We are told in the Bible about “ministering spirits” who minister for the children of God.
Hebrews 1:14 (NKJV)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
These are mighty beings that have been around long before the creation of man. God created them. They are innumerable. They come in all sizes and shapes. They are the Lord’s angels.
While they remain cloaked to the naked eye in most cases, every once in a while, we may get an opportunity to see one…we may just not know it,
Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV)
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
There are good angels and there are bad angels who fell into sin along with Satan, who was an angel of God at one time. A third of God’s angels entered a rebellion with Satan and now they are evil. Good news however, there are still two-thirds on our side.
Angels have been under the Lord’s command throughout the Old and New Testament. Some of the angels are named such as Michael and Gabrielle but most remain a mystery. They have carried out very important task for the Lord God though the years. They have borne the news of important births, destroyed the Lord/Israel’s enemies, brought strength to people, aided them in their battles, healed their bodies and a myriad of things I am confident we won’t know about until we get to heaven. It appears that there are guardian angels over people as well.
I WAS STANDING IN MY KITCHEN
I was standing in my kitchen one evening and my husband, Wallace, was sitting in the living room and we were looking at each other talking. All of a sudden the extremely heavy light fixture I was standing under fell. I felt a hand shove me out of the way as the fixture crashed into the floor. My husband said, “Someone just pushed you! You went from totally upright to being moved in a split second!” I knew that! I felt that! I believe an angel protected me from a head injury.
Even though angels are powerful and supernatural, we are told that worship of angels is not allowed.
Colossians 2:18-19 (NKJV)
18 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, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
As powerful and wonderful as they may be, it would be being cheated to be in worship of anything that wasn’t Father, Son and Holy Spirit! That lets you know we cannot even comprehend how magnificent THEY are!!!
ANGEL UNAWARES
When I was a youth pastor I had a very strange thing happen. I had a dream one night. In the dream I saw a man who was living under bridges and was on foot down a highway. He was wearing an old hat and his cloths were worn. I heard a voice in the dream that said, “He has been sleeping under bridges and he is hungry, feed him.” I woke up from the dream and told my husband about it. I went to my pantry and found anything that I thought would feed a homeless man just in case I ran into him during that day. I told several people, including our maintenance man Glen, about the dream and that I was on the look-out for this man. I was supposed to feed him. Several months went by. I never saw the man. I carried food around in my trunk but never needed it. I soon dropped it thinking that I had just misunderstood the dream.
One day I was at the church alone in the little office when the back door opened. An old man walked in. He was very soft spoken. He was sweaty and carried a hat in his hands. His cloths were worn and he looked tired. I greeted him and asked him how I could help him. He asked me if there was anything at the church that he could eat. I had all but forgotten about the dream, still I felt a great need to help this man. I took him to the kitchen in this little church and there was not a thing to feed him. I told him we could go across the street and I could let him pick out some food. He said in a soft voice, “Oh, that would be very nice.”
I drove him across the street and we went through the grocery store aisles. He wouldn’t ask for anything, so I would say, “Would you like this? Or this?” He would only answer, “That would be very nice.” I loaded up some things to warm at the church and some things I thought he could carry. We went back to the church and I heated some food and fed him. I asked him about himself but he was vague. Very quietly he told me he had a job. I couldn’t put my finger on what this man stirred in my spirit, but something was unusual. It wasn’t long until our church maintenance guy, Glen, came through. He had the same experience with our unusual guest. Glen offered the man his own bed roll. Then he went and bought him a pair of shoes. Something about this man made you want to give him whatever you had! After he finished eating the man was about to leave. I didn’t want him to leave without me sharing the gospel with him. As Glen and I gathered at the back door to see him out, I asked the man, “Sir, do you know Jesus?” I am not kidding when I say, I looked into the bluest eyes I have ever seen in all my life. They were like deep pools of the bluest ocean. He looked right through me and said, “I know Him very well.” Shivers went up and down me! We all took hands and I prayed over him. I dug all my cash out of my pocket and Glen did the same and we gave it to him. He thanked us and went out the door onto the highway. He put on his hat. OH MY GOODNESS! IT’S HIM! “GLENN, IT’S HIM! IT’S THE MAN IN MY DREAM!” We looked back out the glass door and the man was gone!!!!
To this day, I believe that we entertained an angel. What is the purpose? I really don’t know…but it happened. Glen and I both witnessed him being there and then instantly being gone.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that God has prepared so many good things for us to help us? Hebrews tells us that they minister FOR us…Have you ever ministered with an angel? I believe I have. I’ve had many years in ministry to accumulate the experiences with God and his army of angels.
I was ministering in prayer on a Tuesday night years ago before we started streaming it live. I was leading a song. A holy hush came on everything and everyone. There was total silence in the large auditorium. A wind began to swirl around me on the platform and people began to cry out down on the floor level spontaneously. I believe an angel of the Lord was helping me minister.
I have had them follow me as I paced in prayer leading on Tuesday nights. One night, I saw the shadow of one following me every time I would turn. After prayer that night, a woman from Spain using an interpreter told me that there was an angel following me, when I would turn he would turn, when I would clap my hands he would do the same.
We will probably never know how much help we have received until all knowledge is available to us in our heavenly home. Until then we are going to be encouraged knowing that God is for us and He is keeping His protecting and assisting hand upon us.
Psalm 91:11-12 (NKJV)
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
© Copyright Lisa Swayze 2018