The spirit realm is a very mysterious place. It's not a tangible place that we can see or touch which makes it seem unreal, but according to the Bible, it is more "real" than what we experience here on this earth.
The Bible teaches us that God is Spirit and His worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Since we are made in His image, it stands to reason that we are also Spirit beings. Mysterious and yet true.
When Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, he told the believers that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:7-8 - "He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth'."
The Holy Spirit was gifted to believers as a guide and a connection to God the Father. He speaks to the spirit within each believer through the Holy Spirit and it always, always points us toward Jesus and God. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what God's desires are and He is the one who directs believers to pray in accordance with God's will. He also serves as a check within us when we sin or are tempted to sin. He is the one who convicts us of sin and urges us to repent.
Just as there is only one true God and only one Savior, there is only one Holy Spirit which connects all believers to one another. That is the reason Paul told the believers in Corinth that the church was considered the "body of Christ". Another mystery – how can people who serve Christ around the world be connected to one another? This is possible through the Spirit of God. Whether we acknowledge the fact or not, it's true.
Whatever God has created is eternal - that means it will always exist. Do you doubt that? Consider nature for just a moment. From the grass of the fields to our earthly bodies. The grass may wither and die, it may be burned up or decay, but then it only takes on another form. That form may be smoke which goes into the atmosphere or decay which goes back into the soil, but it doesn't cease to exist. Our earthly bodies are the another example – when we die, our bodies as we know them cease to be, but the spirit within our bodies take on a new form.
"But someone may ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?' How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:35-44
When these earthly bodies are gone, the Spirit within them continues on in a different form. Even those who are non-believers will have eternal life, but they will not dwell with God in eternity. For them it will be a life of eternal separation from God – endless darkness and torment will be their eternity.
There are other spirits in this world which are evil. These evil spirits are constantly in opposition to the Holy Spirit and their purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.
The spirit realm is indeed very "real." It is a mystery that we may not see, but we can be sure that it is there.
Elisha was a prophet of God. The king of Aram didn't like what he was prophesying and set out to destroy him.
"Go find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city, "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:13-17
Elisha was given spiritual eyes to know that God was protecting him. He had the assurance that God was greater than his enemies and we serve the same God as Elisha. We may not see the protection which God has provided for us, but as we serve Him daily, those horses and chariots of fire are around us.
Thanks be to God who lives forever and His provision for us. Because of His great love for us and the precious blood of Jesus, we will live with Him throughout eternity.
