The Bible states,  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). When and how God created the universe is still debated, but the key is "in the beginning God." So, Who is this God of creation the Bible speaks about? The short answer—God is a pure infinite Spirit in whom all things have their beginning, are sustained, and will have their end in Him. Let us explore the spirit world of God and man.

The Scriptures were spoken and written in the Hebrew and Greek languages. In Hebrew, ruwach (roo'-akh) is the term for the Holy Spirit, and it can be translated "breath of God," "wind of God," and "Spirit of God." Genesis 1:2 reveals the presence of God's Spirit during creation: "...And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

It is likely that when God breathed His breath into Adam, a "spirit" was formed inside him. When Adam's spirit was produced, his soul (personality, emotions, self-awareness) naturally switched on like a light, and his body automatically came into full function (Gen. 2:7). Man is often referred to as being spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23).

In modern transactions of the New Testament, the word pneuma in the Greek language can be translated "the spirit of man" when it is lowercased; when Pneuma is capitalized, it is referring to "the Spirit of God." Many respiratory phrases come from this word (e.g., to draw breath, the nostrils, inhaling, exhaling, etc.). However, in the biblical sense Pneuma is defined as: the in-breathing of the Spirit of God to give life, inspire, illuminate, impart power, and anoint for service. Simply put, (P)pneuma can refer to the Holy Spirit, the human spirit, and even evil spirits.

Believers in Christ have been created to live in the spiritual world; therefore, they need spiritual understanding and discernment to fulfill their calling in Christ. One of the grace gifts of the Spirit that is listed in First Corinthians 12:8-10 is the "discerning of spirits. "This grace gift enables a believer in spiritual union with God to identify the source of any manifestation or phenomena...