It is especially interesting to me since it seems that my 2018 "word for the year" has to do with angels. Towards the end of December, it seemed that my daily Bible reading was just filled with angels and angelic encounters. Even in the readings from the Old Testament. So my thoughts and my attention had been turned towards angels. And then we received this ornament. Kenya holds a special place in my heart. A visit to Kenya in 2004 and then receiving visitors from Kenya during later years, and staying connected with many Kenyan friends through facebook, have just grown that connection for me. So I felt like the Lord had gotten my attention.....
2017 was a year with lots of shaking and so many ups and downs. No matter where you looked, there seemed to be some kind of disaster or horrible event happening. It is so easy to lose your focus and to start believing that the world has just fallen apart. Just looking at news clips or even your facebook feed can make you say "God where are you?" But then there are the angels.....
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I have had this blog started for 7 days and I just have not been able to finish it! There were some interruptions, some phone calls, just feeling like my mind went blank. But I am determined to finish this blog. Usually when I have trouble writing a blog, there is a powerful reason that I am supposed to write the blog. I feel that way about this one. The subject of angels is quite controversial, even though it should not be - Angels are very biblical! Somehow you are viewed as a real crack pot or crazy person if you dare to admit to having angelic encounters. It would not be the first time that I was labeled like that! So here goes..
I have had several angelic encounters over the last 30 odd years. Several were during large worship gatherings. Sensing and even seeing angels during worship is so powerful. One of my personal favorite "angel evidence" is Testimony about Jason Upton's "Fly" And then here is the actual track Jason Upton "Fly". I actually heard about this song while at a conference with Shawn Bolz (Shawn is the speaker at the beginning of the testimony clip) Shawn shared his experience with Jason Upton and about this song. The track was actually not yet released when Shawn played it for us that night. During that time of worship, that small church sanctuary was filled with angels! It was an amazing experience.
I have also had several personal one-on-one encounters with angels. Each time, it was only AFTER the encounter that I realized that this was not just a man talking with me. A handful of times, I have seen angels sitting on top of buildings as I pass by - usually following times of worship. I have had more than my share of dreams during which angels shared important messages with me. After a powerful prayer time for protection over my home and children, I came home and saw a large angel standing guard over my home. Later my daughter would tell me that she saw the angel from her second floor window!
So to proclaim 2018 as one with angelic activity is not unusual. What is different is the kind of angelic activity that seems to be ahead this year. While telling my small group about this, I used the description of a video war game. It was as if I saw two different armies engaged in a raging conflict. One an army of the light and one an army of the dark. There were many, many more warriors on the army of light. They were easily sending their foes running away. The message in this is really simple. We are engaged in a large spiritual battle - whether we realize it or not. All of the things we see happening around us in the world are evidence of this battle. It is quite easy to feel overwhelmed and defeated if we just look in the natural. The key is to SEE THE REAL BATTLE! In the Spiritual realm, the battle between the angels and the demons is happening. There are many more angels than demons. And the demons are not winning this war! I believe that this year we will all have greater levels of peace and calm and more intimate times with Jesus, when we ask for open eyes to see all of the angels that are fighting for us. There are legions of angels just waiting to be commissioned to our aid, if we would but ask.
Every time an angel appears in the Bible, their first contact is to speak away fear. We are fearful of things we don't understand or can't explain. Usually angels come during times of great trouble or of great need. I believe that we only see angels during these stressful times because our natural filters of unbelief are overridden at those times. So let's restate our belief in the presence and works of angels.
My 2018 goal will be to start each day asking for an awareness of the angelic activity around me. Instead of fear or worry for loved ones, I will be asking for the commissioning of angels to surround and protect them. Instead of hopelessness at things happening in society, I will be looking for revelation of that great army of angels fighting for us. When news of some natural disaster reaches me, I will be commissioning angels of mercy and comfort to that region. Each time of worship will begin with welcoming angels into the spiritual atmosphere around me. I am ready for all that Jesus has to reveal in 2018. How about you?
Jesus, thank you for reminding me of your great love. Holy Spirit, help us all to accept the presence of angels around us. Give us grace in our unbelief. Remind us to ask for open eyes to see just how surrounded we are by legions of angels. Jesus continue to draw us closer to you in 2018. Amen.
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