Angels at the End of the Church Age

With the voice of the archangel. ... The word archangel occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Jude 1:9, where it is applied to Michael. ... The word is not found in the Septuagint; and the only archangel, therefore, which is named in the Scriptures, is Michael, Jude 1:9 Comp. ... It seems evident from the Scriptures, that there is one or more among the angels to whom the name archangel properly belongs. ... The word here (in Greek) is without the article, and the phrase might be rendered, "with the voice of an archangel. ... It is not quite certain what is meant here by the "the voice of the archangel," or for what purpose that voice will be heard.

Angels at the End of the Church Age

First Thessalonians 4:16 says, "He shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel."

When Jesus comes back at the rapture of the Church, I believe there will be thousands of angels with Him. Just as Jesus was accompanied into heaven by a multitude of angels, I believe as the trumpet is blowing on that day, a whole host of angels will accompany us right into the throne room of God.

This is also true for every individual in the Church age who goes on to be with the Lord. The moment we were born, an angel was assigned to us. Every young child has an angel that ever beholds the face of the Father and you don't think just because you get older your angel leaves do you? [Matt. 18:10]. The moment a believer leaves this earth to be with the Lord, they are taken up into heaven by a number of angels, I believe that angels swap out one one assignment goes home he is assigned to another believer until we are all home..

When Lazarus died and went to be with the Lord, the angels accompanied him into Abraham's bosom.

I have been with those who have died and gone on to be with the Lord that have described angels. In fact, many times the angels are so real to them they cannot understand why I could not see them. But they are actually in a transition between this life and next, between heaven and earth, time and eternity. Their eyes are seeing clearly into both worlds, the natural and the spiritual.

You may wonder why we need so many angels for protection. It is because there are so many demons that try to attack us. Psalm 91 tells us that the angels have been sent to protect us so no evil can befall us and no plague can come nigh our dwelling. They will protect us.

The Ministry of Angels and Deliverance

Throughout the book of Acts, we learn what angels can do for us. The people mentioned in the book of Acts were not super heroes. They were people who were born under natural circumstances, faced with the same temptations as we are today. They are people who failed and floundered but got back up and kept going we are not the perfect people but we are the getting back up people. [1] 

Pro_24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

The first occurrence of angels after the Day of Pentecost is described in Acts 5:17. Some of the chief leaders of the Church had been persecuted and put in prison because in Acts chapter 4 they were threatened and commanded never to preach again in the name of Jesus. Their response was, "If we must choose between you and God, we choose God." The Bible says that as soon as they were released, they went back to "their own company". Their own company would be their own camp, those who are of like faith, filled with the Holy Spirit, and know how to pray.  

It is good to know of what sort we belong with. I am of the faith camp or the faith family and we our faith buddies to help us along the way.

When they returned, the Bible says they all lifted up their voice in one accord. They said Lord; we are lifting up our hands, rejoicing that we had an opportunity to suffer for Jesus." At that moment, the Bible says, the building where they were assembled was shaken and they were all filled (re-filled) with the Holy Spirit. The disciples went on to preach the Word with more boldness than ever before.

In chapter five of Acts, Peter and John were again thrown in prison for preaching the Word of God.

Acts 5: 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

Notice, the angel did not rebuke them for having to help again, he did not tell the disciples, look please don't preach anymore." Instead, the angel said, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." The angel was speaking of the life of Jesus, the life of the new birth, the life of being Spirit-filled.

The apostles were delivered from prison by an angel. If the angels delivered the apostles from prison, we do not need to be in fear about anything. The disciples were not afraid of what the people thought of them. Even though they ended up back in jail for preaching the gospel, when the angel delivered them he told them to get right back out and preach again.

When we are in trouble for the sake of the gospel, the angels are present to deliver us out of that trouble. Jail cannot defeat us and chains cannot hold us. If necessary, the angels of God will deliver us from them!

Angels and Guidance

The next time we find the ministry of angels in action after the Day of Pentecost is in Acts 8:26. Philip had just preached the gospel in the city of Samaria. An angel appeared to him and gave him guidance.

Acts 8: 26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship. Angels know how to lead and guide us.

Not only do we receive guidance from the Holy Spirit, angels can bring a message that will help to guide us. God sent an angel to Philip, a servant of the Lord. He was simply a deacon in the church, someone who helped serve other believers in the church. He was not one of the twelve disciples. He was simply a believer in the church who was faithful. An angel appeared and gave direction to a Christian who was faithfully serving the Lord!

The good news is that the same angels that ministered to Philip in his day minister to us today. When you are seeking guidance, God can choose to guide you by one of His angels. [1] 

Angels Give Instruction

It seems once the Church began angels were in more in demand because of all that God intended for the Church to accomplish. The ministry of angels changed and now we as believers can interact and charge angels to work on our behalf by speaking the the Word of God to bring about His will in our lives. There is a lot of teaching about commanding angels,we speak the word of God and angels respond to the voice of God Ps.103:20 so when we speak the word as far as the angel is concerned God is speaking and they carry out His spoken word. They act when the word is spoken not on what is written.

In Acts 10:3-6, not only was guidance given, instruction was also given. Cornelius a Gentile man who was earnestly seeking after God. An angel came to him in a vision giving him instruction and admonishing him that his prayers had been heard in heaven. God sent this angel with instructions for Cornelius. He told Cornelius to send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. The angel also told Cornelius that Peter would come. This angel gave Cornelius more than guidance; he actually told Peter what was going to happen. Peter did come, preached the gospel, and Cornelius and his entire household believed and were filled with the Holy Spirit.   

Angels and Prayer

Acts, chapter 12 recounts the fact that Peter was in prison and the church was praying for him, it is good to have a praying Church that will really pray and seek God with you and on your behalf. This story shows us that angels are great stewards over intercessory prayer.

There are numerous instances in the Word of God when an individual or group of believers prayed and angels were sent to minister the answer to those prayers. [1]

In both the Old and New Testaments angels worked on behalf of those who prayed if it was about a nation or an individual, they were present in bringing the answer. Just look at Abraham or Daniel or Peter or Paul. Acts 12 Peter was delivered from prison, while he was sleeping-wow that is great news, even while we sleep the angels of God are working on our behalf.....GLORY!!

Supernatural Deliverance

Even if we don't see them, angels are present to supernaturally deliver us. Just as Peter was delivered from a physical prison, God's delivering power was not hindered. Peter's bondage was physical bars.

Today, many people are bound with chains of oppression, chains of lust, and chains of the sins of this world. Oftentimes, when a person prays for deliverance, an angel is dispatched to break the chains that are holding them captive.

Angels and Praise and Worship  

The moment we begin to lift our hands to worship the Lord, angels are there to break those chains. Angels respond to praise and worship we give to the Father and to Jesus. I remember a story told by Jerry Savelle when I was at a Kenneth Copeland meeting in Fort Worth TX, he told how that he had seen an angel above standing where the catwalk would be and without going into the whole story brother Jerry said that "every time he would say the name of Jesus this huge angel would fold his wings and bow in honor of the Name of Jesus" They respond to the praise and worship we give to God and when we give it in the mist of trials and they will go to work to bring about the deliverance for us.

Angels and Judgment

Act 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

It was a bad day for Herod when He stood pridefully before the people, declared himself to be a god. The Bible says he was smitten with worms and died. The angel was sent to bring judgment to Herod because he gave not the glory to God.

 Angels and the Word of Knowledge

Paul in the book of Acts chap. 27 was given a

word of knowledge by an angel. Paul was a prisoner on board a ship that was caught in a terrible storm, which lasted many days. During the storm, Paul said the angel of God stood by him and told him that not one man's life would be lost.

Often there are times when we are seeking God and worshipping Him that the gifts of the Spirit will be active and could be brought to us by an angel; the word of knowledge or word of wisdom in the midst of a circumstance, the gift of healing or working of miracles.

 
Angels and Healing

According to the Bible, angels have the ministry of bringing God's healing power into the earth. As seen in John chapter 5 this recounts how people desiring healing in their bodies would lay by the pool of Bethesda waiting for an angel to stir up the water. Angels are connected to the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. Often we sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in our services but I think many times we are sensing the tangible presence of God's angels as well.

Angles and the Rebuke

In the book of Jude, we learn something very interesting about the ministry of angels.

Jude 9 Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Even though Michael was an archangel and one of the higher ranking angels, he did not bring a railing accusation against Satan. He simply said, "The Lord rebuke you".

When we come against Satan it is not us coming against him, it is us in the Strong Name of Jesus, coming against him. We do not come against Satan in our own strength or with our own words. We use His words and His Name. Why? Because angels are just below God himself and by creation just above man, by creation man is lower than angels but by position man is higher than angels. But God has taken man and has crowned him with glory and honor by the shed blood of Jesus Christ and by accepting Him as Lord and savior we have been made to sit with Him in heavenly places.

The name of Jesus is where the power and authority is and we need to use that name in all we do. Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatsoever ye do in word of deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Angels Will Preach

Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

In Revelation 14:6, the Bible also reveals that angels will preach the gospel during the Tribulation. This is something that has never occurred.

The Power of Angels

We must not underestimate the power of angels. If one angel will throw Satan into the bottomless pit, and an innumerable company of angels surrounds us, just imagine how much our angels can do for us!

Angels fly at the speed of light and beyond so when we use the Word of God to commission and angel on our behalf they can circle the globe multiple times before we can finish what we are saying., because angels respond to the spoken word of God and when we speak the word of God [Scripture] they will react according to the word spoken. Psa 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Notice it did not say they hearken to the word but to the speaking of the word.

Just because it is written down angels don't go do it, why? Because they hearken to the VOICE of the Lord weather the Lord speaks it or weather we speak it!

We are not more powerful in ourselves but with just one angel and the spoken word of God we are much more powerful then the devil through the Strong Name of JESUS!

Angels have been with us from the time we were born, we have angels that make their home in our home, ride in our car walk with us down the street. Our angel does not go back and forth to heaven but the scripture says they encamp around us Ps. 34:7 the word "encamp" means "sets up home"

• ḥānāh: A verb meaning to pitch one's tent, encamp. It refers to pitching a tent or setting up camp for various reasons: to encamp in a particular location (Gen_26:17; Exo_14:2, Exo_14:9); to encamp against an enemy. Our home is their home and they won't go back to heaven until we do!!!!!!!

Just as believers are anticipating the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, so are the angels. When that day arrives, not only will we hear a shout from heaven and the voice of an archangel, we will hear a shout from the eternities of one end of heaven to the other as angels rejoice at the coming of Jesus Christ for His Church. We cannot lose! We do not need to fear the future because God and His angels are with us.

1. Many Thanks to Pastor Bob Yandian, for his teaching on angels who I have relied on heavily for these articles. Some of the texts are direct quotes from his sermons and notes I have taken from his teaching when at Grace Church in Tulsa. Used with permission.