THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS_2016
(week 11/16)
OLUBI JOHNSON
The manifestation of the power of the Spirit without measure is IMMINENT, so God does not want His people to be ignorant about spiritual things (1 Cor.12.1): in particular about the ministry of angels. Hence our message this week:
Hebrews 1:14 AMP: Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?
Angels are spiritual servants created by God to serve God and us who are heirs of the salvation in Christ Jesus.
The distinguishing characteristic of angels that make it possible for them to serve us is the fact that they can operate in both the spiritual and physical worlds simultaneously.
We see this when an angel appeared to the Lord Jesus at Gethsemane and strengthened Him both spiritually and physically, when He was under severe spiritual and physical pressure so much so that His sweat was like great drops of blood:
Luke 22:43-44 MKJV: And an angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. (44) And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly. And His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Furthermore, we see the Lord Jesus saying, He could pray for more than 12 legions (12x 6000= 72, 000) of angels to physically save Him from those who came to arrest Him at Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:53 MKJV: Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?
The power of God released through these angels is what caused those who came to arrest the Lord Jesus to fall down at first and then afterwards He allowed Himself to be arrested.
John 18:3-6 MKJV: Then Judas, having received a band and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. (4) Then Jesus, knowing all things that were coming upon Him, went out and said to them, whom do you seek? (5) They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I AM! And Judas who betrayed Him also stood with them. (6) Then as soon as He had said to them, I AM, they went backward and fell to the ground.
Notice that the angels were invisible, but the power they released caused a physical result to make the people who came to arrest Him fall down.
In the same way, the angels who were protecting Elisha were invisible, but struck the Syrian army that came to arrest Him with temporary physical blindness:
2 Kings 6:15-23 MKJV: And the servant of the man of God arose early and went out. And, behold, an army surrounded the city, and horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? (16) And he answered, Do not fear, for those with us are more than those with them. (17) And Elisha prayed and said, I pray You, Jehovah, open his eyes so that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (18) And they came down to it, and Elisha prayed to Jehovah and said, I pray You, strike this people with blindness. And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. (19) And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria. (20) And it happened when they came into Samaria, Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these men so that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw. And behold, they were in the middle of Samaria. (21) And when he saw them, the king of Israel said to Elisha, My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them? (22) And he answered, You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. (23) And he prepared a great feast for them. And when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
Similarly, we always have angels around us to protect and serve us, however, they are invisible most of the time, but we can see and experience the physical effect of their protection and service:
Psalms 91:11-12 MKJV: For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep You in all Your ways. (12) They shall bear you up in their hands, lest You dash your foot against a stone.
Now, it is instructive to note that there are different kinds of angles; cherubim, seraphim: angels with wings.
Isaiah 6:2 AMP: Above Him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two [each] covered his [own] face, and with two [each] covered his feet, and with two [each] flew.
Ezekiel 10:7-8 MKJV: And a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubs to the fire between the cherubs, and he lifted it and put it into the hands of the one clothed with linen. And he took it and went out. (8) And the form of a man’s hand was seen under the wings of the cherubs.
Also there are angels who look just like men and so do not have wings:
Hebrews 13:2 MKJV: Do not be forgetful of hospitality, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
In our article next week, we will see in more detail why and how God uses angels to serve us.
