God's Secret Angels

God’s Secret Agents was the subtitle of Billy Graham’s book on Angels, a book worth the read for sure. I recently pulled it off my shelf to review it and refresh my understanding of the “hosts of heaven.” In the early pages Graham talks about John Paton, a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came, they were amazed to see their attackers leave.

A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. Only then did Paton realize that God had sent His angels to protect them… the chief agreed that there was no other explanation.  

Graham also speaks of another incident involving Dr. S. W. Mitchell, a celebrated Philadelphia neurologist, who had gone to bed after an exceptionally tiring day. Suddenly he was awakened by someone knocking on his door. Opening it he found a little girl, poorly dressed and deeply upset. She told him her mother was very sick and asked him if he would please come with her. It was a bitterly cold, snowy night, but though he was bone tired, Dr. Mitchell dressed and followed the girl. As the story was reported, he found the mother desperately ill with pneumonia. After arranging for medical care, he complimented the sick woman on the intelligence and persistence of her little daughter. The woman looked at him strangely and then said, “My daughter died a month ago.” She added, “Her shoes and coat are in the clothes closet there.” Dr. Mitchell, amazed and perplexed, went to the closet and opened the door. There hung the very coat worn by the little girl who had brought him to tend to her mother. It was warm and dry and could not possibly have been out in the wintery night. Graham asks, “Was this the work of God’s angels on behalf of the sick woman?”

I write all of this to ask, “Have you ever had an encounter with an angel?” I am pretty sure I did recently at the airport in Dallas. I am still asking the Lord to clarify the encounter for me and what it might have meant… if so, it was most likely a messenger angel, though I do not feel the liberty to share the message with you at this time. That is not a tease, but I want to be sure that the source is from God before I share it freely.

Whatever the case may be, if nothing else, it served to remind me again of the unseen spiritual realm and how real it is. The Bible has much to say about the unseen realm and in particular about angelic beings. According to scripture they have different roles and responsibilities. Some are warriors (Daniel 10:10ff), some are messengers (Luke 1:19; Dan. 8:16; Judges 6:11-12), some deliver God’s judgment (Acts 12:21-23). They protect God’s people (Psalm 34:7). They minister to the saints (Hebrews 2:14), as well as a number of other things. Sometimes they appear in human form as they did to Abraham and to Lot, but most of the time they are God’s secret agents working behind the scenes for our good and the work of God’s kingdom.

The fact is, there is a very real unseen spiritual battle going on that manifest in our seen world… do not be naïve, rather be awake, aware, and always alert, clothed in the armor of God (Eph. 6) and remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,

Pastor Ray

Image credit: Unsplash