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Ministering Spirits & Flaming Fires

The Herald
Jul 24, 2007

The ministry of angels is very important to us, but many people simply have no idea of who they are let alone what they do. We are living in a generation that can cause men's hearts fail them in fear for myriads of reasons (real or imaginary), but the Christians who are watching and waiting, are gearing up for the Second Exodus!

As we get closer to this great event, all sorts of things are happening throughout the earth. God is definitely doing wonderful things! Muslims report of meeting a mysterious man dressed in white and, after making enquires about him, discover that he is the Messiah and are getting saved!

A sheik... a Muslim cleric leader spoke on Alzazeera about what he called a major disaster, when quoting how many good Muslims were being converted to Christianity in what he described as alarming proportions. The media tries to say otherwise, but real good things are happening. Do not always believe what the media presents to you. It is not always truth!
Things of biblical proportions are happening daily.

The new Burj Dubau Tower (the world's tallest building), still a long way from completion is already 512 meters high and will apparently reach a minimum of 700 meters in height. The final height is supposedly secret, but it is happening and reminds me of the Tower of Babel and we know what happened there. What excites me is that we are part of what is happening.

Part of what is happening is a marked increase in areas of the supernatural, both the real and the counterfeit and the word of God said that this would happen. What really intrigues me is the role that God's angels play in the scheme of things. Believers can expect to receive supernatural encounters as time rapidly ticks away. In Acts 8, Philip ministered to the Ethiopian and was caught away in the spirit. You might think that is freeeeeaky, but it is entirely possible.

We personally know of ministers who have had such experiences. I have! A pastor friend told me very recently of receiving an email from the pastor of a chuch he established in a foreign country. This man wrote to thank him for allowing his wife to visit them, asking why he did not come and curious as to why she arrived unannounced. He said that he was working on the church building and turned to see her walking towards him. He showed her over the site, surprised by her suden visit and she thanked him before turning and walking away. She disappeared into the crowd. My pastor friend told me that she never left home! The next week she went home to be with the Lord.

Ministering Spirits!

Now angels are sent to us as ministering spirits (Hebrws 1), but what do they do and what are they like? It is siimple. They are ministers, but what does that mean? Here is one example. When Jesus was fasting and the devil was tempting him, Jesus responded with the Word of God, so the devil left him! AFTER the devil left, the angels came and ministerd to Jesus. Notice that they did not come until the Word had been spoken and the devil had gone. They never acted whilst the devil was hanging around! If you are having a problem with the enemy, start talking faith! Speak the Word. Remind him of Calvary, who you are, who Jesus is and where he is going!

The ministry those angels gave Jesus is described as Diakoneo and Diakonos, which relates to ministers, deacons and servants. Jesus was being tended to by angels created by God, serving in functions like those who run errands and serve as waiters! Later references in the New Testament describe teachers, pastors, ministers and deacons. It seems therefore that those angels came to look after Jesus in every respect... whilst he was operating as an ordinary human being. As ministering spirits, sent to the heirs of salvation, their roles and funcations are the same.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to and for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).

The phrase sent forth is similar to the phrase used when Jesus sets us apart and sends us out on assignments. The word often used is Apostello, which we know as apostle. That means the angels function like apostles, having been set apart and despatched on specific assignments. They worship God (see Nehemiah 9:6) and serve us in whatever capacity is neccessary to get the work of God done. Psalm 91 is a classic. They helped people in 2 Kings 6:15-17, Daniel 6:22, Acts 6:22 and 27:23-24. Sometimes they come with instructions and directions and we need to listen to them carefully. Mary, Elizabeth and Zacharias are great examples. Sometimes is is necessary for them to come and give us a big size ten in the posterior as a rebuke to make sure we stay in tune with God (see Judges 2).

There is one thing that they cannot do however. It is to preach the Gospel. They can't! They do not have what we have. 1 Peter 1:12 tells us that angels desire, long for and covet to look into what we experience. They are created beings. We are adopted sons. The devil is a fallen created being but we are blood washed sons of the Most High God. They are part of that great cloud of witnesses watching from the grandstands and cheering us on as we run the race set before us, looking at Jesus who went before us.

In Acts 10 an angel came to Cornelius to give him instructions. He was a devout man and prayed to God fervently and God gave him an assignment. You go and tell that man to send for Peter. The angel came with instructions but Peter preached the Gospel. An angel broke into jail and set Peter free whilst he was sleeping. You may never know when an angel is doing something for you, so it may be a good thing to stay on the alert. You never now... that person you are being hospitable to might be a disguised angel (see Hebrews 13:2)!

If Jesus has sent you on an assignment, you too may be called an angel!

The word used for angel in the New Testament is Angelos, which relates to a messenger or to someone who brings good tidings. The term includes that of a pastor. Jesus addressesd the pastors of the seven churches of Asia in Revelation (we are in one of those church groups today), so if you are called of God to be in some form of ministry activity, you might qualify to be called an angel.

The Secret of our success depends on knowing how to activate or stimulate their responses. They are not disjointed spirits with wings and halos who float around on clouds, but mighty beings who never sleep on the job! Although they are sent to serve us, they are not our servants to order around with a click of the finger to do our bidding.

They Are Our Covenant Enforcing Agents!

Exodus 23:20 tells us that we are to listen very carefully to the instructions of the angel mentioned there. In so doing, we can be kept on track and on target, be brought to our appointed places and ensure that our enemies become God’s enemies and vice versa. That is covenant! We are told to beware of him and not to provoke him. In other words, hold him in very high respect! The word beware is the same word used when God placed Adam in the garden to dress and keep it. It is Shamar which means to hedge around as if with a hedge of thorns, to protect, to guard, to be aware, to revere, preserve and to be a watchman.

It says we are not to provoke him. Now how do we provoke an angel? The word is trickle… yes like a little water drop… trickle! A little drip, drip, drip, drip can wear away a stone! It means to wear away or wear down with a constant dripping action that causes bitterness to set in, or to be sorely grieved. Well, Robert, how can we do that to an angel? We provoke by our speech; by our constant bad confessions and constant little niggling acts of disobedience and rebellion!

Angels respond to the word of God! When they see faith in action and when they hear a spoken rhema word… they are despatched! What comes out of our mouths starts in the heart, so we are to be circumspect in our constant habits, mannerism, ways of life, and words! If I speak negativity and doubt for example and keep doing so, that little drip… drip… drip… drip will get on his nerves no end.

If I keep doing religious things because my denomination or church does them, that will have similar results, if it is not faith producing, revelation imparting words of faith which we are to preach. Psalm 103 is great, with many wonderful promises and statements, but it closes with a condition. The promises are to those who keep his commandments to do them (verse 1

and in verse 20 the writer speaks about the angels who (a) excel in strength (and they are mighty powerful beings) (b) do his commandments and (c) hearken to the voice of his word. In verse 21, the writer speaks about his hosts (in this instance his angels) who are his ministers who do his pleasure!

When the angel arrives, we are to hear and hearken to his voice and do what he speaks, because the NAME of GOD is IN HIM! This may of course refer to the special angel who I will suggest may be Jesus!

We are about to witness supernatural events that will rock your socks if you are not prepared for it. Those Muslims who see the man in white are getting saved! The Book of revelation reveals stuff to us that many of us regard as last day events, but it opens with a unique statement. It is The Revelation of Jesus Christ! It is not revelations of other events, but THE REVELATION of Jesus CHRIST, which God gave to him (Jesus) who in turn sent it via his angel to John who bare record of the WORD of God and of the TESTIMONY of Jesus CHRIST and ALL HE SAW.

Angels are coming! Revelation is coming! Supernatural signs, wonders and miracles are coming and it is not just to give us a good time. I have seen such stuff like villages without electricity illuminated brightly at night, angels walking through our home, oil running off my hands, fillings in my teeth turned to silver or an angelic visitation by an angel that stood with his legs straddling the city.

It is a manifest revelation to men to tell them and us that Jesus is returning! You may have one of God’s Covenant Enforcing Agents coming to your place real soon! I hope you are ready.

Be blessed,
Robert

The Herald © 2007 Bashan Ministries Limited

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm