Spiritual awareness – What is it?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Spiritual awareness is recognizing that life extends beyond the physical and that an unseen spiritual realm is constantly at work. The Bible teaches the existence of both angelic and demonic beings, and we are more than just the physical bodies we possess, having souls. Believers are called to cultivate awareness of what is spiritually real and to grow spiritually through the Holy Spirit, prayer, Scripture, and fellowship with other Christians. At the same time, Christians must remain vigilant against the enemy, avoiding practices that open doors to demonic influence. The Bible repeatedly warns that spiritual battles are real, yet believers are equipped with the “armor of God” to stand firm. Spiritual awareness is not just about recognizing spiritual forces but also about deepening our connection with God, worshiping Him in spirit and truth, and living surrendered to His will. Living in spiritual awareness requires us to recognize the spiritual reality around us while staying rooted in Christ, discerning truth from deception, and walking faithfully in His kingdom.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• When the servant of Elisha was scared because the town he and Elisha were in was surrounded by the Syrian army, Elisha begged God to “please open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). What he saw was an angelic army “full of horses and chariots of fire” surrounding and protecting them (2 Kings 6:17).
• Isaiah was given spiritual awareness when he saw God Almighty seated on His throne in the Holy of Holies, a vision that made him aware of his corruption in the presence of the holy God (Isaiah 6:1-7).
• Daniel was shown the spiritual realm when he had visions of the archangels Gabriel and Michael (Daniel 7-12).
• God warned the Israelites, though, to stay away from spiritual darkness as manifested in practices like necromancy, spiritism, and divination (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10). Those practices are dangerous for believers as they are of the demonic realm.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Zechariah encountered an angel when he was ministering as a priest in the temple (Luke 1:8-23).
• Mary and Joseph both met an angel of the Lord when he announced the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38).
• The whole host of heavenly angels praised God when announcing Christ’s birth to a group of shepherds in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8-14).
• Angels announced Christ’s resurrection from the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1-8).
• The author of Hebrews speaks about unknowingly entertaining angels when we treat strangers with hospitality (Hebrews 13:2).
• But Christians must also be spiritually wary of a dark spiritual world that is of Satan and his demons. Paul wrote of believers’ spiritual adversaries and advised believers to “[p]ut on the whole armor of God” to stand against them (Ephesians 6:11, 6:11–18).
• Likewise, Peter warns believers, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Peter was well aware of Satan’s schemes as Jesus had warned him that Satan wanted to “sift” him but that Jesus had prayed to the Father to strengthen Peter’s faith.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

“Seeing is believing” —some use that phrase to make the point that the visual sense is the most accurate way of verifying truth. But the Bible makes it clear that there is a real spiritual realm where activity occurs constantly (Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 6:12). As Christians, we need Jesus to equip us to properly engage in the spiritual battle around us (Ephesians 6:12).

Believers are in the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). Part of our spiritual awareness is recognizing spiritual battle and making use of the “armor of God” (Ephesians 6:12). That includes spiritual disciplines like reading Scripture daily (2 Timothy 3:16-17), fellowshiping with other believers regularly (Hebrews 10:25), and praying to God frequently (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Our spiritual awareness also includes our spiritual growth through the work of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:1 talks about presenting ourselves "as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." In John 4:24, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that true worship isn’t about a place but about worshiping God “in spirit and truth.” Spiritual awareness is not just about the spiritual forces at work in the world but also about our spiritual connection with God based on the work of Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

We must be aware that there are those who dabble in the demonic spirit world. They play "games" such as Ouija board, learn about Tarot cards, tell fortunes, look to astrology, and other darker pursuits. Believers must avoid such practices and recognize them as ploys from the enemy. Satan is crafty and will even appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). But Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) out only to “steal and kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). Believers must be spiritually aware: ever cognizant of our connection with the Lord and ever wary of the enemy who tries to separate us from Him.

UNDERSTAND

• Spiritual awareness recognizes the unseen spiritual realm and its impact on our lives.
• There is also an unseen realm of demonic beings whose goal is to separate people from God.
• Believers must cultivate a spiritual awareness of God while remaining on guard against demonic forces.

REFLECT

• How do you actively cultivate your awareness of God and the spiritual realities around you?
• What moments in your life have made you aware of spiritual forces at work, both good and evil?
• How do you protect yourself from spiritual deception and stay connected to God?

ENGAGE

• How can our understanding of spiritual warfare shape the way we live as believers?
• How can we guide others in recognizing and resisting the enemy’s schemes?
• How might society’s fascination with the spiritual realm be both a danger and an opportunity for evangelism?