Do you realize that you really are not alone in this universe? While some people are out chasing UFO’s and believing for life on other planets, there is a realm of spiritual entities out there that have been sent by God on our behalf. These angels really exist and I believe they are excited when we acknowledge that they exist and welcome their assistance in our lives as Jesus assigns them.
But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Heb 1:13-14 NIV
There appear to be two very different perspectives on angels; one believes that angels are supernatural spiritual beings here for our use and amusement in that we can talk, mingle, and have various other kinds of communications with them. This view is very dangerous because it opens a door for the demonic angels to enter. The second perspective is that they exist but are not active today, except maybe in some strange and miraculous way. I would like to debunk both of those theories and give you the truth according to the word of God, once you read the scriptures concerning the subject you can be objective through the lens of God’s word and not man’s ideas.
Angels or ággelos, in the Greek, are messengers sent from God, used 186 times in the New Testament, and are a huge part of the ministry of the kingdom of God. In the Bible, we see angels in various forms such as seraphim, cherubim, archangels, guardian angels, warring angels, and angels in order such as powers, authorities, rulers, and principalities. Every type of angel and order of angel has been created and positioned according to the kingdom purposes of God. All angels are ministering spirits according to the commands of the Lord.
Jesus Christ is not an angel He is God, and angels are created beings to serve Him and man. Angels are ministers of and for Jesus Christ and will participate with Jesus by being sent out to gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, in the last days (Mat 13:40). They will separate the wheat from the tare, the sheep from the goat. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, - Mat 13:49 KJV
There are numerous accounts of angels in the Old Testament, from the days that Adam and Eve were commanded to leave the garden in Genesis 3 whereby God placed cherubim and a flaming sword before the garden to guard the way to the tree of life, to angels saving Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom (Gen 19). Of course, almost everyone has heard of Daniel being thrown into the lion's den and the angel of Lord shutting the lion's mouth (Dan 6).
Active Angels Today
Angels are still active today to bring messages to God’s servants in various ways. Even though the Holy Spirit resides in us to teach, comfort, and counsel us, sometimes God sends angels to direct our steps or clear the way for us to step. Holy Spirit releases His ministry gifts that empower us for the work of the ministry, but sometimes we see the Spirit of God and angelic spirits working together such as was the case with Philip and the Ethiopian.
An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip and directed him to go south on his journey. Philip did so, and as he went, he came upon a man of Ethiopia who was a eunuch with great authority. This man was under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians and was in charge of all her treasury, or wealth. The eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship. When Philip heard from the Spirit to go near and overtake the chariot, Philip did so and found the man reading the Scriptures. After this encounter, Philip led the man to the fullness of God which was Jesus Christ, and he was baptized and saved. We then see Philip being transported to another place by the Spirit of the Lord that caught him away. He was found at Azotus and preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea. (Acts 8) We can see the conversation started with an angel and ended with the Spirit of God; they work together.
In another account, we see an angel sent to Cornelius who was not a Christ follower but was a righteous and praying man of God. The angel gave him orders to call for Peter to come to him and this encounter ended with the gospel being taken to the Gentiles, starting with Cornelius’ whole family (Acts 10).
Both Cornelius and the Ethiopian man appear to have a personal relationship with God or at least longed to but were not in Christ; both accounts led to salvation and baptism. Because the Ethiopian was a man of authority, it is highly possible this was an intentional encounter for a greater purpose, one that might lead this man of authority to bring salvation to the place of which he held power.
Angels are holy and terrifying; they are not something to behold as if they are gentle spirits that come to play. Angels sent by God are sent for some serious God business, and He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire – Heb 1:7. Whenever we read of accounts of angels coming to a common man that man or woman bows with fear and honor, they are ambassadors of Heaven.
There are numerous accounts of angels being sent to make announcements, help the apostles out of prison, such as was the case with Paul and Peter on two different occasions. We also read of angels bringing visions and even being sent with the end times message in Revelation.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified [it] by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. - Rev 1:1-2
Angels Tend to Us in the Battle
Angels tended to Jesus’ wounds, heart, agony, and exhaustion when He had been in the wilderness for 40 days just before His ministry began in Matthew 4, and when He prayed in agony in the garden of Gethsemane. Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. - Luk 22:43
I want to point out the possibilities of angels operating with God to bring forth healing. While I don’t think it is commonplace that angels release or help in the miracles of healing, I do think it is possible based on the evidence of their activity in the Bible.
There is a testimony of a paralytic man being healed by Jesus at the pool of Bethesda. The scriptures say that an angel stirred the waters at a specific time and the first one in the water was healed. Looking deeper into healing springs of water we find that the pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed this man and the pool of Siloam where Jesus also healed a man, were both excavated and found to be mikveh’s. Mikveh’s were Jewish ritual baths and Jews would travel to these places to ritually cleanse themselves and seek healing. If indeed an angel went to those waters and stirred them for healing it would show that the ministering angels of God were used for healing help as well as other forms of ministry.
Lastly, the angel Gabriel came to announce to Zacharias that his wife would have a son and he would come in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and make ready a people for the Lord. This son was to be John the Baptist. When Zacharias questioned the angel as to how he could know this or how this could be true because he and his wife were old, the angel rebuked him. He said, “19 I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." - Luk 1:19-20
Gabriel is not likely the only archangel nor is Michael. There is an innumerable company of angels in the city of the living God (Heb 12:22), this means too many to count. Therefore, it is absolutely possible that angels are everywhere, active in everything that pertains to God.
It is my desire to help you see that there have been angels since the beginning of time to minister for God and to His people. We can read of angels protecting, helping in the healing process, causing disasters by bringing God’s judgments, bringing visions and speaking revelation as well as causing a man to be mute. If they can cause muteness, they can likely be used of God to heal as well. After all we are warned, to not forget to entertain strangers, for by so [doing] some have unwittingly entertained angels. - Heb 13:2
Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in [false] humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, Col 2:18 We are not to worship angels nor are we to allow them to preach a different gospel to us. Apostle Paul said, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” - Gal 1:8
We should be willing to embrace, with wisdom, all the spiritual help God has for us. We should ask Him to open our eyes to the spirit realm so we can see His angels as He did for Elisha’s servant when he was afraid and outnumbered in 2 Kings 6:15-17. We also can ask the Holy Spirit to open our understanding to the Scriptures just as Jesus did when He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. - Luk 24:45
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Word that You gave to equip me and the world to be able to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, for the work of the ministry, and for the understanding of the things of the spiritual realm. I ask You today to open my understanding to the deeper things of You and Your kingdom so that I might better take the gospel out to those You send me to and so that I can walk in fearlessness knowing that angels walk among me and are there to help in times of need. Thank You for equipping me in measures I can’t yet fully understand and for breaking the religious yokes of bondage that keep me and others from embracing all of Your word, gifts, and supernatural life. In Jesus name, Amen.