Communications from the dead

i believe that Jesus preserves good life between loved ones and we can get enormous comfort out of that if we had a loving relationship with the deceased. It is for her to let go of the physical and find her back spiritually. She will be with Christ, were she can be too, so death losses its sting. True love overcomes death.

Tell her to find her mum back in Jesus and with Jesus, if she does that she will be fine.

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We either believe what the bible says, or we do not. We know of one lady that heard from the US Government that her beloved son had been shot down and presumed killed in action. He could not be found. She was a Christian woman and she was devastated as she knew her son had died unsaved. After a few days of crying her eyes out, she walked into his bedroom and found him sitting on the edge of the bed. She was overjoyed---He reassured her that he was fine. And she asked how --he said, God is good, no one actually dies. This went against all she had been learning about the state of the dead and she was totally confused. Then one day the door bell chimed and there stood her son, his arm in a sling. She was confused, "why are you at the door with your arm hurt?" Now her son was confused---"It's me mom, aren't you glad to see me?" It was her real son. I guess somewhere along the line, Satan didn't get the memo.

Ecc_9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

It may be comforting to think of a loved one up in heaven. However, how happy can they be watching us down here doing all sorts of evil? And what if they did not die saved? What comfort is it to us to think of them burning in hell? No---Jesus called death sleep--and that is what they are doing---dreamless sleep until God calls them up from their graves.

Joh_11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh_11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh_11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
1Co_15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

I prefer to know the truth than to be comforted with lies. But, that's a personal decision everyone must make. I have a friend of over 30 years, she's Catholic and believes she has felt her dead father and grandmother---she knows I do not believe as she does. Our differences do not get in the way of our friendship.

Hmm , nice to meet you ~ Here's a chapter from one of my husband's books that helps clarify what the Bible teaches in regards to what happens to people when they die ~ hope you find it a blessing .

Hmm said:

I have a particular case in mind but I'll keep the details as vague as possible and try to generalise it. I'm hoping to gain an understanding of the 'official' Christian view, if there is one, on the subject so that I can say something helpful to the person involved.

She lost someone very dear someone years ago. I think it's true to say that she has not really accepted that this person has died although she is not in complete denial of the fact. Several times since the death of this person she has experienced, at seemingly random times and where she wasn't trying to bring it about (she doesn't), a distinct scent of perfume, which is something the person who died loved, in the house where they both lived and where my friend still lives.

My friend gets great comfort from this. She is a Christian and believes she could not have got past the death at all if it wasn't for God's help. But she is hurt by the fact that these experiences are so infrequent and also that they are not enough - she really just wants the deceased person to come back to life again.

Does Christianity have anything comforting to say to someone in her situation? I'm pretty sure my friend doesn't visit this forum but I'm sure we'd all agree that any responses should be made bearing in mind that someone reading it may be experiencing something similar.

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Dear one,

This is what we have heard:
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. -1 Corinthians 15:19

So in union with Christ, we not only to have hope in this life and also in the ages to come.

For our Lord have said :

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, -John 11:25
and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" -John 11:26

Are our Lord only encouraged us ? No. But He has given His grace when He said to those who believed in Him thought he died, yet he shall live. And we who lives in Him and believes in Him shall never die.

That is our Lord’s goodness which He worked for us who take refuge in Him, as written in Psalms 31:19.

Let us remember what apostle Paul have said:

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. -Galatians 1:11
For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. -Galatians 1:12

So let us consider what apostle Paul have said to us :

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. -1 Thessalonians 4:13

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. -1 Thessalonians 4:14

So dear one, we should not grieve as those who have no hope. What hope, we have then? we who believe that Jesus died and rose again have this hope :
God through Jesus will bring with Him our loved ones who have fallen asleep.

That is our Heavenly Father’s grace for us and our loved ones.

Likewise, we also heard :
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, -1 Peter 1:3

Dear ones, why we bless the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? It is because He kept us in His great mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through our Lord’s resurrection , God has caused us to have this living hope.

So we should not despair like a person who have no hope.


When we heard what is said 1 Thessalonians 4:14,

we base it on the Lord’s own word: we who remain alive when the Lord comes will certainly not take precedence over those who have died.

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar;

Our loved ones who died united with Christ will be the first to rise;

then we who are left still alive will be caught up with our loved ones in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air;

and thus we will always be with the Lord.

Let these words from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 encourage us.

Dear ones, this is what we have been known to us :

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, -Hebrews 12:1

So we can consider that those who have died and united with the Lord, they have become part of the cloud of witnesses; they are watching as we run our race set before us.

Do those who have died united with the Lord know all things when they are in Heaven? This is what we have heard:

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, -1 Corinthians 13:9
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. -1 Corinthians 13:10

I consider those who are with the Lord in Heaven ; still abide by what has been written in the Lord’s gospel. Till the perfect comes or till our Lord Jesus Christ comes again, then those who are with the Lord, we know not in part but in full.

So I consider the Lord will let those who are with Him, only know how we are enduring in our race of faith that is set before us, but other things He will only allow them to know according to His discretion according to what has been written and spoken to us.

Dear ones, also consider the grace that Holy Spirit have spoken to us through the apostles; one of them, that is also written in
2 Corinthians 5: 1-9. Let us be encouraged.
For walk by faith, not by sight.

Let us make our aim to please the Lord, who has been good to us.

Hmm said:

I have a particular case in mind but I'll keep the details as vague as possible and try to generalise it. I'm hoping to gain an understanding of the 'official' Christian view, if there is one, on the subject so that I can say something helpful to the person involved.

She lost someone very dear someone years ago. I think it's true to say that she has not really accepted that this person has died although she is not in complete denial of the fact. Several times since the death of this person she has experienced, at seemingly random times and where she wasn't trying to bring it about (she doesn't), a distinct scent of perfume, which is something the person who died loved, in the house where they both lived and where my friend still lives.

My friend gets great comfort from this. She is a Christian and believes she could not have got past the death at all if it wasn't for God's help. But she is hurt by the fact that these experiences are so infrequent and also that they are not enough - she really just wants the deceased person to come back to life again.

Does Christianity have anything comforting to say to someone in her situation? I'm pretty sure my friend doesn't visit this forum but I'm sure we'd all agree that any responses should be made bearing in mind that someone reading it may be experiencing something similar.

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Maybe you should consider her emotions, sounds like she needs love, assurance, understanding. Is she trying to overcome some fear, when you depend on someone for years and they are no longer there it can create fear of the future.

Hmm said:

I'm not sure He did say that. Paul spoke about:

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But He certainly did.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Mat_9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Mar_5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk_8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

Think there's a major difference when we pursue it and turn to demonic resources or when God does it.

We're not to "Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God." Lev 19:31

"And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" Isa 8:19

When God does it, it has a purpose. ". Luke 9 Peter, James, and John knew Moses and Elijah who had not been on the earth during their lifetimes. "But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him." Luk 9:32

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Matt 27:50-53

You can be so close to a person, that your heart is left feeling lonely and empty without them. It helps to know they're with the Lord, in perfect peace and joy, but you still want them with you. I think I would try to remember they wouldn't want to come back to this place and I would do them no favor if I could/did bring them back. If I were her deceased loved one, I would want her to live a full life here until she could join me on the other side.

Hmm said:

Does Christianity have anything comforting to say to someone in her situation?

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Not if you're asking whether the religion teaches that the dead watch over family members they've left behind and make their presence known to them through smells or sounds or fleeting sights, etc.

But that doesn't mean that Christianity offers nothing. What "thecolorsblend" wrote about in post #4 is deserving of your consideration.

Hmm said:

I have a particular case in mind but I'll keep the details as vague as possible and try to generalise it. I'm hoping to gain an understanding of the 'official' Christian view, if there is one, on the subject so that I can say something helpful to the person involved.

She lost someone very dear someone years ago. I think it's true to say that she has not really accepted that this person has died although she is not in complete denial of the fact. Several times since the death of this person she has experienced, at seemingly random times and where she wasn't trying to bring it about (she doesn't), a distinct scent of perfume, which is something the person who died loved, in the house where they both lived and where my friend still lives.

My friend gets great comfort from this. She is a Christian and believes she could not have got past the death at all if it wasn't for God's help. But she is hurt by the fact that these experiences are so infrequent and also that they are not enough - she really just wants the deceased person to come back to life again.

Does Christianity have anything comforting to say to someone in her situation? I'm pretty sure my friend doesn't visit this forum but I'm sure we'd all agree that any responses should be made bearing in mind that someone reading it may be experiencing something similar.

Click to expand...

thecolorsblend said:

Personally, I allow for the possibility of moments like that. Small reminders of the departed loved one's presence can be a comfort to the grieving. I don't think there's a reason to assume it's impossible. I might have experienced it once myself, in fact.

Having said that, the human mind is a creative instrument. It's entirely possible to imagine things, esp in times of heightened stress such as the grieving process.

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I had something like this happen to me. When my dad passed felt his presence for about six weeks then in a dream he told me that I would be okay and always rely on God

I don't put any stock in dreams. They are not visions but, rather, are reworkings of thoughts we had in our waking hours. However, the sensations of hearing from the deceased loved-one or smelling their perfume, etc. are reported by many people.

I also had something like that happen, and there really isn't any solid explanation for it. I'd bear in mind, though, that these experiences typically deliver only a very short thought, if that. It's rare that people report detailed instructions being given by the deceased or surprising revelations.