the minds of those who are perishing …from seeing the light of the gospel’. Think about that for a moment…this ‘spiritual entity’ has the capability to ‘blind us’, or as Paul writes…uses a ‘veil’ to keep us from seeing truth. But we are also told that when anyone ‘turns to the Lord, the veil is removed’ (2 Cor. 3:16). Now go revisit Acts 26:18 and be reminded what the power of this gospel possesses for those who believe in it and in Jesus.

I realize to an ‘unbeliever’ this sounds like made up fairy tales and foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18). But that does not negate the Biblical fact that whether one believes or not, we live in a spiritual world where evil spirits of darkness exists, and run rampant and work much destruction, and deception. Sadly, there are many professing ‘believers’ today who struggle to believe and agree with what I am sharing here, for a host of reasons. So where am I going with all this today? I’m glad you asked.

Why wouldn’t God simply remove and eradicate all these negative or evil and wicked spirits of darkness if they are the ones who bring so much suffering and pain and destruction? And that is a reasonable question to ask, because God certainly could in the ‘blink of an eye’. But here is what we need to keep in mind: they are no problem for Him; but they are a huge problem for anyone not walking in covenant with God where He can not only protect us from them (Ps. 91; 1 John 5:18), but it is also what Jesus came to ‘save us’ from, as we read in John 3:17-18, 36 and Romans 5:9. What do you think Jesus came to save and call us out of? (1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:6-7; John 12:35-36).

But the part that proves to be most challenging for so many to come to terms with….is the fact that God ‘uses’ these spirits of darkness to fulfill His purposes; and we’ll come back to this aspect soon, Lord willing.