THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS_2016_2
(week 12/16)
OLUBI JOHNSON
We wish all our readers a wonderful Easter celebration! We pray that the resurrection power that raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will bless and make you and your family victorious in your spirits, souls, bodies, finances and circumstances in Jesus Name!
Last week, we saw that angels are spiritual servants created to serve God and us who are heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14).
They are able to do this, because they can operate in both the spiritual and physical worlds at the same time.
There are different kinds of angels:
1. Angels with wings: cherubim and seraphim (Ezek. 10:7-8; Is. 6:2).
2. Angels without wings that look just like men (Heb. 13:2; Gen. 19:1-16).
3. Angels of God’s presence (Is. 63:9): angels that look like God and so are a projection of His presence, like the angel of the Lord Jesus that John saw in the book of Revelation (Rev.1:1,13).
Isaiah 63:9 MKJV: In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
Revelation 1:1, 13 MKJV: A Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to declare to His servants things which must shortly come to pass. And He signified it by sending His angel to His servant John, (13) and having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands I saw One like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and tied around the breast with a golden band.
God uses angels to serve Him and us to do the things God does not want to do or is too big to do personally.
God makes angels as big (magnified) or as small (miniaturized) as necessary to do whatever He wants them to do.
For instance, an angel in Revelation 10 was so big: He could put one foot in an ocean and one on the shore.
Revelation 10:1-2 MKJV: And I saw another mighty angel coming down out of the heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. (2) And he had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth.
Now, the angels are authorized to act in the earth through words in agreement with God’s Word that we speak in prayer.
Psalms 103:20 MKJV: Bless Jehovah, O angels of His, who excel in strength, who do His command, listening to the voice of His Word.
Angels do not have a legal right to act on the earth unless they are authorized to do so by the words of God spoken by men on the earth.
Psalms 115:16 MKJV: The heavens, even the heavens, are Jehovah’s; but the earth He has given to the sons of men.
Furthermore, it is the power of God we release in prayer that the angels use to manipulate men and create circumstances to enforce the will of God on the earth.
So, we see that it was Daniel’s words and prayers that gave Gabriel and Michael the authority and power respectively to bring the answers to Daniel’s prayer into physical manifestation after 21 days of fasting and prayer.
Daniel 10:12-13 MKJV: Then he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel; for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come for your words. (13) But the ruler of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
It is instructive to note that if Daniel had not continued in prayer and fasting for the 21days, he would not have released sufficient power for the angels to use to overcome the evil spirit: the prince of Persia and the answer to his prayer would not have come into manifestation.
So, many times it is necessary for us to continue in prayer in the Spirit with fastings (on a regular basis, like weekly or monthly) until we see the manifestation of the answer to our prayers. It is this kind of consistent praying in the Spirit with fasting that causes us to release the power of God in sufficient measure that our angels will use to bring the answers to our prayers into physical manifestation.
Every Christian, being a joint heir (or equal or co-heir) with Christ (Rom.8: 17) has thousands of angels (Christ had access to over 6 legions ((6 x 12,000 = 72,000) Mt. 26:53)) available to serve Him.
However, these angels operate optimally for our benefit only when we walk in love by the Spirit; by washing feet: forgiving, confessing and so cleansing with the blood, asking life for those that have sinned (1 Jn. 5:16) and praying for them in tongues at least once every six hours and at every opportunity and by this in every temptation with our thoughts and actions; furthermore, we do not let anything contrary to the Word of God come out of our mouths.
As we do this, and pray frequently in tongues (some of the instructions given to the angels will be in tongues of angels (1 Cor. 13:1), we will be authorizing and empowering the angels to serve us consistently and optimally.
Negative words contrary to the Word of God hinder the operation of our angels:
Exodus 23:20-22 MKJV: Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you to the place, which I have prepared. (21) Be on guard before Him, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and a foe to your foes.
Ecclesiastes 5:6 MKJV: Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; do not say before the angel that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
So, we must be careful to say only words in agreement with God’s Word.
In our article next week, we will see in more detail how angels serve us.
