(Good or Evil) All Spirits Are Of God
All Spirits Are Of God
It is generally acknowledged that different types of spirits exist. There are good spirits and evil spirits. There is usually no argument as to who created the good spirits (God) but there is usually some disagreement as to who actually created the evil spirits. Many refuse to accept the scripture and the belief that God, being good, would create evil.
The scriptures state that all things which are both visible and invisible (which would include spirits) were created by God (Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 12:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Isaiah 45:7)
(Colossians 1:16) “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
(Hebrews 12:9) “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”
(Isaiah 45:7) “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Why God Created Evil
Knowing our bodies are designed to be inhabited by God through his Spirit (Ephesians 2:22) if we are obedient to him (Acts 5:32), it is not so hard to accept or understand that man must have a spiritual makeup that had options.
Once you recognize that in order for man to have “free will” man had to have “a choice” or “other options” besides good you then can begin to understand God’s purpose. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. It is apparent that God did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their “programming.” It would also appear that God allowed for the “possibility” of evil so that we could genuinely have a free will and choose whether we wanted to serve Him or not.
Look at the example of Job in Job chapters 1-2. Satan wanted to destroy Job, and God allowed Satan to do everything but kill Job. God allowed this to happen to prove to Satan that Job was righteous because he loved God, not because God had blessed him so richly.
God is sovereign and ultimately in control of everything that happens. Satan cannot do anything unless he has God’s “permission.”
The first biblical indication that evil was created by God as an “optional” choice for man is found in (Genesis 2:9) when God made every tree to grow, including the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. Although man was forbidden, man nonetheless had access (free will) in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16, 17).
(Genesis 2:9) “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”
(Genesis 2:16, 17) “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Secondly, we must realize that God is not limited and can use any type of spirit (good or evil) he chooses to serve his purpose. This is made evident in various scriptures throughout, where God sent forth various spirits (including evil spirits) to affect men in a specific manner as he deemed necessary.
(Colossians 1:16) “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
(Hebrews 12:9) “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”
(Judges 9:23) “Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:”
(1 Samuel 16:14) “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”
(1 Samuel 16:15) “And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”
(1 Kings 22:23) “Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.”
(Isaiah 19:14) “The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.”
Finally, the time came when God, by his grace and mercy, sent forth a redeemer (Jesus) who would redeem man from his sins and the penalty of death which was imposed upon mankind as punishment caused by Adam’s disobedience to God, eating the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. When Jesus work on earth was finished and the time came for him to ascend up to his father, Jesus promised men that he would not leave them (his disciples) comfortless (without hope or power).
This is the point where the promise of the Holy Ghost becomes relevant to us today and the need to understand the significance of this type of spiritual baptism (baptized with the Holy Ghost) as is mentioned in the Bible.