Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Bless Yahweh, you his angels, you mighty heroes who do his word by obeying the sound of his word.

Psalm 103:20

Angels are – from one point of view – nothing special. There is a cult around the idea of angels. Angels this and angels that. Your child dies? Becomes an angel. Angels speaking and angels guiding. Angels, angels, angels! From OUR point of view they are powerful and look majestic – but it is because they are reflecting the Glory of Adonai and are doing His Perfect Will. If they were to disobey (like the devil and his angels did), they would NOT look majestic without deceit and they would NOT be powerful. Contrary to the world’s entertainment industry, demons and fallen angels are NOT powerful. Any Jesus-believing child is more powerful. Angels are impressive to us, but they are simply obedient servants to Adonai Most High.

Angels do what Adonai says and Adonai spoke the entire Word. THAT is what angels listen to. The Perfect Will of Adonai. In cosmological hierarchy, angels were below humanity who were created right below Adonai (Psalm 8:5; Genesis 1:26-28). But WE FELL. We are out of our place. Yes, in Jesus we get authority and dominion back, but it is HIS authority and dominion we are using, not our own in ourselves. I suspect that ship has sailed and when we are completely perfected before Him in Heaven we will STILL be using Jesus’ authority and dominion – it’s just that we will be perfected and live/operate in it perfectly. Until we get to the point that we have perfectly been perfected, we will not be in our proper place. Until we are in our proper place, angels will seem to us to be above us. We are not in the perfect will of Adonai at all times. They ARE.

“But to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit down at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” Are they not all spirits engaged in special service, sent on assignment for the sake of those who are going to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:13-14). Angels are ministers sent to serve us. But they serve at the behest and command of Adonai, NOT US. Like Adonai, angels are not our whipping boys. They are not at our beck and call. We cannot get them to do anything we want. Like ANYTHING. They serve Adonai and obey His Word. Period. Jesus could have commanded angels to save Him from the ordeal of the crucifixion (Matthew 26:53). He didn’t. And they didn’t lift a single feather to help Him. It was NOT according to the Word. It was NOT the will of the Father. They do what Adonai says. Every. Time. Anyone teaching you to ‘send your angels’ will teach you that you will only be able to ‘send’ an angel to a task if it is in the Word and Adonai is backing you. Those are the only conditions in which an angel listens.

Adonai does not come down in physical form to do things here. He sends angels (Exodus 23:20). They are His ministers to accomplish His will. They are tools in HIS hands. We don’t NEED them to tell us things – we have Ruach HaKodesh. We don’t NEED them to heal or perform miracles – we cooperate with Ruach HaKodesh. But there ARE things that are appointed to angels to do. They operate in the unseen realms. We do not. But we do not command the angels, Adonai does. When Adonai appoints an angel to do a task, He might let us cooperate with Him by saying ‘go’ – but we are not the ones giving the instructions. We are not saying how to do a thing, only cooperating with Adonai that this is the time that thing can be started. We are not in control. Think of servers in a formal dining room. We don’t train them, pay them, tell them how to do anything, or any of that. We ask for a refill, give permission for them to take our plates or bring the next course, and that’s about it. Angels are the same deal. Within the rules of the formal dining room we can give permission, but only because someone ELSE is running the show, training, paying, providing, and setting the rules for everyone. We don’t give permission/orders out of OUR authority. We cooperate with what the One with the authority wants to have happen.

So how are angels a praise point? Because Adonai is in control! I am grateful they listen only to the Word (the spoken Word that became written Word – Jesus Himself). I am grateful Adonai is the one calling the shots and giving them their assignments. I think it is cool that we can release them when Adonai tells us to, but I am GRATEFUL I am not the one giving the assignments. I get too much wrong. I lack the full picture of what’s going on. And I get too full of feelings to trust my judgment all the time. Ever been cut off while driving? Or had someone push you around? Would you have shown perfect compassion, perfect patience, and perfect kindness in that situation had you had the authority to direct angels? Or would you have been asking for some smiting? Me, I am grateful I am not in control of these things. When I think about it, I can thank Adonai for what He has set up and how.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” The WORD is what corrects us. Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). Both in written and spoken form. Ruach HaKodesh uses it to correct us, to guide us, to teach us, and to remind us of who we are in Jesus. Of how we are supposed to be trusting Him in all things and in all ways. Angels are still sent to tell us specific messages, but Ruach HaKodesh speaks to us about all things. We don’t get revelation from angels anymore because we have the Word and we have Ruach HaKodesh living within us. Why would Adonai go a step backward? Why send an angel to reveal a new mystery when He had Jesus come to speak, had Ruach HaKodesh write Jesus’ words down (the Bible), and then had Ruach HaKodesh take up residence within us where He is constantly and consistently speaking to us about the deeper things of Adonai as well as giving commentary on everything that has been said and written so far (1 Corinthians 2:10; John 14:26)? If ANYONE claims to have a further revelation of Adonai and it came from an angel? It is not to be trusted. Jesus said things were FINISHED, not that a sequel was on the way. They are incredible creatures, but the WORD is the treasure that can renew us to Adonai’s point of view (Romans 12:2). The Word is what we can love and follow and consume with impunity. I am so very grateful that we have such a powerful tool and guide – as well as a personal relationship with the author for when we need things explained. He truly does not hide, but reveals Himself to us in the fullness we can handle now (and in greater fullness later). What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8