Coach's Corner

Do Angels Exist and What Role do They Play in our Lives?

Do Angels Exist and What Role do they Play in our Lives?

I remember growing up coming home after a long day in school and being greeted by mom at the door. My mom usually greeted me with a warm welcome asking me how my day in school went. On this particular day my mom’s welcome seemed different, she seemed pensive and a little frightened. She proceeded to tell me of an incredible experience she had that day. She went on to explain how she had been vacuuming as she often did, when all of a sudden she was pushed to the carpet floor of our home. As she lay on the floor she looked with terror to see who had entered our home only to see no one. Within seconds, she heard a cracking sound from the ceiling above where an entrance chandelier hung. Before she knew it the chandelier came crashing down exactly where she was standing just moments before. She sat there without any words to say, other than believing in her heart that the Lord had sent an angel that day to protect her and literally remove her from harms way. This was one of the first times in my life I began to ponder on the role angels play in our lives.

Angels are superhuman, but not divine beings who work within human history. Some of these angel’s who remained faithful to God, carry out his work. Others, who fell from their created state of holiness (2 Peter 2:4), live to oppose God and his children (these fallen angels are otherwise known as demons). God’s care and concern for his creation is evident in the ministry of good angels. By contrast, Satan and his demons seek to thwart the purposes of God. But God has limited their powers.

Over the years there has been a tendency to exalt angels unduly, giving them worship and reverence due only to Deity. We need to always remember that although superior to human beings in many of their abilities and qualities, they are part of the class of created and thus finite beings. We do not know precisely when they were created, but it is apparent that God did at some point bring them into being. As totally spiritual beings they are unique among the creatures, but they are nonetheless creatures.

The activities good angels participate in are amazing. Angels continually praise and glorify God. Psalm 103:20 says, “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.” Angels also reveal and communicate God’s message to humans. An example of this is found in Acts 8:26 where an angel directs Philip by saying, “Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Furthermore, angels minister to believers, and this includes protecting believers from harm. This is not only seen in my mom’s story of protection but in how the apostles were delivered from prison in Acts 5:19 where it says, “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.” As much as angels protect us their major ministry is to meet the spiritual needs of a believer. For example, angels take great interest in the spiritual welfare of believers including rejoicing at their moment of salvation (Luke 15:10). Angels are also known for executing judgment on the enemies of God. For example, in 2 Kings 19:35 the angel of the Lord brought death to 185,000 Assyrians.

So what’ the big deal about angels? How can angels affect our lives personally? Be encouraged to know that there are powerful and numerous unseen agents available to help us in our need. The reality of angels also sobers me to realize that even angels who were close to God succumbed to temptation and fell. This is a reminder to me to be careful that I don’t fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). And lastly, I along with you can receive confidence from the realization that powerful though Satan and his accomplices are, there are definite limits on what they can do. We can, therefore, by the grace of God, resist him successfully. And we can know that his ultimate defeat is certain!

Posted April 28, 2008