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Have You Encountered An Angel? Have you been helped, or do you know someone who has been helped by God's Angels? We've all heard of extraordinary stories of someone in trouble being helped by a mysterious person who just appears at exactly the right moment in a distressing situation and, well... just helps out. Afterwards, when the situation has been retrieved the mysterious person doesn't hang around to be thanked, they, well... just disappear. I'm compiling a book of angel encounters with human beings and would just love to hear your stories.
What Are Angels? Angels are spirits created by God. In Psalm 104 David states, God 'makes His angels spirits'. We also know that God created angels before he created mankind. There is no mention in the early part of Genesis - where God created the earth and everything in it in six days - of angels being created then. So God obviously created them earlier.
What Do Angels Do? Angels are ministering spirits sent by God to serve His people and His purposes. The MKJV says in Hebrews 1:14, 'Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation?' The word angels comes from the Greek word used in the New Testament, angelos, which means, "a messenger." The Hebrew word for angel used in the Old Testament is malach which means, "servant." You could say that angels are therefore "servant messengers" sent from God on special missions. Here are some of them:
They Deliver Messages Perhaps the most famous example in the Bible of angels delivering messages is when the archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth to a son whom she was to call Jesus. Luke 1:26 - 38. Earlier in Luke's Gospel an angel had appeared to Zacharias who was a priest in the Temple and told him his wife, Elizabeth would have a child and that they should name him John. This child would in time become known as John the Baptist. They Serve The Saints on Earth When the beggar Lazarus dies, (Luke 16:19 - 31), Jesus said in verse 22, 'And it happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.' Note, not one angel but angels.
They Bring Revelation Another important ministry of angels is to bring revelation. Parts of the book of Daniel, and the first 6 chapters of the book of the prophet Zechariah were delivered by angels. Revelation, the final book of the Bible is another example. Revelation 22:6 states, 'And he said to me, These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show to His servants the things which must shortly be done.'
They Provide Protection A Hot Spot Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in a bit of a tight spot. They had refused to honour King Nebuchadnezzar's gods and were being bound and thrown into a burning fiery furnace that was seven times hotter than usual. The furnace was so hot that the guards who threw them into the flames were killed instantly BUT to his amazement when the king looked into the furnace he saw not only were the three men alive and well but they had been joined by a fourth who by his presence preserved them all from harm. The fourth person was without doubt an angel sent by God to protect the three cast into the flames. MKJV Daniel 3:19-25. Daniel Meets The Lions Daniel refused to go back on his commitment to pray for Jerusalem and, as a result was thrown into the lions' den (see Daniel 6:10-23 MKJV). Daniel spent a very restful night with the lions and next morning told King Darius, "My God has sent His Angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me"
There are numerous other references in Scripture of angels protecting God's people. See Acts 5:17-28; Acts 12: 4-19; Matthew 2:13; All references are Modern Kings James Version. 
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