INTRODUCTION
Angels do not report to you or take orders from you. They are servants of God, they follow His instructions, and they do His will at His bidding. There are, however, scriptural keys that can activate or hinder their ministries in your behalf. That is the subject of this study.
ACTIVATING THE ANGELS
The Bible reveals several ways to activate the angels. You can…
- Activate the angels by operating under authority.
Mankind has dominion over the animals and the earth (Genesis 1:26). As Believers, we have authority over Satan and his evil foes (Luke 10:19). But we do not control the good angels of God. Angels operate under the authority of God. They serve you, but they are not your servants to perform as dictated by your whims and desires. They are God’s servants. If you try to activate them by your own authority, it will not work.
To understand authority, you must understand submission:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
Someone who is submissive to God and resists the enemy has authority over the enemy. He is submissive to God, honors His authority, obeys His Word, and obeys the laws of the land that do not conflict with that Word:
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2)
When Israel rebelled, their angel was no longer activated in their behalf:
“Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore, I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” So it was, when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept. Then they called the name of that place Bochim; and they sacrificed there to the LORD.” (Judges 2:1-5)
Rebellion is the same as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). Ask God to remove rebellion from your heart and mind and to bring your will into submission to Him.
- Activate the angels by speaking the Word.
Angels respond to the Word of God. The Psalmist declared:
“Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” (Psalms 103:20)
Angels heed the voice of God’s Word. This means that by speaking God’s Word into your circumstances, angels are dispatched to minister in your behalf. Negative words of fear, complaint, and unbelief do nothing to improve your situation.
To speak the Word you must know it, and that only comes by applying yourself diligently to study it:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
God watches over His Word to perform it:
“Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”” (Jeremiah 1:12)
God’s promises that His Word will not return void:
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
- Activate the angels by prayer, praise, and worship.
King Hezekiah was facing an immense enemy army…
“And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: “O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore, they destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone.”” (2 Kings 19:14-19)
Hezekiah didn’t whine and complain. He stated the facts as they were and then called on God for help. The Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer and dispatched an angel to come to his aid:
“And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.” (2 Kings 19:35)
One angel killed 185,000 of the enemy!
Abraham prayed for Lot, and the angels rescued him (Genesis 18:17-33). Daniel prayed for revelation, and an angel was sent to bring him understanding (Daniel 9:23). The prayers of the church resulted in an angel being dispatched to release Peter from jail (Acts 12). Jesus said that He could pray to the Father and request a legion of angels:
“Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)
Note that Jesus prayed to the Father, not to the angels.
Praise and worship, which are part of prayer, also activates the angels. In Old Testament times a mighty army had surrounded God’s people. Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel came before the Lord…
“Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.” (2 Chronicles 20:19)
The next day, the Lord set ambushes against the enemy, most likely angelic hosts.
- Activate the angels by requesting their assistance.
We do not pray to angels; we pray to God through Christ Jesus. We can, however, ask God for their assistance. For example, in Old Testament times an angel announced to Manoah’s barren wife that she would have a son (Judges 13:2-5). The woman told her husband what had occurred, and he prayed and asked God to allow the angel to return to teach them how to raise the son that was to be born. God granted his request and the angel returned to give further instructions (Judges 13:7-15).
- Activate the angels by abiding in the secret place.
Psalm 91 teaches that as a Believer, you are surrounded by an angelic heavenly host. To those who abide in the secret place and live under the shadow of God it is promised, “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11).
The beginning of this Psalm in verses 1-2 reveals that the promises contained in this chapter are made to those who abide in the shadow of the Almighty. If you are in someone’s shadow, it means you are walking the same way they are going. The protection promised in Psalm 91 is for when you are walking in all “your ways” –meaning the way you are traveling as you follow in the shadow of the Almighty. God may graciously protect you when you are walking contrary to His way, but the promise here is guaranteed to those walking in God’s shadow.
If you say that you are abiding in the secret place, you should walk as Jesus walked because “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6). You should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4) and in the Spirit, rather than in the flesh.
Angels will be activated in your behalf as you walk God’s way, remain in His shadow, and live your life in the Spirit rather than doing the works of the flesh.
- Activate the angels by fearing God.
As a Believer, the angels of God encamp around you. The Bible says, “The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them.” (Psalms 34:7). The fear of the Lord is loving reverence for God, His person, His Word, and His actions (Malachi 1:5-6). When you fear God, you obey His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:13); you walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 8:6); you serve Him (Joshua 24:14; 2 Chronicles 19:9); and you depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7-8).
HINDERING THE ANGELS
Can you hinder the ministry of these supernatural agents of God in your behalf? To answer this question, let’s examine the scriptures.
- Angels are hindered by negative words.
Angels are activated by God’s Word. Your negative words and comments contrary to the Word of God prevent them from functioning. God dispatched an angel to go before Israel as they traveled through the wilderness:
“Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.” (Exodus 23:20-21)
God appointed the angel to keep Israel during their travels so they could safely arrive at their destination, but Israel’s constant complaining resulted in several judgments from God (Numbers 11-12, 14, and 24). Believing and confessing the negative reports of giants in the Promised Land and refusing to enter in resulted in the death of an entire generation (Numbers 13-14).
Rebellious words resulted in the death of Korah and his followers (Numbers 16) and a plague followed the false accusations recorded in Numbers 16:41-50.
So, what happened to the angel who was dispatched to keep them in the way and bring them safely to the promised land? The ministry of their angel was hindered because the people were no longer walking God’s way and confessing His Word. They provoked and offended the angel:
“In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity, He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so, He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” (Isaiah 63:9-10)
The Word declares that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21). Each day you will either speak words of death or life into your circumstances. Do not allow your negative words to hinder the ministry of angels in your behalf.
- Angels are hindered by unbelief.
In Luke 1:8-20, an angel appeared to Zacharias and announced the he would have a son. Because of his advanced age and the barrenness of his wife, Zacharias did not believe the angel and he demanded a sign. He got a sign all right! He became mute until his son, John, was born (verse 20). Only when he began to speak in faith and confirm the name given by the angel for the baby was his tongue once again loose.
Unbelief affects your testimony, just as Zacharias’ speech was affected. If Zacharias had believed the angel as Mary did when the angel gave her news of Christ’s birth, then he could have joyously proclaimed the message to his wife, family, and friends throughout Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Don’t let unbelief hinder the ministry of angels in your life and render you mute spiritually.
- Angels are hindered by disregarding God’s will.
Read the story of Balaam in Numbers 22. He was a prophet who, in disobedience to God’s command, went with messengers from Moab at the request of evil Balak. On the way, an angel appeared in the way to stop him. The donkey Balaam was riding could see the angel and stepped aside in fear. In so doing, the donkey crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall and Balaam began beating the donkey. The donkey spoke, rebuking Balaam for his disobedience and his failure to recognize the ministry of the angel in his behalf. When you know God’s will and deliberately violate it, instead of ministering to you the angels will stand in the way to oppose you.
