God’s Invisible Messengers

Have you ever wondered about the part angels play in your
daily life? Many Christians believe God sends them only to “special”
people, such as those with large ministries, or on “special” occasions,
such as when a person is in danger. The truth is that angels have a
ministry to all the saints of God—including you and me—to strengthen,
comfort and help us in our ministries.

Throughout the Bible—Old and New Testaments—there are
accounts of the involvement of angels in the lives of God’s people. In
fact, angel appearances were so common among the early Christians that
it was easier for Jesus’ disciples to believe that Peter’s angel was
knocking at the door of the place where they were praying than that
Peter had been released from prison! (See Acts 12:12-17.) Here are just
a few examples of angelic activity recorded in Scripture:

Old Testament

• When Sarah first sent her maid Hagar away, an angel
found Hagar, comforted her, gave her a promise concerning her son and
told her to return to Sarah (see Gen. 16:6-12). When she was cast out a
second time, an angel spoke to her, comforted her and provided water
(see Gen. 21:14-19).

• When Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, Isaac, the angel of the Lord stayed his hand (see Gen. 22:10-12).

• When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, an angel went with him (see Gen. 24:7).

• An angel was sent to carry out God’s punishment on Israel for David’s sin of numbering the people (see 2 Sam. 24:16-17).

• An angel was sent to the children of Israel to lead them out of Egypt (see Num. 20:16).

• The angel of the Lord ministered to the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.

New Testament

• The angel Gabriel prophesied the birth of the Savior to Mary (see Luke 1:26-35).

• An angel directed Joseph to take Mary as his wife (see Matt. 1:20) and later to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt (see Matt. 2:13).

• An angel prophesied the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias (see Luke 1:13).

• An angel went to the shepherds in the field to announce the birth of Jesus (see Luke 2:8-12).

• After Jesus had been tempted by the devil in the wilderness, angels came and ministered to Him (see Matt. 4:11).

• An angel came and rolled back the stone from the tomb
for the two Marys and told them of Jesus’ resurrection, then instructed
them to go and tell the disciples (see Matt. 28:2, 5-7).

And these are only some of the biblical accounts! But
perhaps even more exciting are the stories we hear and read today about
the activities of angels in contemporary life. I have many such stories
from my own experience.

Personal Testimonies

One time last year when I was entertaining a missionary
friend of mine in my home, an angel came into the room where we were
talking. My friend was ironing, and I was sitting on the sofa. Suddenly
I saw a bright light out of the corner of my eye.

Next I saw a huge angel carrying a small jug walk toward
me and then go behind me. I smelled a sweet aroma and felt oil pour
over my head and run down my face, shoulders and arms. The next minute
I found myself slipping off the sofa onto the floor.

My friend looked astonished.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Didn’t you see that angel?” I asked.

“No, but I smelled a wonderful perfume,” she replied.

The angel stayed in my house for over two weeks. He
poured oil on everyone who came to the house and sat on the same seat I
had been on.

Why? I think he was anointing them in preparation for
what was to come. Shortly after, many of the people who visited
received prophetic words pertaining to their personal lives and to our
area. I believe the angel prepared the way for the releasing of the
Lord’s words to them.

Another time when I was ministering in Kenya with my
husband, an angel came to help me deal with some things in my life that
were standing in the way of my receiving a healing from the Lord.

Once an angel took over the wheel of my car when I was
driving to Orlando, Florida, from Macon, Georgia, where I live. Just
after I drove past Gainesville, Florida, I ran into a heavy storm.
There was a lot of traffic, and the rain was so hard I could barely see
the lights of the car in front of me.

Big red barrels were lined up along the left-hand side of
the road. I wasn’t able to see well enough to pull off on the
right-hand side. Suddenly my steering wheel was jerked very sharply to
the right. “Whoa,” I yelled, but just as suddenly as the car had turned
to the right, it jerked back again to the left and then went straight
ahead.

When the car turned back to the left, I saw in my
rearview mirror that one of those big red barrels had fallen over into
the middle of the road. I know that if I had hit it I would have
reacted by slamming on my brake, undoubtedly causing the car behind me
to hit mine and the car behind that to hit the car behind me, and so
on. We would have had a serious pile up.

But an angel had helped me to avoid an accident by
causing my car to swerve around the obstacle. The driver behind me was
also spared because he saw my car swerving, sensed that something was
wrong and pulled over to the side.

The rest of the way to Orlando, I had no control over the
steering wheel. I kept one finger on it but was not exerting any
pressure. Still, the wheel remained tight as a drum through the bad
storm. When I reached the outskirts of Orlando I felt a nudge, and the
angel gave the wheel back into my hands.

On another occasion when I was nearing a railroad
crossing, an angel spoke to me and told me to stop. There was no light
flashing or bell sounding a warning, so I hesitated. Again the angel
said, “Stop.” I did.

Immediately a train flashed by right in front of me. I
had not heard it make a sound. The barrier had not come down nor had
the warning light flashed. I was reminded of the promise in Psalm 91,
“He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your
ways” (v. 11, NKJV).

The first time I visited Israel to attend some Kathryn
Kuhlman meetings, I went sightseeing with a group during the day. We
went to look at the various places where Jesus had been. At each new
site, I would feel a tap on the shoulder, and an angelic voice would
speak in my ear, “He isn’t here.” I would always laugh.

The last place we went before we left Israel was Jesus’
tomb. When it was my turn to enter, a voice boomed behind me, “He
certainly isn’t here!” I laughed and laughed.

Another time a man with a strong Pharisaical spirit began
to yell at me for dancing and laughing in church. His face got redder
and redder, and I wondered how I was to answer him.

Suddenly I felt fingertips around my ribs, tickling me. I
tried to stop the tickling by putting my arms over my ribs, but the
unseen angel continued.

Naturally, I started giggling. The man responded by
yelling louder. He made one final shout and stormed away from me. “So
much for the religious spirit,” I thought. I believe God was trying to
show me that some of the things people consider serious—such as the
supposed “crime” of dancing in church—God doesn’t take seriously at all.

Angels Watching Over You

Angels are a part of your life just as they are a part of
mine. The Bible says they are “ministering spirits, sent forth to
minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14). Sometimes
they sing the songs of Zion to us.

Have you ever waked up and heard a song in your ears?
Maybe you haven’t sung that song in a long time, and you wonder, Where
on earth did that come from?

It probably didn’t come from earth at all. The angels
sometimes sing to you to remind you who Jesus is and encourage you to
worship Him. Sometimes they speak Scriptures to you.

How can you tell when an angel is speaking rather than
the Holy Spirit? It’s simple. The Spirit is within you, and when He
speaks it comes from inside you; when the angels speak or sing to you
it comes from outside into your ears.

Why does God send angels? What are they for? If you study
the scriptural accounts that include angels, you will see there are
various purposes.

• Angels act as messengers to give you the word of the Lord.

• Angels minister God’s comfort.

• Angels give God’s direction.

• Angels protect you. God gives them charge over you.

• When God sends you out, His angels go with you to help you accomplish His purposes.

• Sometimes when you pray for your wayward loved ones the Lord sends an angel to protect them from themselves.

• God’s angels come to remind you who you are in Christ and strengthen you.

• Angels “encamp” around those who fear the Lord (see Ps. 34:7) and chase away their enemies (see Ps. 35:5).

• Angels help to minister in healing meetings.

Sometimes people express the concern that acknowledging
angels is akin to worshiping them. If you share this concern, put it to
rest right away.

God’s angels will not let you worship them! They would be
off in a second if you started doing that. Any “angel” who accepts your
worship is not from God.

In the book of Revelation we see that there was a chief
angel appointed over every church. It is the same today. There is an
angel over the life of every believer, every church and every
God-called ministry. Just as there are demonic forces over various
towns, cities and nations, so there are angels of God over towns,
cities and nations.

God has called us to live the kind of supernatural life
that Jesus lived, and the angels are to be a part of it. Lay aside your
doubts and fears, and walk in faith to receive all He has for you.

Kathie Walters is co-founder with her husband, David,
of Good News Fellowship Ministries in Macon, Georgia. She is also the
author of several books, including Celtic Flames and Angels Watching Over You. She may be reached via e-mail at goodnews@.