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Question: Are ghosts REAL? What does the Bible say about them? I have a friend who believes he has ghosts in his home. He has noticed things moved from their normal places, doors opening by themselves, etc. He has questioned his 3-year-old son who says that "John" comes to play with him and that he lives under the house.
Answer: Suprisingly one reference to ghosts in the Bible involves Jesus' disciples using the word to describe HIM!
"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.
"Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves . . . Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 'IT IS A GHOST!' And they cried out for fear." (Matthew 14:22-26, NKJV)
From your email, however, it looks like what are called ghosts are actually rebellious, evil spirit beings (demons). To determine if demons are involved, we suggest you first do some thorough investigating. Children of a young age many times do have imaginary friends. It is their process of maturing to become sociable beings. Children generally have a great imagination that is healthy. When they become older, they outgrow their imaginary friend and make real friendships. Make sure the son does not really see John. If he merely talks to a friend, then he probably is playing a friendship game.
Secondly, you mention things move and doors open by themselves. Check and be sure they really move where your friend sees them move. Wind can close doors. Check to see if your friend really observes doors closing without any draft.
If after all your investigation these events prove out to be real, then demons are likely. In Matthew 12, Christ discussed when a man has an unclean spirit (demon) in his house and a demon leaves. When the evil spirit cannot find any place to go, he takes more unclean spirits and goes back to the house he came from. The problem can be serious:
"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 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 . . . (Matthew 12:43-45, NKJV throughout)
In Matthew 17, the disciples came to Jesus saying they could not cast out demons from this son who would throw himself into the fire and water. This was a very difficult demon problem.
"And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."
"Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
"Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:14-21)
As the scriptures show, He said they did not have enough faith. However, He also said this was such a severe demon problem that the demon or demons would only leave by fasting and prayer.
Therefore, if you find this is a real unclean spirit problem, both your friend and his son should pray together. They, in the name of Jesus Christ, should ask God to remove the demon and have it never return. We on our own power cannot remove evil ghosts or demons - but Jesus can if you have the faith. If this does not do it, move. It is not worth staying there. Your friend and his son need a healthy environment to grow.
