Are You Afraid of the Dark?

By Dr. Brandon Steenbock, Family Minister

Colossians 1:16 - For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Do you fear the darkness? Are you aware of the dark and twisted spirits that haunt this sin-corrupted world? I knew someone once who was sure her home was haunted. She was scared to go to sleep, sure there was a malevolent presence. She asked me to come over to find out if I could do something to drive away the spirit. 

I didn’t know if there was a spirit haunting her home. When I visited, I did not see, hear, or sense anything. But I know there is a spirit world, full of dark forces aligned against God and his people. So I asked this young mom if she and the kids pray out loud regularly. She said no, they don’t. I asked why not, which led to a longer conversation about her spiritual health. By the time I left, she had a prayer on an index card she could pray out loud with her kids. And most importantly, that prayer called upon the name of Jesus.

“At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).

There’s no biblical reason to believe in ghosts, at least, not in the sense of wandering spirits of dead humans. But there is a spirit world, a world of angels and demons, that overlaps our own. That spirit world is a place of war - war over control of the world, war over the possession of human souls, war against the image-bearers of God. That war frequently spills over into our physical world, and when it does, we experience frightening results. 

We make the mistake of forgetting how dark and dangerous the spirit world is. We scoff at it, make light of it, call people crazy for believing in it. We seek it out for entertainment or fascination. We think we can benefit from its power if we delve into it. Our twisted human nature makes us weak to deception - either believing the spirit world doesn’t exist, or believing it has something to offer that God doesn’t promise.

That world is dangerous for us. Scripture warns us not to ignore it or seek it out. Be aware of it, recognize its power, and always be on guard against its dangers. And hold onto the one power that truly dominates that world. 

That power is the name of Jesus. Jesus is the creator of all things. Paul makes it clear in Colossians that Jesus created not just the physical world but also the spiritual world. If he is their creator, then he is their ruler. When he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:19), he meant it. He has all the authority, all dominion, all rulership over all of this world, both physical and spiritual. By his death and resurrection, he dominated sin, death, the devil, and all spirits that rebel against God. He defeated every enemy, and now they cower at his name.

For my young friend who was afraid of an evil spirit in her home, the name of Jesus was a relief. When she started praying out loud in the name of Jesus, anything that was there fled. That’s what happens when demons come face to face with the name of Jesus. You can do the same - speak the name of Jesus out loud in your home. Pray to him in full voice. This is not just a name - it is the name of the creator of all things visible and invisible, and his name has power.