Angels on My Mind

Recently, I have had angels on my mind. I have always believed in angels. As a child I learned about guardian angels. (Exodus 23:20 NIV "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.) I learned about Gabriel who appeared to Zechariah to tell him his wife Elizabeth was pregnant. (Luke 1) Again in Luke, Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her she was to give birth to a baby and that the name of her child was to be Jesus. It was so easy to believe in the presence of angels when I was child. I also loved to hear how when Jesus was born the cherubim and seraphim sang in the heavenlies and the shepherds could hear them rejoicing. (3 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2) Angels were just a part of my understanding of God and His creation. It remains so until this day.

As an adult I learned more about the fallen angels - satan and his demons. I learned how one of the greatest lies that satan wants everyone to believe he does not really exist and is only a figure from mythology-a way primitive people across cultures have depicted evil when it was impossible to understand the bad things happening around them. The second greatest lie is that satan is more powerful than the Trinity. God the father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit have been impugned to the point where even some of those professing a love for them believe they are impotent against satan and his legions. Sadly, many Christians have taken the knowledge of God’s power to act in this world out of their theology and insist that the power God displayed in the early days of the church is gone. It was only for a special time period.  This belief leads to ineffectual prayer and long suffering of God’s people. God’s word shows us the truth about His angels and about satan. God’s angels are present today and many people can give a voice to their experiences with them.

My own life story includes many times where I have “seen” angels. It is hard to describe what open-eyed visions are unless I am speaking to another who has experienced them. It is a bit like looking out over a field and seeing a very ethereal, fine mist. In my visions, I see angels superimposed over what I see in the natural. They are indistinguishable as either male or female and tend to look more like a fine smoke than a full figure of a person although I can always sense the presence of the angel itself, its beginning and its end. 

My most recent experience with seeing angels was when I came home from the last NRSD Retreat. This is a weekend spent in prayer, learning about the Bible, and fellowshipping with other Christians. Since I moved into this particular apartment I have been asking the Lord for His presence in my home and welcoming Him to abide here with us. I also welcomed His angels. Well, I really never sensed any presences or any movement in this area until the morning after our retreat. I was sitting and drinking coffee and pondering over the events and teachings of the weekend when I glanced up and there before me in my apartment were angels. They all appeared just as I described above, however, this time they all seemed very busy! I sighed, smiled and thanked God for His presence with His angels. Since then I have been assured that my home is a place where angels know they are welcome. I feel like perhaps my home is now a rest stop for angels as they go about their earthly assignments.

This same retreat weekend I also experienced a comforting touch on my shoulder that I believe was an angel. I had just heard my father had experienced a severe heart attack and was in surgery, so I withdrew to my room to pray for him and to rest a bit. While praying for my dad, I felt a hand on my shoulder which imbued great comfort and peace to me. I felt better and was assured my dad was in God’s hands. 

It is common in our modern day culture to be drawn to angels. I know that I am not alone in my experiences with them. It is good to know God will send His angels to protect us, minister to us and to assist us in worshiping Him. I know many people believe in angels but they do not believe in God. They may believe in a god or a goddess but not the God of the Bible. The one caution I give all my friends regarding angels is DO NOT WORSHIP them. To worship angels is the same sin satan committed when he was expelled from heaven. Angels are a wonderful and necessary part of God’s creation. I am so thankful for them in my life and for my increasing understanding of them, but I am always reminded that I worship only God. Jesus saved me and pulled me from the miry pit. That was not angels. That was Jesus-the Word Incarnate. To God be all the glory!