Can inanimate objects have spiritual influence?

[Andy Broadley]

I've only skimmed this one so apologies if I'm repeating others, but what about the Holy Grail? Hypothetically, if it were to be found, it would have immense spiritual influence. And the spear in Vienna? Or any of the many other revered relics?


Whether or not these things should have influence is another matter, but I would suggest that they most certainly do have it.

 

[KleinerApfel]

I've only skimmed this one so apologies if I'm repeating others, but what about the Holy Grail? Hypothetically, if it were to be found, it would have immense spiritual influence. And the spear in Vienna? Or any of the many other revered relics?


Whether or not these things should have influence is another matter, but I would suggest that they most certainly do have it.

The Bible doesn't say anything at all about the cup Jesus used for the last supper, let alone tell us go and look for it because it has any power!

I've never heard of the Vienna spear, but ditto I would think!

They do have influence, but only because we humans love to try to make things unseen appear tangible. A fault in us I think, since: "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of things we do not see."
(Sorry, no time to look it up, but hope that's accurate. Off to work.)

Blessings, Susana

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Asaph, you're not alone because I agree with you.

I witnessed something with a Oujia board when I was much younger. I did not use it but some friends did and I saw true evil that night. Believe me, a oujia board is never finding its way into my home but I believe that the spirits were not necessarily residing in that board. The people using the board were able to contact spirits through the board but I believe that could be done with just about anything if one tried hard enough. Just like a deck of cards...nothing inherently evil there but some use them to tell the future. It isn't that evil spirits were lurking under the Queen of Spades but they certainly became 'interested' in the person trying to channel them.

It's been awhile since I've read Peretti's books but weren't the spirits attached to the people? I may be wrong but I don't remember them attaching themselves to objects. Not that that matters but somebody brought up those stories.

 

[Hisgirl]

Interesting topic.


A sweet southern baptist friend, Pam, shared a story with me concerning a housewife here in our little bedroom community. This woman is her friend and when this happened, they were at first clueless as to what to do. The woman had purchased a framed picture of two children...very old looking...at a yard sale. Once in her house, odd things started happening. Once, she looked out her window and actually saw the two children outside the window. Her husband didn't believe her.....until the picture came flying off the wall across the room past his head. Needless to say, they got rid of the picture and had someone come pray over the house. All oddities stopped.

A friend asked the Lord if there was anything offensive to Him in her house. Immediately, the thought came to her about some candles brought back from Africa from missionaries...black, in the shape of a woman's head. Also, a ring. Puzzled about the ring, she searched through her jewelry box for the ring she had found when aged eight or so....it had a masonic symbol on the top.

Another friend fell under huge spiritual attack with family problems. When I prayed I kept hearing the word, 'freemasonry'. I'm not very informed about masonic stuff, but after some research, had my eyes opened....just incredible. I didn't say anything to her at first. She came over and said after praying, she saw a vision of a symbol..."does this symbol mean anything to you?" she asked. She drew the masonic symbol. I told her what it was and told her I had been hearing freemasonry. She started asking her mother and mother-in-law about masonry in the family. Turns out both grandfathers were third-degree masons and guess what was lurking in their attic? The masonic book. They destroyed it and felt such peace.

So these stories...which are only a couple of many I have....say to me that the spiritual world can intersect with the natural world in ways that don't always make sense....but instead of arguing about whether or not we believe that....just pray to our Father and ask Him if there is anything offensive to Him in our homes....I did and He hesitated not in pointing out several objects. I know Derek Prince taught a lot about demonic issues and he also saw many, many things that indicated we need to pray over homes and objects if there is any question at all. God is so good.....

 

[JimB]

IMO, this whole thing about curses and haunted houses and soul-ties and demon-possessed furniture and generational curses etc. is diseased doctrine, a weird form of P/C voodoo (i.e., plain old-fashioned superstition - with scriptures) and is not based on a shred fact, much less Scripture.

From my understanding of the Bible, only God can bring curses on people. Even Satan cannot do it. And it is only sinfulness that brings a person under the curse of God. Believers on Jesus Christ have nothing to fear from superstitious curses (Prov. 26.2).

2 Timothy 4 (NLT)

3For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. 4They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

​

Can you show me one time in the Bible when a person placed a curse on another person?

The whole subject would be laughable if so many believers hadn’t fallen for it. Its just the rotten fruit of too much televised pop-theology corrupting gullible viewers.
Having said that, I am now running for cover.
\o/

 

[Andry]

Amen, Jim!

 

[Terri]

I agree with Asaph and OreGal!!

The only incident I have had with a material object was a Oujia board that, believe it or not, I was given as a Christmas present when I was a child by a Christian sister-in-law.

When my sister and I played with it, it worked. I thought my sister was making it move. She keep insisting that she wasn't and I knew I wasn't and so I decided to throw it in the trash because it frightened me. A spirit of fear came over me that told me something bad would happen if I put the Oujia board in the trash. I can still remember being petrified as I walked toward the trash to toss it in. Thank God He gave me the courage! Now, I don't think there was anything evil about the board--but I do believe that evil spirits were trying to use the board to get a foothold in my life.

Terri

 

[E_Powers]

Yeap!

My fiance's house was once haunted, had this evil presence around because her dad's like to collect weird oddities, antiques and figurines...

Her aunt came (she wasn't a believer back then i think) to pray over the house and to plead the blood of Jesus. The evil feeling and presence lifted right after.... praise God.

same with my grandmas house, my grand pa had passed away in 2003 and he was a horder. he had all kinds of stuff in his old house ( i could feel a evil there also) and alot of the valuable stuff was taken to my gmas house. and i felt the same thing in her basement later on. but i sensed something else. it was afraid to leave its corner. because that house has holy protection on it. and when the items were removed so was the presence. (about the same time my mom reawakened spiritually)

 

[JimB]

Is anyone as uneasy as I am by the superstition and voodoo being passed off as truth in this thread?

\o/

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

The whole subject would be laughable if so many believers hadn’t fallen for it. Its just the rotten fruit of too much televised pop-theology corrupting gullible viewers.
Having said that, I am now running for cover.
\o/

Jim, I only wish I could give you more rep points! If somebody has some extra reps lying around, could you throw them at Jim for me. Thanks.

 

[KleinerApfel]

IMO, this whole thing about curses and haunted houses and soul-ties and demon-possessed furniture and generational curses etc. is diseased doctrine, a weird form of P/C voodoo (i.e., plain old-fashioned superstition - with scriptures) and is not based on a shred fact, much less Scripture.

From my understanding of the Bible, only God can bring curses on people. Even Satan cannot do it. And it is only sinfulness that brings a person under the curse of God. Believers on Jesus Christ have nothing to fear from superstitious curses (Prov. 26.2).

2 Timothy 4 (NLT)

3For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. 4They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

​

Can you show me one time in the Bible when a person placed a curse on another person?

The whole subject would be laughable if so many believers hadn’t fallen for it. Its just the rotten fruit of too much televised pop-theology corrupting gullible viewers.
Having said that, I am now running for cover.
\o/

Jim, did you see my post (#19) a page back?
I tried to explain how I think objects are probably not imbued with power, but evil spirits might make use of opportunities afforded by our beliefs or feelings towards particular objects.

This wouldn't have to be a curse, haunting or possession as such; just the devil up to his old tactics of deception and fear.

Does that make any sense or am I inventing my own theory?

God bless, Susana

 

[JimB]

Jim, did you see my post (#19) a page back?
I tried to explain how I think objects are probably not imbued with power, but evil spirits might make use of opportunities afforded by our beliefs or feelings towards particular objects.

This wouldn't have to be a curse, haunting or possession as such; just the devil up to his old tactics of deception and fear.

Does that make any sense or am I inventing my own theory?

God bless, Susana

I’m not sure, Susana, but I’m the kind of guy who has to have some sort of scriptural basis for what I believe. If it ain’t in the Bible it ain’t in my doctrine. Can you support this view with scripture?

\o/

 

[KleinerApfel]

I’m not sure, Susana, but I’m the kind of guy who has to have some sort of scriptural basis for what I believe. If it ain’t in the Bible it ain’t in my doctrine. Can you support this view with scripture?

\o/

Yes, I'm pretty much the same.
Don't know if I can support it specifically scripturally, except to say that fear and deception seem to be a general modus operandi for the enemy, so any scary supernatural stunts associated with objects could well be him!

Can you offer me an alternative explanation for the nasty episodes described by a few people here?

Blessings, Susana

 

[Asaph]

Is anyone as uneasy as I am by the superstition and voodoo being passed off as truth in this thread?

\o/

I agree Jim. And I can understand how difficult it can be to throw off superstitious things. I mean I was raised with a whole host of superstitions that I didn't even know I had until God began showing them to me.

But they must be thrown off to live a victorious life. There is just no other way. There is no fear in Love.

Asaph

 

[enoch son]

Sorry Jim and Asaph but I deal with this suff all the time. "If a house is not filled then the demon will return with 7 more worst them himself." To quote Jesus. A witch needs what I call a bridge to past on spills. It can be anything a peice of cloth to a peice paper. etc. I know this because the Holy Spirit has giving me words of knowledge to tell people where to find the bridge. We have prayed over houses that other brother have had on the market for months (we will fine a bridge) without any movement and a week later they are sold. Remeber King Saul. But the worst spirit I have had to fight is one of relgion. (the scapegoat).

 

[Terri]

An fellow preaching at a non-denom church I was attending said that he was a guest speaker at a small country church. A witch, would come into the church and take pictures of the preacher and members of the church and say that she was going to cast a spell on them. The people were frightened.

Well, he said that when the witch came in to take his picture--he gave her a nice pose for her picture!

We really don't have to be afraid of these sorts of things--we have the power of the Holy Spirit!!

 

[Asaph]

Sorry Jim and Asaph but I deal with this suff all the time. "If a house is not filled then the demon will return with 7 more worst them himself." To quote Jesus. A witch needs what I call a bridge to past on spills. It can be anything a peice of cloth to a peice paper. etc. I know this because the Holy Spirit has giving me words of knowledge to tell people where to find the bridge. We have prayed over houses that other brother have had on the market for months (we will fine a bridge) without any movement and a week later they are sold. Remeber King Saul. But the worst spirit I have had to fight is one of relgion. (the scapegoat).

I am greatly pleased to see you back ES, but oh man did you go far in stretching that scripture.

Luke 11:24-26
24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
NKJV

That is not talking about buildings. It's talking about people.

Asaph

 

[NewSong]

Such as curses on antiques or jewlery and other stuff
Do you pray over your house?
Can you have spiritual principalites over cities?
etc etc

Just curious what everyone's take is on this

Only if you place the emphasis there and I am not sure that I believe in curses on antiques or jewlery...However as dumb as it may sound, I have experienced some strange things. Yes there were some corny things that happened and like Asaph said, it was something to try to take my attention away from God.

I used to have lamps come on, answering machines, TV's, smoke detector's etc. No one believed it was happening. My grandmother spent the night at my house because she didn't believe it either and it started happening and it was unexplainable even electrically. No power surges etc. We unplugged the answering machine and it still happened. My light came on and a few other things and the only thing Grandma and I could do was laugh. It was really funny.

I made the mistake in telling a friend of mine and very cockily she came to my home and said, "It don't dare to happen while I am here." (as if she was some spiritual giant) It did and her words were "I am out of here." She never did come back to that particular place I lived. Oh and by the way, the only reason I moved out of there after living there for 11 years was because I needed a place to live so the landlady could take possession of her home to live in for herself.

I asked the pastor and leaders of my church to come and pray over my house and they found nothing but true peace in my home and found it astonishing that this stuff happened and there were witnesses to it. I soon learned that it only had as much place as I gave it and when I quit giving that place, it quit. Sometimes I go through warfare but never like that. It was where I was at in my journey and coming to terms with some things that ya just can't be taught so much as you need to know for yourself. I can tell you that it did happen and I threw away perfectly good books and it had nothing to do with objects for me so much as it did focusing myself on God.

I don't believe in focusing on this subject but I don't agree that it should be tossed out as though it was a stupid thought either. It is a good post.

 

[JimB]

Only if you place the emphasis there and I am not sure that I believe in curses on antiques or jewlery...However as dumb as it may sound, I have experienced some strange things. Yes there were some corny things that happened and like Asaph said, it was something to try to take my attention away from God.

I used to have lamps come on, answering machines, TV's, smoke detector's etc. No one believed it was happening. My grandmother spent the night at my house because she didn't believe it either and it started happening and it was unexplainable even electrically. No power surges etc. We unplugged the answering machine and it still happened. My light came on and a few other things and the only thing Grandma and I could do was laugh. It was really funny.

I made the mistake in telling a friend of mine and very cockily she came to my home and said, "It don't dare to happen while I am here." (as if she was some spiritual giant) It did and her words were "I am out of here." She never did come back to that particular place I lived. Oh and by the way, the only reason I moved out of there after living there for 11 years was because I needed a place to live so the landlady could take possession of her home to live in for herself.

I asked the pastor and leaders of my church to come and pray over my house and they found nothing but true peace in my home and found it astonishing that this stuff happened and there were witnesses to it. I soon learned that it only had as much place as I gave it and when I quit giving that place, it quit. Sometimes I go through warfare but never like that. It was where I was at in my journey and coming to terms with some things that ya just can't be taught so much as you need to know for yourself. I can tell you that it did happen and I threw away perfectly good books and it had nothing to do with objects for me so much as it did focusing myself on God.

I don't believe in focusing on this subject but I don't agree that it should be tossed out as though it was a stupid thought either. It is a good post.

How is this different from paranormal and poltergeist reports, specters. spirits, ghosts, apparitions, Elm Street and Amityville? You are wanting me to take your word for it just as you described it, disallowing scripture. I am wondering about hallucinations, delirium, autosuggestion, superstition, or too much pizza before bedtime.

And you are offering no scriptural precedent whatever.

IOW, what you are asking me to believe is, well, a little much.

Sorry, NS, maybe if I knew you better I might be more receptive.

\o/

 

[NacDan]

...I asked the pastor and leaders of my church to come and pray over my house and they found nothing but true peace in my home and found it astonishing that this stuff happened and there were witnesses to it. I soon learned that it only had as much place as I gave it and when I quit giving that place, it quit.
...

You've hit upon an important spiritual truth right there! Spirit, evil or Holy can only affect your life to the degree your faith allows it. When Jesus would heal someone, He always said something to the effect of: "Your faith has made you well" Here are some quick examples:

MATTHEW 9
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their FAITH said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy FAITH hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your FAITH be it unto you.
MATTHEW 14
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little FAITH, wherefore didst thou doubt?

MATTHEW 15
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy FAITH: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. (KJV)

These people put their faith in GOD. Over in Mark, there is an interesting story about Jesus in Chapter 6 (1-6)

1And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.


2And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

4But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

5And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

If Christ Himself couldn’t perform miracles when those around him didn’t have faith, didn’t believe; how can any devil have any power in your life if you don’t grant it to him?

Danny