Angels - Part 1

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A to the world, he says, Let all God's angels worship Him. Of the more than your companions or beyond your companions. That's speaking of Christ who is full of joy. The oil of gladness means leaping for joy.

Jesus was full of life and joy. And the focus always is upon Him. Of you, O God, your throne is forever. I want to remind you that angels exist as we exist to exalt our God, to worship our God. Now I've been telling you for a number of years that there is an unseen invisible world all around us. The physical world, the tangible world is temporal and is passing away. The unseen invisible world is more real than what we see.

And the unseen world dramatically, dynamically influences the seen world. And all around us is a realm, a supernatural dimension, the kingdom of God. And in this realm there are angels. There are demon spirits who are fallen angels. And certainly there is Satan.

But above all and overall is God Himself who governs the universe. You might ask the question, why would I study angels? It may seem like a kind of fringe topic. And there's a lot of craziness and bizarre things said about the supernatural and angels and all the rest. But the reason we do it is because when we understand the mission of angels we understand better God's sovereign control of the universe and of our lives. When we study angels and who they really are and what they do and why it matters, we grow in our depth and understanding of who God is, His greatness, His majesty, His glory. Because angels are worshippers, angels are witnesses and angels are warriors, mighty warriors, weapons in the hands of mighty God. Now if you want a theological definition of angels and for all the theological types which should include all of us, we all should study theology, that's the Bible.

But there's a great theologian by the name of John Calvin of yesteryear. And here's what Calvin said if you want a theological definition of angels and who they are, the angels are the dispensers and administrators of divine blessing toward us. They regard our safety, undertake our defense, direct our ways and exercise a constant, here's a word, solicitude that no evil befalls. Angels, who are they?

What do they do? Are they here right now? I said they are worshippers, they are witnesses, they are warriors. Let's look at angels as worshippers. The angels, let all of God's angels worship Him, Hebrews 1.6. 24-7, 365, from eternity past, eternity present and eternity future, the angels are exalting Christ, extolling the greatness and the glory of God. We all need to remember that angels are created beings, created by God.

Colossians 1.16 tells us of the creation, for by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. And of course the angels would be included in the invisible realm, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him. So angels were not born, neither do they die. In that sense the angels are immortal and their purpose, first and foremost, is to offer endless and eternal praise to God.

Let all the angels worship Him. The angels this very moment are celebrating around the throne of God. Where do angels live? Well, they interact in the earth but their primary home, their home base is the throne of God, the heaven of the heavens.

They are immortal. They were created in eternity past. Job 38 verses 4-7 gives us a hint as to when they were created. Job is arguing with God about his own circumstances and his pride is showing. And so God calls him out in Job 38 verses 4-7.

Where were you? God asked, when I laid the foundation of the earth. Tell me if you have understanding. And who determined its measurement? Surely you know.

Insert sarcasm there. Or who stretched the line upon it? Or what were the bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone? When the morning stars, that's an angel reference. When the morning stars, not physical stars, but the stars of heaven, these angelic beings sang together.

And all the sons of God shouted for joy. Sons of God, angel reference. And this of course speaks of an angel choir, an angelic host of praise worshipers offering their praise and glory to God.

And therefore they remind us of our need to worship God. I'm inspired by these angels and motivated to sing with the angels in adoration and in celebration of our God. Did you know the New Testament tells us that angels observe us in our worship? I wonder what they observe when they observe you in your worship. They must be amazed at some of us because they know, we know the truth about Jesus Christ and yet we offer no exuberant praise or elevated praise to Him. When we praise God we are preparing for heaven and one day we will join the angel chorus and the angel band in celebrating our God and His glory forever. We get a glimpse of this glory in Isaiah chapter 6 which is a key passage about angels in the Bible.

And there's an entire chapter on this one in the book. But this is when Isaiah the prophet is brokenhearted because King Uzziah the great king of Israel has died. And it was a time of uncertainty for Israel.

They didn't know the future of their country. There was an absence of leadership and the king had died and yet the king of heaven lives. And Isaiah went to the temple to seek answers and solutions for the problems of his time. And when he was there he was given a vision of the glory of God.

And in verse 1 we read this, put it up there, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord hide and lifted up sitting on a throne and the train of His robe filled the temple. And above Him stood the seraphim. Now the seraphim are an angelic rank.

Angels are ranked and organized. Each had six wings. Here's a reference to angel wings. We're not certain if the wings are symbolic or actual wings.

But in this case the wings are representative. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet.

And with two he flew. And thus the reference to angels flying. And they are crying out according to the Scripture, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts and the whole earth is full of His glory. And so we see behind the scenes beyond the earth these angel beings worshiping God and declaring His glory.

Again when we do that we also hear the brush of angel wings. The angels are immortal. The angels are innumerable. Innumerable. How many angels exist?

We don't really know. What we do know is according to Daniel 7, 10 that a stream of fire issued and came out from before Him and thousands and thousands served Him, thus the angels. And ten-thousand times ten-thousand stood before Him and the court sat in judgment and the books were opened.

Thousands upon thousands and tens of thousands upon tens of thousands. Mirrors of angels. Millions of angels.

This reference would be like saying if someone asked you how many stars you would just say, oh, I don't know, billions. The reference here is an innumerable Host in the heavens and on the earth of these angel beings. They are glorious beings, beautiful, magnificent. You are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and his message, Angels, Part 1. Pastor, this month we have a special gift for our listeners who give a gift to PowerPoint. It's your book, Angels.

What can you tell us about this powerful resource? It was an angel who announced Christ's birth to the shepherds. Angels ministered to Jesus when He was tempted and angels were there when He rose victoriously from the grave. And the very same angelic presence that was with Jesus on earth is closer to you today than you might imagine. In my book, Angels, I show you how to see past the thin veil that separates our reality from the angelic world and to discern the divine activity that is deciding on life's journey today.

Angels exist and I believe that angels are all around us today. They are worshippers of God and they are servants, ministers to God's children. Angels are working behind the scenes in the drama of life as God's messengers. They are warriors and servants of God to execute His will. And it's important that you understand the purpose of angels in your life so that you won't be confused by some of the myths and movies and television shows and books that are more fictional than fact.

It's important to know what the Bible says about angels so that you can really give an answer to your family and to your friends as to the work and the witness and the worship of angels. Call today and get Angels as our thank you for your gift. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. Or text the word PowerPoint to 313131.

That's PowerPoint to 313131. Now let's get back to today's message, Angels, Part 1. The angels are not only innumerable, they are inspirational.

As I said we are prompted to praise our God because we are inspired by the angels. And again I just want to say the book while it's about angels it's ultimately about our God, the nearness of God, the presence of God and that angels elevate us to experience Him in a deeper way. The angels are invisible.

Rarely do we see angels. We see them in the Bible from time to time. They manifest themselves in a physical presence. From time to time they are represented in the Scripture as male warriors.

But they have no physical properties but may manifest themselves. Here's the thing, angels choose to be invisible. They choose to be backstage, if you will, pointing to center stage of Christ. They are, as Billy Graham called them, secret agents. And they do their job very well. They work under cover. They work behind the scenes.

What they do you don't typically see. I believe in angels. Not because I've ever seen an angel, because I haven't.

That I know of. Though the writer of Hebrews says when we show hospitality, to strangers, we may minister to angels unaware. In other words, it could be an angel and you're serving God by serving this one, a stranger in your life. But I do, having said that I've never seen an angel, I do know that I have experienced divine activity in my life, the supernatural presence of God in my life and I have sensed God's protection.

I have sensed God's presence in my life in very real ways. And at times I've sensed angel presence. These angels are also invincible. They are immortal.

They are innumerable. They are inspirational. They are invisible. They are invincible. By that I mean powerful. 2 Thessalonians 1, 7, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. So when you think of angels, don't think of a soft, sentimental new age, wispy figure that floats through the air, a little butterfly, or a little cuddly cherub, or a Disney princess, or your fairy godmother.

None of the above. Angels are powerful spirit beings. They are mighty and strong. We see them in the Bible holding back winds and moving oceans. We see angels judging the world. God uses His angels to execute judgment. We saw that especially in the book of Revelation, in the pouring out of wrath during the tribulation and these angel judges wreaking havoc upon an unbelieving world. It happened in the Old Testament when only two angels walked into Sodom and Gomorrah and brought the judgment of God.

They tore the town down and burned it up. Just two powerful angels. It was one angel executing judgment at the gate of Eden, east of Eden when the man and the woman sinned against God and they were cast out in judgment from the garden and God posted an angel east of Eden. So angels are powerful spiritual beings. They are warriors involved in spiritual warfare, especially related to prayer. And yes, you can pray and ask God to send the angels in your behalf.

I've done it more than once. When Jesus came out of the grave, it was an angel who rolled the stone away. But even bigger than that, at the end of time when Satan is put into the pit, the bottomless pit, God sent one angel with a key and a chain.

Think about that. All the havoc and hell that Satan and his mighty furor has unleashed upon the earth, but when it comes time to put him away, to put him in the pit, God just sends one angel and boop, you're in. We love to think of angels comforting us and they do. But remember it is their strength that comforts us.

It is their power. Like soldiers in a heavenly army. The angels are awesome because our God is awesome. The angels are mighty, but they are not almighty. They do the work of God. The angels are also intelligent. They have minds, emotions, and wills.

We see that. They have various names. We are given two of the names in scripture. Michael and Gabriel are two of the angels, high-ranking angels' names.

Most of them are unnamed and unsung, again, in keeping with their invisible nature to stay behind the scenes. Angels know it's not their name that matters, but there is one name that matters. It's the name of our God.

They are glorious beings who are beautiful and bright and they are ministering spirits. If an angel manifested himself before us today, we would be tempted to worship that angel. John, the Beloved, the great disciple on the Isle of Patmos was given this vision of heaven and he saw a mighty angel and in the book of Revelation chapter 22 where it said that when he saw the angel he fell down before the angel to worship and the angel said, Get up.

Don't do that. Worship only God. So any idea that you may have heard that elevates angels into a kind of demigod or semi-god or God with a little g, there's no such thing as that worshiping angels. One of the problems that New Testament Christians had, the book of Colossians was written to offset it in many ways, was the worship of angels in a form of New Ageism that was taking place in the first century, Gnosticism. So the worship of angels has always been around, but it's clear in the Scripture that we are never to worship angels and angels are around to point us to God. Angels are worshipers. In the final moments let me say that angels are witnesses. Angelos is the word for angel in the Bible.

It means messenger, one sent to deliver a message. And we see that so often whether it is a message introducing the law, angels were present when Moses was given the law, the Ten Commandments. At heavenly announcements such as the birth of Christ, I mentioned judgment, they are sent with messages of judgment or a message of protection, that God is with you. We often see angels carrying these messages, especially in the life of Jesus. Jesus spoke more about angels than anybody else in the Bible.

And when you read the Gospels, angels show up, you hear their wings fluttering on almost every turn of the page. Whether it was the angel announcing the birth, the conception of Jesus to Mary, giving Mary the name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins. Or speaking to Joseph in a dream as to the origin of who Jesus is. Or of course outside in the fields of Bethlehem when the angelic chorus shouted, unto you is born this day a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

That beautiful and glorious appearing of angels outside of Bethlehem at the birth of Christ. Or angels speaking to Joseph again in a dream and telling him to take Mary and the child and flee to Egypt for safety because of Herod's rampage to kill the Jewish boys under the age of two. So an angel came to protect Jesus and to preserve that family. And an angel came and told Joseph when it was time to come back. Or when Jesus at the outset of His ministry after His baptism goes into the wilderness and He is tempted there for 40 days. And He struggles with Satan and all those temptations.

And He overcomes them. And at the end, exhausted from this battle, angels come and minister to Jesus and prepare Him for His ministry that would be public for the next three years. Then throughout His ministry, His words, He spoke of the angels and told stories about angel beings through and through. And when it came to the end of the Garden of Gethsemane when He was pouring out drops of blood in the Garden, getting ready for the cross, going to the cross, surrendering to the will of the Father, He's broken. And before He is taken away into captivity, angels come and minister to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. You know what happened at the cross. He could have spoken and in a word called the angel armies to deliver Him.

He bled and He died and He went the distance, paid the price for our sins on the cross. Angels must have been amazed. Their swords were drawn and ready to go, but they never got the commission because Jesus had another mission and that was you and me. And then as I mentioned, when the stone was rolled away, it was an angel that rolled the stone away in the Garden tomb. And it was an angel sitting on that stone that said to the women who arrived at the tomb, He's not here, He is risen. And then an angel again appearing with Jesus as He is ascending into Heaven after His resurrection 40 days later. It was an angel ascending with Him who said to those disciples and to all of us, don't stand gazing into Heaven, this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven will so come in the same way that you've seen Him go. So He goes into Heaven with an angel and He's coming back with the holy angel, with the shout of God, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God.

Jesus is coming again and the angels are coming with Him. And throughout eternity in the new heavens, in the new earth, the angels are present to glorify Him. So get this, angels existed before creation. They were made by the hand of God before time began.

They have existed throughout all of time and they will exist after time as we know it. And we will live with the angels in the worship of the Lord our God forever and ever. They are witnesses of these things, the messengers of hope. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, Angels, Part 1.

The spiritual battle that's raging around us couldn't be more evident. And as a member of Christ's church, you have the support of His mighty angels to win the fight. In his book, Angels, Dr. Graham shows you how to tap into the support God has given you through His angels so you can stand strong and defeat the enemy in the fight for our culture. Angels is our thanks for your gift today to help boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel and the hope it brings to more people around the world through PowerPoint. So call now to request your copy of Angels when you give. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. Text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional.

Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? Pastor Charles Jennings Well, I'm very excited to talk about the angels today and to think about the role of angels in our lives.

In the message I talked about the truth that they are generational, invisible and invincible. They carry out divine judgment but they also comfort us. They are intelligent and they are witnesses to God's message to the world. Angels were present at creation and they were with Jesus at every critical moment of His life. So angels are very important. And the fact is we're promised that angels are all around us. If you are a believer, a follower of Jesus, as the Scripture says in Hebrews chapter 1, those who inherit salvation then you can count on the fact that the presence of angels surrounds you. These great and glorious messengers from heaven will help you during dark times and bring you peace and ultimately point you to Jesus because the angels are all about Him. Angels aren't talked about much in churches today. We talk a lot about demons and Satan and rightfully we should be warned about the evil that is around us. But all around us are these mighty and powerful angels as well.

And I hope the reality of angelic presence brings you great hope and comfort in your darkest days and every day. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint we'll send you Dr. Graham's book, Angels, as our thanks. Call 1-800-795-4627.

That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. Text PowerPoint to 313131. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about what angels can do in your life and one thing they can't. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries. We'll be right back.