On May 16th our congregation received an unexpected visit from an angel that the Lord called a “Watcher.” Angelic watchers know the times, seasons and cycles of the Lord. As time keepers, they observe and monitor events that take place on earth and the activities of God’s people. They come and go according to the Father’s purpose. As messengers, they often decree that which has been declared from the throne of God to men through a visitation, prophecy, vision or dream. (See Dan. 4:17)
When I say that we had a visitation, I do not mean that we saw an angel with wings that physically appeared. I usually discern their presence by the area around me that brightens. It’s like the air that becomes brighter by the light of the sun when it emerges from behind a cloud where it was hidden. Although many people are feelers, I am more of a seer as I often view the spiritual realm through my natural eyes. It’s called spiritual vision which we all have in one form or another.
When our Church became aware of this angel, we gave it our standard test to ensure that it was of the Lord. (1 John 4:1-3) The way we do this is to ask it to tell us that Jesus is their Lord and the Lord of His people. Some angels will tell you that they are from God, but that doesn’t mean it is our God- but theirs, Lucifer. By taking this approach everyone was able to exercise their gift of discernment. Rather than relying upon a single person’s gifting, each person witnessed the angelic presence for themselves.
I then asked the people to share what they discerned. It was interesting to note that EVERY PERSON discerned something. Although each person may differ in the way that they perceive, every born again believer is equipped by the Holy Spirit to discern the things of God. The apostle Paul tells us that the things of God are “spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). To discern means to distinguish from. It is the ability to discern the clean from the unclean, the heavenly realm of the demonic, the Holy Spirit and the anointing from the false. But especially to discern the Lord’s voice. Jesus said, “My sheep know My voice and I know them and they follow Me” (John 10:27).
Once we were confident that this angel was of the Lord, we invited him to come into the room. The anointing fell upon the congregation that was also received by a corporate witness. What followed was an impartation of the Sons of Issachar anointing, which is to know the times and how to instruct the people. (1 Chr. 12:32) I wrote about this experience in more detail in the last article called, Angelic Watchers and the Son’s of Issachar. I also gave a message the following Sunday about this event that you can listen to by downloading the free MP3 by clicking here on this link.
A Second Visitation
Then it happened again! Last Sunday we had another visit by an angel that appeared in the doorway where we meet. Again we went through the same corporate process for the people to discern its presence and test it. Once the people confirmed that it was of the Lord’s angelic host, we invited the angel to come in. What followed was a great time of ministry that included ministry by this angel. The following is a testimony by Lisa,
“The service had just begun when I observed that the atmosphere in the room was very peaceful and calm. But there was also a sense of expectation. Someone then observed that they saw an angel. As we gave the spirit a test to see if it was sent by the Lord and that Jesus is Lord, I saw his face and he very humbly said, “Yes” as he bowed his head in response to our questions.” (Some said they saw the same reaction while others that are feelers shared that they felt joy, peace and the anointing for healing.)
“Then Roy asked us to come up front if we wanted ministry. So I came forward and I saw the angel walk over to me and stand behind me. As Roy began to pray, the angel raised a sword in the air and yelled, “I break the expectations of men off of you!” At that moment two chains that were wrapped around me like the chains that prisoners wear in a chain gang fall off of me. I had no idea how bound and immobile I had become. ”
“As the angel brought the sword down, it broke the chains off my shoulders and my back in one clean sweep. Even the ones on my hands and feet came off at once as they fell to the ground. I was set free! Amen and glory to the most high God!”
Later Lisa gave a ten minute scheduled message and she did a great job doing so. Lisa normally dreads public speaking as it makes her extremely nervous. But after being set free from the expectation of men, she gave her message freely and easily as if she had been speaking fluently before large crowds for years. Now we know what her call is!
God is certainly moving in our midst and in this season, there is an increase of angelic activity. Although it is not uncommon for angels to show up at my home, conferences or Church meetings, I confess that I never paid much attention to them. To me, the presence of angels is normal Christianity. Sometimes they come with a brief message or to full an assignment, but like Jacob;s lagger, they usually just come and go. This is the first time that we stopped to recognize them corporately and test them. Because of this, we are seeing the power level at our meetings increase greatly. This is the season we are to learn how to work with ministering angels in the church. They just need to be acknowledged and invited to participate in the work of ministry with the members of the Church. This includes every born again believer, not just a select few.
Every member of the Church is to participate in ministry. Working with angels is to be natural for all those that are heirs of salvation “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minster for them who shall be heirs of salvation (He. 1:14). Are you born again and filled with the Holy Spirit? Then you are qualified to work with angels. Look for your ministering angel that the Lord has sent to you. (Or ask and you shall receive)
What is God Doing?
The Lord is releasing ministering spirits to work with the members of the body of Christ. This will require the need to equip believers to work with them with a certain degree of maturity in Christ. Just as the prophetic ministry is still maturing so is our understanding of how to work with angels. And just as there are Schools of the Holy Spirit to equip believers in their spiritual gifts for the work of ministry, Schools are being established to equip believers to operate in the supernatural.
There is the present need to establish a foundation for working with angels so that people can naturally walk in the supernatural without falling due to idolizing angels, immaturity and spiritual pride. The ministers that are now familiar with angelic visitations might consider a different approach to ministry. Rather than just sharing their experience with angels and then ask the people to stand to receive an impartation, they might ask the Lord to send the angel to do this! When they show up, direct the people to discern the angel’s presence and test the spirit. If the angel passes the litmus test, invite the angel to come in and even minister. In a corporate setting things will happen!
With every true movement, there is a counterfeit to preempt a move of God from taking place. The Bible tells us that there are fallen angels that appear as angels of light, false teachers, and false brethren as well as doctrines of deception with the intention of leading Christians astray. Even now the spirit of Jezebel, Leviathan and the false accuser is creating confusion and division in many churches. The answer is not to keep out the truth, but to trust the Holy Spirit to lead us with the faith in Christ that He will keep us on the path of life as we move forward walking in love.
We must equip the people to know how to respond to an outpouring of the Lords Spirit, how to receive heavenly visitations and minister in the prophetic. To neglect this duty is to invite disaster. Jesus equipped His disciples to do the works that He did. When Pentecost came they ministered the gospel in power “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). It is the call of Church leadership to equip it’s members to do the works that Jesus did!
The Harvest
Jesus tells us that in the last days a great harvest will take place. During this time the Lord will command the reapers to gather in the harvest. The reapers are the angels of the Lord. (See Mt. 13:30-39) He asked that we pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2). There is, therefore, a working correlation between those that labor in the harvest and angelic reapers. During the harvest, multitudes will come. Many congregations will find its membership double and even triple within one month. When this takes place, it will take the effort of every church member to disciple the new converts and to care for the Lord’s own.
To prepare for the harvest, the Lord is raising up workers with Kingdom authority that carry His glory for the work of ministry. It is the expressed purpose of the five-fold ministers of Christ to do this. (Ep. 4:11-12) Every person is called and every person is needed. Unless the Church members are equipped for ministry, Church leadership will experience great stress during the harvest as the work load demanded of them will be too much for any staff to bear. (Pun intended)
The prophet Bob Jones recently said that a major harvest will begin in 2013. T, me this means that reaping angels will be loosed upon the earth. We are now in the season of preparation to sow seeds for the harvest. Now is the time for Church leadership to equip its members to work with angels. There is especially the need to equip the church in the revelatory gifts, especially the gift of discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10).
Another gift that is least emphasized but most important, is the gift of a word of wisdom. This gift is the supernatural impartation of the mind of Christ into specific situations. Although it is less spectacular than the power gifts, without it the other gifts may be rendered less effective and even counter productive in accomplishing God’s purpose. This includes the gift of the Sons of Issachar anointing, which is not only to know the times but the WISDOM to instruct the people HOW to prepare for the times Along with prophetic revelation we need God’s divine counsel and wisdom.
Now is the time to lay a Biblical foundation concerning angels as ministering spirits as well as to establish a culture of faith. The atmosphere of expectancy will rise as the intercessors ask the Lord to send ministering angels to help in the work of ministry. Whether we ask for them or not, they are here and more are coming, so be ready for a visitation. Someone in your church or home group may suddenly exclaim, “Look, I see an angel!” When this takes place you have two choices. One is to politely humor the person and move on with your agenda. The other is to obtain a corporate witness to its presence and seek the wisdom of God as to how to proceed forward.
In the past few years, many parents have shared with me that their children are seeing spiritual activity taking place in their home. The eyes of this generation have been opened to see with greater spiritual vision than our generation. They must be equipped and trained so that they can understand how to relate to the spiritual realm with understanding least they become troubled by their gift or worse, led astray.
Corporate Anointing
There is now a corporate apostolic anointing being released to Church. Instead of a few that walk in the supernatural who lead and minister at meetings by their prophetic revelation and understanding, the Lord wants the church to work corporately in the spiritual realm as one. This wisdom invites the people to enter in and participate, which take the spookiness out of the supernatural and the idolatry by those that idolize manifestations, angels, and someone’s gifting. It also filters out those that use their gifts for self-promotion, self-edification, manipulation, and control.
Proper training will empower the church to be open for ministering angels to work in their midst in the healing and deliverance ministry. The power meter ramps up when everyone is comfortable with that which is taking place. It also empowers the body of Christ to come into a deeper understanding of how angels work with the church which in turn increases the effectiveness of their ministry.
We must, however, keep the main thing before us, which is intimacy with Jesus. Our quest is to draw nearer to Him each day. Working with angels does not replace the ministry of the Holy Spirit, nor our primary call, which is to abide in God and His love. We are cautioned by the apostle Paul not to worship angels. (See Colossians 2:18). Worship is not just that which we idolize, but that which we place our trust in. We worship the Lord God only and our trust is in Him. Working with angels is the joy of being part of heaven’s plan to invade the earth with the supernatural.
Two of the greatest gifts that will keep us on track is the Father’s heart and His love. I treasure these two gifts because it is with the Father’s heart that His voice is heard and it is the power of His love that transforms lives. The greatest mantle that one can covet is the cloak of humility for God gives grace to the humble. God’s grace is His presence that clothes us in His glory. There is no greater power than the glory of God that is to rest upon you. If we walk in love and wear the mantle of humility, we will never fail for love never fails, nor will we fall from God’s grace when we are clothed in His grace.
In Summary,
We are now just breaking ground in this area and I confess that as a ministry we do not know a great deal about what we are doing at this time. In the 33 years that I have known the Lord, I have the full confidence that the Lord will teach us how to work with angels in a practical way and thus the visitations will continue.
I believe because we are laying a solid Biblical foundation and allowing our people to test the spirits corporately to move together as one in the unity of the Spirit, that the Lord is honoring us. It is our goal to do all things with excellence. It is not our quest to work with angels to make our meetings better or to create those “wow” moments or to tickle people’s ears with supernatural stories, nor to capitalize upon the manifestations. Our goal is to see people helped which is the practical side of ministry. I would rather see one person healed of terminal cancer than receive a thousand angelic visitations that do not prosper the Kingdom of God or His people.
Christ gave to us the promise that if we are faithful at the least we will be given more. We, therefore, seek to move forward with understanding while maintaining integrity as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If this means discerning angels when they appear, then we will stop what we are doing and proceed as directed by the Holy Spirit, even if it means going into a totally new direction. This also means that leaders will need to rely upon the gifting of their people rather than themselves or a select few, in order to corporately discern that which is taking place “For we know in part and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor. 13:9).
If you would like to experience an angelic visitation corporately and see how we move in ministry to flow with God in the supernatural, please come and join us on any given Sunday. Our main service starts at 4:00 pm at Hills Mansion 136 State Street, Augusta Maine, 04330. I do not guarantee that an angel will show up, but if it does, then we are going to see what the Lord has in store for us!
I would like to recommend a book to you called, “Working with Angels” flowing with God in the supernatural authored by Steven Brooks. You can order this book at www.amazon.com for $10.87. It normally sells for $15.99. What a bargain!
Yours in Christ,
Roy Roden