SERMON - GOD'S 'SPECIAL AGENTS'

God’s ‘Special Agents’

If you look about you in most any store, even the smaller shops, you can expect to see jewelry, pictures, figurines and other wares that depict God’s ‘Special Agents,’ angels. They are mostly depicted as beautiful women, handsome men or oftentimes as babies with gleeful looks on their faces. Not to refute these depictions, but to enlighten you, an angel might come to you in any form. I smiling lady, a bent old man, a person of color or, looking as different as you could imagine.

In a 2000 poll, conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, reflected that 81 percent of the adults polled believed that, “angels exist and influence people’s lives.” Many movies are based on angels as well as television programs. You can imagine the battles fought by Atheist groups to remove them from our lives.

As I told you in an earlier Sermon, God’s name of Yahweh Saoboth is, God of the angels. It is God that controls our lives and in doing so He has the power to utilize the talents of His angels to deliver messages, execute His judgments (such as upon Sodom and Gomorrah) and any other assignment God deems to be appropriate.

In our Bible God tells us how the angels are delivering messages, accompanying the lonely, granting protection and even fighting His battles.  

In many angelic appearances, told of in our Bible, angels sent to deliver messages began their words saying, “Do not be afraid,’ or ‘Do not fear.” Most of the time, however, God’s angels operate undercover and don’t really draw attention to themselves as they carry out the assignment given them by God. There are cases where these heavenly beings evidence themselves that strike terror in the hearts of God’s enemies.

I do not claim to be an authority as to when an angel is actively involved in a person’s life but I do have a firm conviction that God does use His angels to do His wishes as He answers the many prayers for assistance, protection and the things He wills to be done. This is happening today just as it happened in Biblical days.

The acts of an angel may not be recognized simply because they are doing their job properly, that being, undercover. However, angels are actively involved in the lives of God’s people and maybe even in the lives of people, not always Christian, in general. They have a specific function and it is a blessing to have God send an angel in response to your prayer or in time of need.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
       and he delivers them.

Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

It is possible, though you may see it as a ‘far fetched’ thought, that you have met an angel face to face. This I firmly believe to be so as I believe our Bible which is God’s undeniable Word.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

This would seem to support my earlier statement as to the appearance an angel might take on as he/she visits you.

I find it amazing to think that God loves me so much as to send an angel to me as an answer to a prayer that I earnestly prayed and did not recognize that I was being ministered to by a true angel. I do believe, with all of my heart, that although I did not immediately know or see someone as an angel, they were there at God’s direction. I know, in my heart, that a stranger has given me valuable advice or assisted me in a dangerous circumstance and only to later disappear.

We imagine angels to be very beautiful, winged beings, dressed in white cloaks and almost glowing with an aura of a body engulfing halo. While that may be true, God often sends them as invisible beings or in special clothing to ‘blend in’ with their surroundings as they perform their assigned duties. You can believe this, ‘They are there when least expected and you don’t even know it.’

My younger sister was entertaining her small granddaughter. The girl was having fun as she played on a swing in the backyard. Unknown to anyone two boys were peeking through the fence nearby. When the boys saw my sister later that day they asked ,"who were those two men watching over your granddaughter?' My sister was  confused as she knew of no one looking over her granddaughter. She came to realize that angels were the two men!

My wife was flying back to her home to assist her sister in caring for her aging mother. There was a problem with her mother refusing to drink anything. A lady sitting beside her asked where she was flying to. 

Wy wife explained the purpose of her trip and was told, by the lady, that she was flying home after tending to her mother who had recently died of cancer. The lady  continued as she told my wife of the difficulty she had overcome in having her own mother drink. "After a deal of thought I bought a 'tippy cup' for mom and she used it immediately. 

Before arriving at her mother's home my wife stopped by a store and purchased a 'tippy cup.' She saw her mother and showed the 'tippy cup,' saying "look what I brought to you."

To make a long story short, her mother used the cup readily and drank from it with great happiness.  

One never can be certain of an angel being there to guide or protect you. But, if you believe...

   

   Do not fall into the belief that a person that has died, whether a friend or loved one watches over you. Angels are creations of God and unless He decides to change His wants, we are mere mortals and not angels as are our departed. We, as humans, are not angels and neither are our deceased loved ones.

Some people are of the belief that they can pray to an angel or form a special relationship with an angel. In studying Scripture I know that the focus of prayer is to be on God alone and developing a relationship with Him alone. An angel is a creation of God and as such would probably resent being prayed to.

Revelation 22:8-9   I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

The point in my last statement is God does work through angels and it is God that makes the decision to direct an angel to do His bidding not an angel’s to act independent from God. Just as the angel said to God, “I am a  fellow servant with you,” I tell you all, I too am a servant of God.

We cannot really say how many times an angel has been ‘behind the scenes’ as we were in tight situations, on dangerous grounds or in need of immediate ministry.  Rest assured, God does answer prayers and do not lose hope as He realizes the danger of the times we are facing. You might not have an angel assist you in getting a better seat at an event you are attending, getting a neat parking place, or making a better casserole, but you can be certain that God’s angels are God’s ‘Special Agents’ and He will provide their assistance when He sees that you are truly in need and are truly His are deserving of His intervention!

I have noted one thing about the angels named in our Bible. Michael; Raphael, Gabriel, and wish to share this thought. Each one’s name ends in EL. That is one of God’s names, El. Ergo, MishaEL, RaphaEL, GabriEL all truly belong to God.

Some additional words about angels: Angels carry out God’s judgment; Angels serve God; Angels praise God; Angels are messengers; Angels protect God’s people; Angels do not marry; Angels do not die; Angels encourage people; Angels are holy, but Angels who sin are thrown into hell.  

(Closing prayer)

  Father, God in heaven, we come to You and praise You and know that You are our God and there is no other. We worship You and we come to You with thanksgiving for sending Your angels to us in times of need. We may not realize at the time of our being comforted by one of Your army but wish to thank You for Your loving us so much as to ensure our well being and happiness. When we call upon You as Yahweh Saoboth we know that You will answer our plea. You are our God and You are in our hearts always and forever.

As our Yahweh Saoboth we ask that You send Your angels to watch over our military, our elected officials, our judges, our police forces, those who are charged with national security and our fellow Christians. Guide them, keep them from danger and be ever in their hearts. Those that refuse You and Your Divine interventions, open their eyes and allow them to see.

Lord, we are in a season of our lives where we must decide who are to be our elected officials to be followed. You, above all others, are aware of what is in the hearts of those seeking these positions. We ask that You guide our thoughts and guide our hearts and allow us to discern amongst these people as to who of them has our nation’s wellbeing in mind. We also ask that You protect us from any that seek position for their personal gain.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,

Amen, amen and amen.   

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Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com