The spiritual realm frequently interacts with the natural realm. 0ne effects the other. Throughout scripture, we see the spiritual realms impacting the natural realm as demonic spirits clearly afflict humans through temptation and even “possession.” In the book of Daniel, we are told that demonic principalities sometime rule over nations. influencing them to follow the ways of Satan. Angels clearly impact the lives of individuals throughout the Bible…protecting them, delivering messages, leading them out of prisons, and executing God’s judgments at times. James even warns us to be careful how we treat strangers because some of those we interact with may be angels operating in the form of men. In the other direction, prayers, praise and commands in the natural realm move things in the spiritual realms.
More often than we are aware, we experience spiritual atmospheres in the natural realm that are generated by the presence of spiritual beings we cannot see. Christians often talk about feeling the “presence of God” or the “presence of the Holy Spirit” in a church service, conference, or small group setting. Angels often are present in churches during worship and contribute to an atmosphere of peace, praise and expectation. It is also true that demonic spirits can produce an atmosphere of fear, anger, heaviness, hopelessness, distrust, and oppression in other settings.
Several years ago, we received a request from a lady who attended another church asking us to pray for her and her family. She had remarried a good man and her teenage son from her previous marriage lived with them. He and his “stepfather” had gotten along well for the first year or two of their marriage, but after moving into a new home (new to them) the relationship became combative and even physically violent between the son and stepfather. The woman’s husband travelled with his job, so was gone from time to time. The atmosphere in the house was such that she had put a dead bolt on her bedroom door and kept it locked out of fear that her son would try to hurt her or even kill ear with the stepfather away.
She invited us over while the son was at a school event and her husband was out of town. As we asked about her experiences, she noted the agitation and anger had only become apparent after they moved into their current house. She also noted that if they were traveling as a family, the son and husband got along as they had in the beginning, but as soon as they pulled into the driveway, the anger and agitation erupted again. This woman did not attend a church that talked about the spiritual realm and certainly not about demons, so she made no connection between the anger and violence in her home and the spiritual realm.
Several of our team members had gifts of discernment so they immediately sensed the presence of a spirit of anger and violence in the house. We prayed over the house, commanded the spirit to leave and never return and went on our way. She said she never told her husband or son that we had prayed over the house, but their relationship quickly returned to what it had been in the beginning. In that case, prayer and commands in the authority of Jesus changed the spiritual atmosphere of the home.
There are times we will feel the atmosphere of a home, neighborhood, city, or church. Sometimes, these places will feel peaceful or full of life if the Spirit of God is present. If there is a strong demonic presence, it will feel dark, heavy, evil, foreboding, or angry. I have visited several cities where witchcraft was openly practiced and on a clear day, the sun seemed dim in those cities as if there were cloud cover when there was none. Those atmospheres affect not just the sky but the people who live there as well. The people themselves reflect the spiritual atmosphere of their city.
In Mark 4, Jesus told his disciples to get in a boat and head across the sea of Galilee to the region gf the Gadarenes. As they made their way across, a great storm suddenly blew up. Jesus was asleep in the boat while the disciples were in full panic mode. Remember, they were crossing the sea to encounter a totally demonized man who lived among the tombs, whom Jesus would set free. The disciples shook Jesus awake and announced that they were all about to die. Jesus rebuked the storm and it ceased immediately.
Many commentators believe that the storm had been stirred by demonic forces and, in essence, Jesus had commanded the demons to cease their activity. They were attempting to keep Jesus from setting the man who lived in the tombs free from demonic bondage. If this is true, Jesus discerned the demonic atmosphere charging the storm and by his commands, changed the atmosphere.
Other things can change the spiritual atmosphere of a location as well. We are told that when an evil spirit would torment King Saul, David would play a harp, and the spirit would stop the torment. Psalm 149:6 instructs God’s people to enter into battle with the praise of God in their mouths. We are also told that God inhabits the praises of his people. Praise attracts the presence of God and the presence of God disperses the enemy. Prayer also attracts his presence and praying out loud for the presence and power of the Lord to overcome the enemy can also shift the atmosphere of a home, room, church, business, etc.
Many people are affected by spiritual atmospheres without being aware of what is going on. They simply find themselves feeling hopeless, depressed, agitated, angry, or fearful for “no apparent reason.” There may be an atmosphere of conflict in a home or business where couples or kids or employees seem to fight incessantly for no good reason. These individuals or families should act intentionally to change the atmosphere of the home or business. Praying out loud, playing praise music in the background all day and night, an audio Bible being played, or direct commands for spirits to leave (or all the above) can change the atmosphere instantly or over a few weeks.
Paul told us that we should not be unaware of the devil’s schemes and negative or toxic spiritual atmospheres can certainly be one of those strategies to bring down individuals, families, businesses and even churches. When you feel the presence of God, stay there, When you feel or see the evidence of demonic activity, take action to change it.