Part 4 of The Angel Series
the earth was filled with violence. Genesis 6:11
We live in a time when violence is closer to home than ever. Just recently, while walking in our neighborhood, Sam was threatened by a teenaged boy. A few weeks before that happened, we drove up on a fight in front of a grocery store. While helping his customer unload luggage, a taxi driver was assaulted from behind by a stranger who pounded him with his fists before fleeing.
As our society erupts into acts of sudden violence, those of us committed to living a quiet life at peace with others are, understandably, fearful. We can sense a tangible spirit of menace lurking in the atmosphere. The current state of our world is one reason that I wrote this series about angels and recorded the YouTube series Demons Are Not The Boss Of You. My hope is that this information will better equip God’s people to live without fear in our fallen environment.
By now I am sure that you are well aware of how the enemy casts doubt on any spiritual reality that threatens him. He would keep us ignorant. Learning how to employ and deploy our angels is a powerful weapon against the kingdom of darkness. Thus, our enemy fears it very much and will counter by attacking us with The Fear That We Are Doing Something Wrong.
To counter that attack, let’s look in scripture for Bible precedent that supports respectfully commanding the angels that God has given to us. Let’s look for practical examples and then for the principle underlying our active engagement with such spiritual realities.
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, O my soul! Psalm 103:19-22
The psalmist is David who is speaking in the imperative voice. That is, he is commanding with authority that another carry out his will. It is the same thing parents do when they tell the children to do their homework, when an officer commands a soldier, when a boss instructs employees, or when a police officer orders you to hand over your driver’s license. Because David instructed the angels (and the hosts and all the works of God) to bless the Lord, so we, too, should instruct the holy beings to carry out our will as it lines up with the will of God.
We do not have a record of Lord Jesus commanding His angels, but we do have a record of Him saying that it was permissible for Him to do so. (Keep in mind that Jesus journeyed through the earth as a man). When Jesus faced Pilate, He revealed that the angels given to Him were His to command. Our Lord said this: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53.
Note the words “put at MY disposal.” They would be His to actively command.
Consider the Lord’s words in John 14:12: “he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.” In order to do the works done by Jesus, we must engage with the supernatural. There is no way around it.
Most of us take a very passive approach to our angels, hoping that they are protecting us. I think this is the wrong approach. Let’s see if I can find (and explain) the principle guiding us to actively participate in these kinds of spiritual realities.
In Numbers 13 and 14 you find the story of the Israelites who refused to go into the promised land because they were afraid. God wanted to bless them, but that blessing required their active participation. Because they were small in their own eyes, they remained in the wilderness for 40 years until every man 20 years and older had died. Only Caleb and Joshua would live to see the land, because they had urged the people to go forward.
Now there is a time to wait on the Lord. But that is not the passivity that arises out of fear. We wait when we are seeking to synchronize with Him and His timing.
1 Samuel 17 records another event where active participation was required for deliverance. Facing a deadly enemy, the armies of Israel froze in fear, which allowed that monster to mock God’s people for 40 days. It was David who confronted Goliath. Notice that the Lord did not intervene on behalf of His people until one person actively responded to the challenge. As long as everyone fled at the sight and sound of Goliath, there was no deliverance.
Jesus shows us how God blesses our active participation in Matthew 25:14-28, the parable of the talents. The person who hid his master’s money was ruled by fear and received no reward. Those that actively engaged with their master’s money in order to produce the will of their master and to increase his kingdom, pleased him and were rewarded.
At my very first prophetic conference, I was overtaken with intercession in the ladies’ restroom. (Of course, it was in the bathroom because we all know that is the Room of Revelation – ROR for short). A kind, experienced intercessor took me to the prayer room and stayed with me for hours as, flat on my back, I groaned, wept, and laughed (all the while wondering if I was losing my mind. See Romans 8:26). During that rather overwhelming introduction to intercession, I experienced vision after vision of angels, both large and small, in chains and behind bars. As I prayed, I flung open the doors and removed the chains from these spiritual beings who then flew through the earth bringing forth God’s kingdom and will. My point: They were bound until I released them. Because I had no idea how to apply the visions, I put them aside until this present day, many years later. I believe the time has come to release our angels.
Let us release them together. We need their help and they want to help us. Remember that they only do what the Lord allows, so we are NOT risking anything by commanding them. But commanding them IS required. Remember! Servants and soldiers do NOT take initiative. They take orders. Just speak respectfully and thank them when they render you a service.
Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14
So how did Sam handle the confrontation with the aggressive teenager? And how did we respond to the fist fight in the grocery store parking lot? First, Sam. He was shocked, of course, and did not know what to do, but once home, he confronted the evil spirit by firmly informing it that it had overstepped a boundary. He declared that he was a son of God, therefore off limits to demons. He commanded the creature to never step over that boundary again. Then, he sent his angels to punish the evil spirit that had motivated that boy’s actions.
We both were shocked when we drove up on the fist fight. I immediately ordered the demons involved to stop. Then I commanded my angels to punish the devils if they did not obey me. (All this was shouted in a squeaky, panicky voice. It was some time before my heart rate slowed down!) In just a moment, the fight was over, the man fleeing.
Keep in mind that as we tell our angels what we need from them, we are to be respectful. I always say thank you after they have rendered a service for me. But I do not ask or beg for their help. I simply tell them what I need.
I pray that you will grab hold of this strategy and put it to work for you and your loved ones. If you would like, let me know how it goes.
I also suggest that you listen to the YouTube series Demons Are Not The Boss Of You for more on how to employ and deploy your angels.
God bless you,
Susan
(Originally published January, 2018)
