ThursdayReflection
27th July 2023
Lesli White offers
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Angels are Working for You.
Most of the time, however, God's angels operate discretely and don't draw attention to themselves as they carry out the assignment given by God. While God has called His heavenly messengers to work on His behalf, He has also called angels to work in our lives in very profound ways.
The Bible tells us,
"For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone".
For Daniel's protection, God sent His angel and he shut the mouths of lion.
God commands His faithful messengers, who are nearest to Him, to guard us in all our ways.
The word angel means "Messenger", so it probably comes as no surprise that there are many times in Scripture where God chooses angels to take His message to His people. Throughout the Bible we find angels involved in communicating God's truth or message as the Spirit of God directed them.
In a number of passages in the Bible, we are told that angels were instruments used by God to reveal His Word, but this is only part of the story.
While there are times when angels have sent words of comfort and reassurance, we also see angels bringing messages of warnings, telling of judgments and even carrying out judgments.
The Bible tells us,
"...for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels and to men" (1 Corinthians 4:9).
According to Scripture, many eyes are upon us, including the eyes of angels.
But the implication is even greater than that. The Greek word in this passage translated as spectacle means "theater" or "public assembly."
Angels gain knowledge through long observation of human activities.
Unlike humans, angels do not have to study the past; they have experienced it.
Therefore, they know how others have acted and reacted in situations and can predict with a great degree of accuracy how we may act in similar circumstances.
Angels are sent by God to encourage us and attempt to guide us on the path we need to go.
In Acts, angels encourage the early followers of Jesus to begin their ministry, free Paul and others from prison, and facilitate meetings between believers and non-believers.
We also know that God can enable angels with great strength.
The apostle Paul calls them "mighty angels". The power of a single angel was demonstrated in part on the resurrection morning.
"And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it"
While angels can excel in strength, it's important that we remember that only God is the omnipotent One.
Another way angels work for us is through deliverance. Angels are actively involved in the lives of God's people. They have specific functions and it is a blessing that God sends them to respond in our specific times of need.
They are on this Earth right now, having been sent to minister to our needs as an heir of salvation. The Bible tells us,
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
Because of this specific role in our lives, they can warn and protect us from harm.
In describing the beggar Lazarus in Luke 16, Jesus said,
"So it was that the beggar died and was carried by angels to Abraham's bosom,"
referring to Heaven.
Notice here that Lazarus wasn't merely escorted to heaven. Angels carried him there.
Why would angels provide this service at the time of our deaths?
Because angels are commissioned by God to care for His children.
Though we don't see them, our lives are surrounded by angels and they are here to assist us in our times of need, including death.
God loves us so much that He sends His angels to guard, guide and protect us through various stages of our life.
Although we may not immediately know, or see, that angels are around us, they are there at God's direction and working to assist us in this live and the next.
Bible references avaiable, on request
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Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism.
In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling.
White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
