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A cool angel wouldn't just hang about touching your shoulder, I don't think. The way you described it, it sounds more negative than positive to me. Just mo.

Ignorance of the spirit world is one of the biggest historical problems for humanity. Most religious dogma doesn't really deal with this issue very effectively, I think primarily because real knowledge about the spirit world and how we interact with it would reveal too much. The devil needs to act from obscurity, and a real understanding of the spirit world threatens that.

A model that explains things in a very clear, logical and believable manner (IMO) needs to be on par with our understanding of the material world. That's difficult, because the spirit world is the realm where subjective reality is a critical factor. By which I mean, the subjective state of the mind affects what is perceived, and how it is understood, unlike material reality which is more objective.

If one considers the idea that the material body (flesh) is designed and based on the spiritual body, and reflects it, then things start to become clearer, imo. We have 5 spiritual senses - spiritual sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell, but due to the fallen (corrupted) nature of our beings, our capacity to access those senses is severely diminished, and does not emerge automatically or even easily.

Folks who can see spirits, or hear spirits, etc, have their spiritual sense in that area awakened and developed, which appears like a 'gift'.

Part of the problem is that the spirit (mind) grows through a combination of elements, of which one part is the choices and decisions we make, and the actions we take to manifest them. While the body grows to maturity automatically, the spirit does not. Moreover, sin etc, cuts us off from core elements necessary for the spirit to grow: God's love and truth.

While Christians believe that we receive salvation thru the cross (which we do), most don't understand that this is only spiritual salvation, where the claim on our spirit is removed by our moving from satanic dominion to Christ's dominion (governance). The claim on our flesh body is NOT removed by the cross. It remains, and this is why the second coming is necessary. For the entire process of restoring humanity to God to be completed, we need spiritual AND physical salvation.

So while we can access so many benefits and grace through the Cross, our bodies still sin, and the conflict between good and evil within is still a raging war. That's why we need constant effort, prayer, and practice in order to continually remove satanic influence. Even Paul recognized this reality, but many mistakenly think the cross is the end of the work. When Jesus said "it is finished" I believe he was talking about the providence for spiritual salvation, which he accomplished via the cross and the resurrection.

So why is a second coming required? because physical salvation - the removal of the claim of satan over our bodies, is still necessary.

Anyway, for this and related factors, humanity as a whole still has minimal understanding of the spirit world: How it functions, by what laws it operates, how it is structured, etc. While we have uncovered so much about the material world in those areas, our understanding of the spirit world is thousands of years behind.

Nonetheless, there are hints etc, provided. Swedenborg is a good example of spirit world related information coming through the Christian sphere. But as you yourself directly experienced, that information is rejected as coming from the devil.

My first conscious encounter with a spiritual presence was when my grandfather passed away. I experienced his presence, and felt it tangibly. I was a young lad at the time, but that as the beginning of a lifetime of awareness of spiritual reality.

Ghosts are low level (low vibrational) spirits. Sometimes, when a person dies, if they are too attached to a particular location via trauma or other intense emotional attachment (resentment, pain, hatred, anger, etc) they become trapped to that material location, and cannot move freely to the spiritual realms. They become stuck.

But many spirits particularly in the Christian sphere, have enough God-centered vibration so that they can transition to the paradise realms of the spirit world. From there, they can sometimes, with the right guidance and grace behind them, visit the material realms and reach out to us.

In reality, many, many of the sensations we experience internally are actually vibrations (thoughts, feelings, desires) that belong to the spirits that surround us. Most of the time, people are unaware of those spirits - which are only human beings who no longer have a flesh body, and who exist with a spiritual mind and body. Occasionally, with sincere and deep prayer, such spirits might make themselves known to us by crossing the energetic divide, in a vision, or dream, etc. Particularly so if the spirit is a high vibrational spirit, a saint or godly person.

Another reason why the spirit is de-emphasized in Christian culture is that openness to spiritual vibrations is a two-edged sword. Playing or interacting with low-level spirits leads to occult practices, etc, which are under the dominion of the devil.

The ultimate power on which the universe, including the spirit world, is based is love - true love unblemished and pure. Altruistic love helps one to break free of satan's influence, because it is the one thing that Satan cannot do. Satan cannot sacrifice himself (itself), serve others, or love others sacrificially. So doing that breaks us free from him. Which is why Jesus taught us the things he did.

What you observed may have been a low spirit (you might check what sort of feelings you felt in the situation: uplifting? fearful? anxious? Dark? These would not be your feelings, but the feelings of the spirit, and you can often tell by those feelings you pick up where the spirit is from.

It could easily have been a mid-level spirit, whose presence became felt, or whose presence you experienced because momentarily your spiritual senses were 'opened up'.

Either way, the key thing is to offer the experience to God. Satan and evil cannot offer things to God, which requires humility and faith, so when we offer something to God, God can claim ownership over it. So if it was a low spirit, God could then claim the experience to educate you, and illuminate the meaning behind it. If it was a good spirit, or the experience was for a heavenly purpose, then God can work further to show that to you.

It is so sad that such ignorance in churches grounded in dogma and not actual truth leads many to reject things that may be from God. But whether it was from evil intended to harm, or good intended to help, the key is to offer the experience to God in prayer, and to ask him to claim it and use it for good. That's a sure-fire method to turn any situation - attack from evil or support from good - into a plus. Offer it to God, by prayer.

Dear Father, I had x experience. I don't know what it means / I'm not sure what it means / I think it might mean [this]. Please reveal to me in the right time what it means. Whatever it was, and whatever was the source of [x] experience, please claim it as I now offer it to you, that you might have true ownership and governance over it. Please use all things in my life for your righteous purpose. I humbly ask, (through Christ) Amen.

Something like that.

I have found this approach to be extremely powerful and God has confirmed to me this approach over and over again.

When we offer things to God, THEN He becomes the true owner manifested. That is, even if God is the rightful owner, he needs us to offer our lives, experiences, etc, to him for him to be able to say to the devil "hands off. This is now mine. My child gave it to me, not you." And the devil can say nothing about it. Powerful.

Good luck, and thanks for sharing.

PS. I used to give lectures and seminars on this topic. Haven't for quite a while. Could probably write a few chapters on the topic.

PPS. When real direct knowledge of the spirit world and spirit world reality comes to fruition, fear of death will disappear, and instead fear (or concern about) of living a meaningless life will emerge much more. Fear of death has pushed so many people to live focused only on the material world, which the devil uses to his advantage.