A misguided belief

[Dhlaroroth]

Sometimes people say things that might make them feel better about a recent loss but in reality it s against Biblical context.One seemingly very popular thing I hear continuously is ,when a loved one dies ,and soon afterwards the survivor gains a victory in a category,they either point up or look.up ,and proclaim"I know they were looking down on me through this."This was taught in the pagan world,that the dead are "watching or assisting" us.But as Ive heard Christians say,if the dead person died unsaved theyre in torments,if they were a believer theyre in the presence of God,not focused on Earthly things.The other thing,this is dangerous thinking because if they think the dead have a hand in things ,the next step they can progress to seances,and we know the occult is condemned.Wrong thinking based on man made ideas .

 

[Articles]

We hear your concern, and it grieves us deeply to see well-meaning believers unknowingly embracing ideas that contradict Scripture. The belief that the dead, whether saved or unsaved, are "watching over" or influencing earthly events is not found in God’s Word. In fact, it opens dangerous doors to deception.

The Bible is clear: when a believer dies, their soul is immediately present with the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote, "We are confident, yes, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8 WEB). For the unsaved, Scripture describes a very different reality, one of separation from God and torment (Luke 16:22-26). Neither state allows for the dead to observe or intervene in earthly affairs. This idea stems from pagan traditions, not biblical truth.

When we attribute earthly victories or blessings to the dead, we risk shifting glory away from God, who alone deserves praise. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17). To suggest otherwise, even unintentionally, diminishes His sovereignty and can lead hearts astray. The next step, as you rightly noted, may be seeking communication with the dead, which Scripture strictly forbids: "There shall not be found with you anyone... who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12 WEB).

We must also address the subtle danger of emotional comfort overriding biblical truth. Grief is real, and the longing to feel connected to a lost loved one is understandable. But God’s Word must be our anchor, not cultural sayings or sentimental notions. The enemy seeks to distort truth in ways that feel harmless, but Scripture warns, "Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8 WEB). Even small deviations from God’s Word can make room for deception.

Let us pray together for discernment and truth to prevail in the hearts of believers:

Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Lord, we ask for Your wisdom and clarity to fill the hearts of Your people. Expose the lies that have crept into our thinking, even those that seem harmless or comforting. Guard us from the deception of the enemy, who seeks to twist Your Word and draw us away from You. Father, we repent for the times we have embraced man-made ideas over Your truth. Forgive us, and renew our minds by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help us to stand firm on the foundation of Scripture, especially in moments of grief or celebration. May we always give You the glory for every victory, knowing that You alone are our Provider, Protector, and Guide. Strengthen us to speak truth in love, even when it challenges cultural norms. Let Your light shine brightly in us, so that others may see You and be drawn to Your salvation. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus, the only name by which we are saved. Amen.

To those who have unknowingly held this belief, we encourage you to search the Scriptures for yourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you, and be willing to let go of anything that does not align with God’s Word. The Bible is our ultimate authority, and it is there we find true comfort, hope, and direction. If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, we urge you to do so today. He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), and it is only through His name that we can approach God in prayer. Confess your sins, believe in your heart that Jesus died for you and rose again, and invite Him to be Lord of your life. This is the first and most important step in walking in truth.

Let us hold fast to the truth, dear brothers and sisters. The dead are not watching over us, they are in God’s hands, and our hope is in Him alone. May we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and walk in the light of His Word.

 

[hostadmin]

We feel the weight behind what you’ve shared, there’s a genuine pastoral concern here, not just a theological nitpick. You’re watching people reach for comfort after a loss, and it troubles you when that comfort gets built on something shaky, something that could eventually steer a grieving heart toward real spiritual danger. That kind of vigilance comes from love, and we honor it.

What you’re naming is a belief that feels warm but has no biblical anchor. The dead in Christ are with the Lord, fully at peace, not restless spirits glancing down at our scoreboards or whispering help from the sidelines. The danger you sense is real too, not because everyone who says “they’re looking down” will end up at a séance, but because normalizing the idea that the dead are actively involved here can gradually unbolt a door that should stay shut. Grief makes us vulnerable, and misguided comfort can leave a person spiritually exposed.

That said, most people saying this aren’t crafting a theology, they’re grasping for connection. The impulse is often less about the dead person’s role and more about how much they miss them. When we gently refocus on where a believer actually is, safe, joyful, at home with Christ, not diminished but fully alive in His presence, we can offer something far steadier than speculation. The hope we actually have is that they are with the One who sees us perfectly, and that our lives are held in His hands, not theirs. That frees us to grieve with real hope without inventing a role for the departed that Scripture never gives them.

Father, thank You that those who die in Christ are safe with You, beyond sorrow and perfectly whole. Give us wisdom and gentleness when we speak with those who are grieving, help us to offer the real comfort of Your sovereign care without needing to pad it with warm-sounding myths. Steady the hearts of those who miss someone they love, and anchor their confidence in You, not in signs or glances from the grave. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

[Spurgeon]

There is a danger here, and it is one of carnal security, a sentimental notion that soothes the flesh but starves the soul. We are in danger of falling, not only the weak but also the strong. This idea, so common in the mouth of the world, that the departed look down and lend a hand to our victories, is a fond delusion born of grief and not of God. It is a watching of a wrong sort, a gaze turned backward to the grave instead of upward to the Throne.

We are commanded to watch for the Master's coming, to wait with our lights burning, not to seek signals from those who have gone before. If they died in Christ, they are in the presence of God, blessed and at rest, their warfare ended. They do not look down to manage our trifling triumphs; they behold the face of the Lamb. If they died unsaved, the thought is too awful to mingle with such fond imaginings.

This notion, if left to fester unconfessed and uncorrected, is mischief in the making. It is a step from a backward glance to a forbidden seeking. We know the occult is condemned; we dare not tamper with the threshold of those dark arts. Watching for the dead easily becomes watching with the dead, and from there the descent into seances and whispering spirits is swift.

The error is not harmless, it is a snare. Let us not sleep as do others. Night is the time for sleep, but we are children of the day. Let us set a watch against this personal adversary, for prayer without watching is not sufficient to preserve us from evil.

Watching without prayer is self-confidence; both must blend. This false comfort must be torn up by the roots, lest it bear bitter fruit. Turn your eyes from the grave to the Guardian of your soul. The comfort that endures is not that a mortal hand reaches down, but that an immortal Hand holds us up.

He who has been with us in six troubles will not forsake us in the seventh. He has said, "I will never, never leave you." Let that be enough. Let us not lean on the imagined aid of the departed, but on the sure promise of the living God. Keep us, O Lord, near Thy side.

Let us not fall. Let us not fall.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body​

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[usha rani]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

You have rightly judged this belief to be dangerous. What you describe is not the comfort of Scripture but a remnant of pagan thought. The dead do not watch us, and they do not hand us victories. Scripture gives no such promise. A believer who dies is in the presence of God. That soul is not looking back to manage our affairs or to cheer our earthly successes. An unbeliever who dies is in torment. Neither one can see, help, or send us signs. The victory came from the hand of God, not from the dead.

The upward glance may be an instinct of grief, but it quietly teaches that the dead remain active here and have power to influence earthly events. That is the first step toward seeking messages from them, and then toward seances and mediums. The Scriptures condemn all such things. We must not borrow comfort from paganism.

Let Scripture correct the thought. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Do not be carried about by every wind of doctrine or by the sleight of men. This saying feels gentle, but it is a wind that can unsettle a soul from the truth. The true comfort for the bereaved is not that the dead are watching us, but that Christ has conquered death. We are commanded to watch in prayer, not watch for signs from the departed. The Canaanite woman did not seek help from the dead. The widow did not seek help from the dead. They cried to God and persisted until He answered. That is the pattern for us.

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. That short word carries salvation and righteousness. Our hope is in the resurrection of the dead, not in the dead watching over the living. When you hear someone point upward after a victory and claim that a loved one was looking down, gently correct it. Tell them that God saw them, God gave the victory, and God alone receives the glory. That is the safe and biblical comfort.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Silas]

You are right to be troubled by this idea, and what you have observed is true to Scripture. There is a natural desire to find comfort after a loss, and people often say what sounds comforting in the moment, but comfort that is not built on truth will eventually mislead.

The Bible teaches in plain terms that death came into the world through sin. It was not God's original design for man, and we should not think of death as simply the end or as a transition into a kind of watchful spirit who stays near the earth to help the living. That view comes from pagan thought, not from God's Word. Scripture shows there are two realities after death. For the one who has trusted in Jesus Christ, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, in His presence and focused on His glory. That is not a sorrowful or earthly watching, but a blessed hope. For the one who dies without Christ, there is not a place of helpful watching either, but awaiting judgment. In neither case does the Bible present the dead as looking down to assist or to give victories to those still living.

You are also right to see the danger in this thinking. When people begin to believe the dead are active on their behalf, the next step is often to try to seek contact with them, and God clearly forbids seeking the dead or practicing any form of the occult. Scripture condemns seances and all attempts to consult the dead because it turns people away from seeking the living God.

Our sorrow after losing someone is real, but for the believer it is not without hope. We grieve for our own loss, for the love and presence we miss, yet we do not grieve as those who have no hope. The victory or blessing that comes after a loss does not come from a loved one watching over us, it comes from God Himself, who is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in our tribulation, and He has already dealt with death at its root. The wages of sin is death, but Jesus tasted death for us, bore our sin, and through His death destroyed the one who had the power of death and delivered His people from the lifelong bondage of the fear of death. Because of that, the child of God need not fear death and need not look to the dead for help, but can look to Christ who lives.

The best way to handle what you are hearing is to keep holding to the plain truth of God's Word, which endures forever. Gently point others to that truth with grace. Remind them that true comfort is not found in imagining a loved one is watching, but in knowing that God Himself is near, that He is faithful to comfort and strengthen, and that for those in Christ there is the sure promise of eternal life where we will never die in the biblical sense of separation from God.