When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord ’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?” (Joshua 5:13, 14 NLT)
A story in Moody's Today in the Word about John Paton, who was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands is very comforting and inspiring. One night their mission station was surrounded by hostile natives with the intention of burning it down and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed all night for God to deliver them. When it was morning, they were surprised to see that their attackers had left.
A year later, the tribal chief was converted to Christ. Paton then asked the chief what made them leave the other night. The chief asked in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton of course knew there were no men present --but the chief said they were afraid to attack because they had seen hundreds of hefty men wearing shiny garments holding drawn swords surrounding the mission station. Angels had protected the Patons that night.
The Scriptures give us an amazingly large amount of information about angels and their ministries. These amazing creatures of God are mentioned no less than 273 times in 34 of the 66 books of the bible. Despite this surprising number of mentions, many believers are still ignorant of the part angels play in the advancement of God's purpose on earth and in their lives. One of these mentions is our text today, where an Angel who introduced himself as the captain of the Lord's host visited Joshua. The Captain and his host had come to enforce the possession of the promised land, a task that required their supernatural aid.
Of all these references to Angels both in the Old and New Testaments, many of them showing how they carry out their ministries of deliverance, carrying messages, guarding, battling the forces of darkness and more , Hebrews 1:13-14 gives us the clearest declaration of their purpose:
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14 NIV)
This is the mission statement of the angels on earth. They are sent to serve, assist and support the heirs of salvation. This means you, if you have received Christ's work of salvation by faith. The assistance of the angels are part of your inheritance in Christ. You can expect angels to assist you in carrying out God's plan for your life like they helped the saints of old. They can open doors and deliver like they did for Peter when he was imprisoned to be killed. They can direct you in God's plans like they did with Daniel, Phillip and Cornelius. They can strengthen you when you are weak like they did for Elijah and Jesus. They can bring provisions like they did with Elijah and surround with chariots of fire to defend you like they did for Elisha. Psalm 91:11 says that God will give his angels charge over his people to keep them in all their ways.
How do you activate their ministry? Through obedient acting on God's word and word-based prayers to God(not angels) like the Patons did or as Jesus said " Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?" (Matthew 26:53 NLT). Always remember, you can take advantage of this blessing of grace today and always. Angels are on guard and at your service as long as you are in God's service.
Decision of the Day
I understand that assistance by angels are part of God's gift of grace to me as a heir of salvation. I choose to keep them activated by unceasing prayers in faith to God.
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