SERMON: Men In White by Graeme Hotter

The other day I was listening to the radio in my car and heard an interview with a lady called Genelle Guzman-McMillan who was the last survivor pulled from one of the twin tower buildings. She had written a book that is called Angel in the Rubble which is all about the 27 hours she spent pinned under the tangled mess of steel and concrete. She wasn’t a Christian before the terrible event but she became one because of it. While trapped in the darkness she cried out to God time and time again. Just before the rescue crew got to her, a man came to her through the hole that her hand was stretched out in and said his name was Paul. He comforted her and placed his hands around her one outstretched hand that was free. When the rescue crew finally pulled her out she asked about this man called Paul but no one knew of anyone by that name. She believes that it was an angel. He had no gloves on which all the fire crew were wearing and was there before they got to her.

The Bible says that angels can come to us as men and this kind of story is not unusual.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)

Mark Buntain was a missionary in India. He built an orphanage and a church, and needed a hospital in Calcutta. But tragedy struck the region. Torrents of rain came down, forcing the government to evacuate much of the city. Mark reluctantly boarded the evacuation plane. Questions whirled through his mind, Will this flood wipe out all of his work for the poor? He felt dejected. He did the only thing he knew to do – which was to pray. A man sat next to him on the plane, and began to encourage Mark. He told him that everything was going to be all right. He even outlined several steps that Mark could implement that would make his ministry even more effective. After talking with this man, Mark was greatly encouraged. The stewardess came by and asked Mark what he would like to drink. Mark gave his order and then turned to see what the man would order, but to his amazement, the man was gone. He vanished! Mark searched all over the small plane looking for the man, but he was not in there. Mark realized he had been visited by an angel.

When Bernice and I were in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe during the Bush war there were many occasions when people said that angels came to their aid. A pastor in our church was coming back alone from a conference in South Africa during the war. He was really feeling tired and needed to stop but feared that he would be attacked by terrorists if he did, being in such a remote area. He decided to battle on through the night, but was falling asleep. After nearly hitting a bridge he saw a huge angel standing in the middle of the road in front of him. He stopped the car and the angel touched the top of his head twice and then disappeared. It was as if a supernatural strength had entered into his body, and he was now wide awake. He was sure that if he were to hit the side of the car door with his fist it would have flown off its hinges onto the road. When he got home to Gweru he decided to go to sleep, but couldn’t, so he stayed awake and then through to the next day. He tried to sleep the next night too but couldn’t. He wondered what would have happened if the angel had touched him on the head five times.

On another occasion I heard of an elderly Christian farming couple in a very remote area. Terrorists were all around and were attacking farmhouses at night. This couple were in contact with the other farmers by radio, and had been warned that the terrorists were on their way towards them. The Christian couple prayed that night for God’s protection, and, with God’s help, made it through until dawn. The next morning these terrorists were caught, and on questioning them, the armed forces found that they had come to this particular couple’s house, but had decided to turn away. The terrorists said that they didn’t attack this house because there were many strong men all around it clothed in shining white armor. God had sent his God Squad: The Angels.

There is a whole unseen world out there that contains thousands upon thousands of angels. They are here for our protection and guidance.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. (Psalm 34:11)

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of my Father in Heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

I have a couple of views that I believe can encourage the presence of angels in our lives. In the Old Testament people actually saw angels and spoke to them. In these days it’s more a walk of faith for most of us mortals. One scripture comes to mind that backs this view up.

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29)

Our walk in this dispensation is more of a walk of faith, and God is asking us to believe what he says in the word. He says all these things about angels and wants us to believe it even if we can’t see them most of the time. In the Old Testament people spoke to angels, and I also do this personally, asking them to do things for me as well. Jesus said that there was an angel for each church in Asia Minor. If this was so then there must be an angel for our church here in Eltham. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write. (Revelation 2:1)

If I am praying for someone in New Plymouth, I often ask the angel of the church in that city to dispatch help to the person who is in need. I believe that Jesus loves the whole principle of delegation and wants us to involve others in the ministry and that includes angels.

I can’t see anything wrong with asking angels to come to our aid. That’s what they are there for. Jesus is called Captain of the Host (Angels). Jesus gave the church the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

He said:

Whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven. (Matthew 18:8)

Most of us have heard this scripture used to bind the devil and demons. The Bible does tell us that we can bind the strong man, and that a mighty angel will bind the devil for a thousand years. The word, bind, is a term to describe our power to tie up Satan. However, Jesus also said that we have the power to loose. And what do we loose? Certainly, not Satan. Then who? It’s angels of course.

A voice said, Loose the four angels which are bound. And the four angels were loosed.” (Revelation 9:14-15)

You can readily see that angels are meant to be loosed. And who has the power to loose angels? Jesus said that we do. We have the keys of the Kingdom! You might ask the question, How do we loose Angels? There are interesting scriptures in the Psalms and also in Hebrews concerning this.

Bless the Lord, you his angels, who excel in strength, who do his word, heeding the voice of his word. (Psalm 103:20)

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)

We see here that angels are given to minister for us and they also hearken to the word of God. We are God’s mouthpiece here on Earth so it is important for us to speak the word of God as much as we can for angels obey that word. As we speak forth what God has to say about a situation then it invokes angelic help. It says angels hearken or heed the voice of God, which means to listen and act upon. We are the ones who are to speak out and be the voice for the Bible here on Earth. We can loose God’s angels and also bind them by speaking negative words like: Nothing ever works out for me, or,  If I didn’t have such bad luck. Can it also be that fallen angels (called demons) are hanging around, waiting to respond to the negative words that we speak?

If angels hearken to the words of God and we aren’t speaking out his word in faith, then we have a lot of unemployed angels hanging around.

Jesus said:

Whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8)

Jesus declares to the angels what we declare. When we confess that Jesus is our Lord, Jesus confesses to the angels that he is our Lord. Angels are aware of what we confess here on Earth. Jesus echos our words to the angels, and, depending on what we say, they bring to pass our words.

One of the believer’s favorite Psalm says:

If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” (91:9-12)

God promises complete protection for the person who makes the Most High his dwelling. The secret to tapping into the power of this Psalm is to make the Most High your dwelling. That is the key. God promises protection, so long as you make the Most High your dwelling.

So how do you make God your dwelling? The answer is at the beginning of this Psalm.

It says:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord: “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

You make the Most High your dwelling the same way that David did – by saying of the Lord that he is your dwelling! Your confession that he is your refuge and fortress is what makes God become your refuge and fortress. And what does God do when you confess that he is your refuge and fortress? He commands his angels to guard you in all your ways so that no harm befalls you nor any disaster overtake you. Angels work for you because you confess who God is to you and what he will do for you.

Here is one final verse I want to share with you that will prove that angels are greatly affected by our words.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)

The Angel of the Lord delivers those who fear God, not who fear tragedy. And what does it mean to fear God? Verses 11 and 12 begin by telling us:

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days. (Psalm 34:11-12)

Angels definitely are involved in prolonging our lives and making our days good. But what is the fear of the Lord? The next verse says that if you want many good days, then:

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. (Psalm 34:13)

The fear of the Lord is manifested in restraining the tongue. If you fear God, then you will speak the truth.

And what is truth? Jesus said, Thy word is truth! God’s word is the highest form of truth in the universe. By speaking God’s word, you are keeping your tongue from evil and from speaking lies.

And when you do, the angel of the Lord will encamp around you to deliver you in times of trouble. This angel will do this because you show the fear of the Lord by speaking his word!

 

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