“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 14:26)
I just spent four nights sleeping in a supposedly-haunted room.
Last week, my beloved husband and I enjoyed a short trip to Charleston, S.C., having booked a room in a historic home nearly two centuries old. Charleston is a lovely place to relax and walk to shopping, museums, and restaurants. And, it’s a perfect setting for “haints” and their ghostly appearances.
On the third evening of our stay, our charming hostess took us on a tour of the inn, explaining its history and showing us some of the original rooms. The section where we were staying had been servant quarters but was reported to have served as a temporary hospital during the Civil War.
At the end of our trek through the home, one of the guests in our tour asked if the place was haunted. With a slight hesitation, the hostess answered, “Yes,” and proceeded to tell us that previous occupants in two of the rooms had commented on supernatural visits…of course, our room was one of the two she cited.
It seems our bedroom is frequented by a fellow who likes to make his presence known (are you ready for this?) by stroking women’s hair. A female guest was lying in bed, thinking her husband was touching her…until she realized her hubby was in the bathroom. She told the spirit in no uncertain terms to go away, and apparently he politely complied.
Great, I thought. We’re possibly sharing our room with a third party. And, we have to spend two more nights here. I’m not particularly intrigued by ghosts, but I sure didn’t want one touching me. Ew.
I didn’t panic, though. Thinking rationally as a Christ-follower, I came to several conclusions:
- I needed to pray about this, which I did—asking for protection over our room and the other “haunted” guest room, for God to keep evil spirits from poking around.
- I was convinced that, in the unlikely event that a ghost came sauntering in, it could do nothing to truly harm us. Besides, up until the tour, we hadn’t had any inkling of wraiths wandering around our room.
- Most importantly, Jesus has complete power and dominion over all things, seen and unseen. As one of His children, I’m held safe from anything occult…no need to fear. Jesus is our Warrior God, our refuge when we are threatened. He will, as He taught us to pray, “deliver us from evil.” He constantly said, “Do not be afraid,” even when His own disciples mistook Him for a ghost (see Matthew 14:22-23).
We spent those two additional nights never seeing (or feeling) anything, and I slept pretty well! Either Jesus sent His angels to be our guardians, or the potential poltergeist was uninterested in my scruffy hair. Maybe both, ha!
The jury is still out, in my opinion, on the existence of ghosts. Some of my family members have had daytime and nighttime supernatural sightings…and not because they were seeking spectral visitations. I’ve never encountered a ghost, but I have no reason to doubt the veracity of my family’s experiences.
If we Christians believe in angels, there’s a wee bit of theological wiggle room for including ghosties in the mix of unseen forces around us. If we could see the struggles in the spiritual realm, we’d be horrified at what goes on at any given moment. Satan and His minions are constantly on the prowl, ready to devour us, while Christ’s host of angels are ever watchful and fighting to defend us. Scriptures point to the reality of such battles:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11-12)
I’m not sure where ghosts might fall on the spectrum of good versus evil, or heaven versus hell. But I do believe that if I met any haints, I wouldn’t be terrified…I’d feel sorry for them. They would be sad spirits—lost souls not resting in the peace of Christ in heaven. I can’t imagine the horrible existence of spending eternity without Jesus.
Friend, if you’re not sure where you stand with your future life after earthly death, please be assured—that if you love and worship Jesus Christ as your only salvation and hope—you are promised a place in His heavenly mansion, the new Jerusalem. Please take a minute to read this explanation and prayer: https://lightbournecreative.com/good-news-for-you/
Jesus stands ready to offer you His free gift of grace and His abundant life, both here on earth and in heaven. He is faithful to keep His promises and purposes for you—there’s not a ghost of a chance He’ll fail!
Holy God—Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit—I praise You for being the God who watches over me, in the seen and unseen realms. I praise Your Holy Spirit for indwelling me and guiding me along Your path. Thank You for being my Redeemer/Protector who directs Your angels to guard me until You call me home to Your heaven. Make me ever grateful for the privilege of Your presence. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
© Copyright 2023 Nancy C. Williams, Lightbourne Creative (text and photography)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #prayer #ghosts #ghostsofcharleston #charlestonsc #haints #haintblue #ghostlysightings #spiritworld #angels #angelwarriors #hauntedcharleston
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about The Privileged Life: Of Angels and Haints—Living Among the Unseen.
