Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4100 Supernatural beings  »  4195 spirits

Intelligent beings which exist separately from bodies. God is spirit and he has given human beings a spiritual entity. He has also created a realm of spiritual beings--some have remained good, others have become evil. Evil spirits seek to control and destroy people, but Jesus Christ has the victory over them.

God is spirit

John 4:24 See also Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4; Revelation 1:4 fn; Revelation 3:1 fn; Revelation 4:5 fn; Revelation 5:6 fn

Other spirits

The spirit of human beings

Proverbs 20:27 See also Job 32:8; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 8:55; Luke 23:46; John 3:6; Acts 7:59; James 2:26

The spirits of the dead

Isaiah 26:14 See also Proverbs 2:18; Isaiah 14:9; Hebrews 12:23

Angels

Hebrews 1:14 See also Judges 6:21-22; Judges 13:20-21; Zechariah 6:5; Acts 23:8

Satan

Job 1:6 See also Job 2:1; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 6:11-12

Demons

Revelation 16:13-14 See also Luke 6:18; Luke 7:21; Acts 23:8; 1 Peter 3:19; Revelation 18:2

The role of spirits

As instruments of punishment

1 Samuel 16:14 See also Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; Samuel 19:9; 1 Kings 22:20-22 pp 2 Chronicles 18:19-21

As instruments of testing to inspire faith in believers

1 Peter 5:8-9 See also Job 1:8-12,22; Job 2:3-6,10; Matthew 4:1 pp Mark 1:13 pp Luke 4:2; James 4:7-8

Evil spirits and humanity

Possession by spirits

Mark 9:17-18 pp Luke 9:39 See also Matthew 8:28 pp Luke 8:27; Matthew 15:22 pp Mark 7:25; Mark 1:23 pp Luke 4:33

Casting out spirits

Matthew 8:16 pp Mark 1:34 pp Luke 4:40 See also Matthew 12:28 pp Luke 11:20; Matthew 17:18 pp Mark 9:25-26 pp Luke 9:42; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7

Consultation with spirits forbidden

Deuteronomy 18:10-11 See also Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6; 1 Samuel 28:8-9; 2 Kings 21:6 pp 2 Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3

Discernment and testing of spirits

1 John 4:1 See also 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:2-6

Jesus Christ has supremacy over all created spirits

Colossians 2:10 See also Mark 1:24-27,34 pp Luke 4:41; Luke 4:33-36; Luke 10:17-19; Colossians 2:15

See also

1225  God as Spirit
2012  Christ, authority
3010  God, the Holy Spirit
4110  angels
4120  Satan
4130  demons
4165  exorcism
4190  spiritism
5062  spirit
8228  discernment, examples
8734  evil
8832  testing