THE MINISTRY OF ANGEL_2016_3
(week 13/16)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our article last week, we saw that angels are authorized by the words we speak and empowered by the power we release in prayer.
This week, we will see in more detail how angels serve us.
The angels serve us in
1. Giving us skill and understanding through our thoughts:
Daniel 9:22-23 MKJV: And he enlightened me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I have now come out to give you skill and understanding. (23) At the beginning of your prayers the commandment came out, and I have come to explain. For you are greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter, and attend to the vision:
2. Strengthening and protecting our physical bodies:
Daniel 10:8-11 MKJV: Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me. For my beauty was turned within me to corruption, and I kept no strength. (9) Yet I heard the voice of his words. And when I heard the voice of his words, then I was in a deep sleep on my face, and my face was toward the ground. (10) And behold, a hand touched me, which set me shaking on my knees and the palms of my hands. (11) And he said to me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright. For to you I am now sent. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.
Genesis 19:1-3 MKJV: And there came two angels to Sodom at evening. And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. And Lot rose up to meet them when he saw them. And he bowed himself with his face toward the ground, (2) and said, Behold now, my lords, please turn into your servant’s house and stay all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early and go your way. And they said, No, but we will stay in the street. (3) But he urgently pressed on them, and they turned in to him and entered into his house. And he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Genesis 19:10-11 MKJV: But the men put out their hands and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. (11) And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
This is just like the angels that struck the Syrian army that came to arrest Elisha with temporary blindness (2 Kings 6: 15-23).
3. Providing for us financially and materially by supernaturally causing men to give to and serve us:
Exodus 23:20 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.
Psalms 34:7-10 MKJV: The Angel of Jehovah camps round about those who fear Him, and delivers them. (8) Taste and see that Jehovah is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him. (9) O fear Jehovah, His holy ones; for there is nothing lacking to those who fear Him. (10) The young lions lack, and suffer hunger; but those who seek Jehovah shall not lack any good thing.
Notice that because the angels camp around those that fear the Lord, they do not lack any good thing!
In conclusion, it is vital to note that we are NOT to pray to angels or to seek to see them physically: doing this can lead us to being deceived by Satan or fallen angels:
2 Corinthians 11:14 MKJV: Did not even Satan marvellously transform himself into an angel of light?
So it is as we speak God’s Word and pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayer (Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1) including travail (Gal.4:19, Rom. 8:26) like the Lord Jesus did (Heb. 5:7) (See our book ‘daily prayer guide for perfecting the love of God’ for more details) that our angels will be authorized and empowered to serve us optimally as God intends.
So the ministry of angels is intricately interwoven with our prayers:
Revelation 5:8 NKJV: Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 8:3-5 NKJV: Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4) And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. (5) Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
Observe that the elders before God’s throne have golden bowls full of incense: prayers of the saints (Rev.5.8); furthermore, these prayers of the saints are given to angels who further mix them with the prayers of ALL saints on the golden altar in front of God’s throne (Rev.8.3). Then the angel takes some of these mixed prayers and ‘throws’ them into the earth (Rev.8.4-5) to produce ‘thunderings, lightings and an earthquake’: the prayers avail much (Jam.5.16) on the earth!
Practically, what do these things symbolize?
They symbolize that when we pray here on earth our prayers are joined TOGETHER in agreement in the Spirit to and through the spirits of elders who though still alive and ON EARTH, have grown spiritually enough to sit on God’s throne (Rev. 3.21, 1 Jn.4.17, Jn.3.13). This is shown in
Matthew 18:19 NKJV: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. (20) For where two or three are GATHERED together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
1Corinthians 5:4 NKJV: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are GATHERED TOGETHER, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
These prayers that joined TOGETHER in the spirit through the spirit of the elder are greatly amplified in power according to
Joshua 23:10 NKJV: One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Deuteronomy 32:30 KJV: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
These amplified prayers are AGAIN FURTHER AMPLIFIED by the mercy of God through the ministry of angels at God’s throne (Heb.4.16) mixing them with the prayers for ALL saints stored up in heaven according to
Ephesians 6:18 KJV: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication FOR ALL SAINTS;
It is these TWICE AMPLIFIED prayers that are then released into the earth through the ministry of angels to avail much!
Selah!
