God wants us to understand that there is someone standing right by our side who is exceedingly strong! Our angel is stronger than the most powerful munitions our Armed Forces can muster.
You could shoot an angel with a high-powered rifle, but it wouldn't harm him. Instead, that angel would probably just take the gun and break it in half! Angels are strong, and, as our servants, they have the ability to strengthen us.
In Luke 22, we find an example of angels at work strengthening someone - Jesus Himself - as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
LUKE 22:39-43The Greek word translated "strengthening" in verse 43 means invigorating. Jesus needed to be invigorated. There He was in that garden, knowing He was going to die on the Cross and that doing so was going to be the toughest thing He would ever have to do.
39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an ANGEL unto him from heaven, STRENGTHENING him.
His flesh didn't want to do it, so He knelt down and began to pray. And as He was praying, an angel came and strengthened Him.
God intends for angels to be involved in the day-to-day life of the believer in this day and age. It's not just the people in the Bible God is concerned about. He wants us to benefit from the ministry of angels today.
Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin has seen angels many times. One time, the Lord even showed Brother Hagin his own angel. And, recently, a certain minister was preaching at the church I pastor, and he had an encounter with an angel. He said God showed him an angel and told him it was an angel of prosperity.
Well, we know that angels are involved in every area of the lives of the saints. They do their bidding according to the Word of God. In other words, what God's Word says, angels do!
In the twenty-five years that I've been preaching, I've had many people at different times tell me that they've seen angels during my services. Some have reported that when the anointing would come on me in a service, they'd see an angel approach me and speak to me, and, as he did, I would take off running across the platform!
You see, angels handle the anointing too. And they've been sent forth from God to strengthen us.
Jesus is Lord, but Jesus also has a Body. We, the Church, are the Body of Christ. And the Bible says that we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:17).
So since Jesus received an angel to strengthen Him when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, guess what we can expect?
An angel can strengthen us too!
Excerpt permission granted by Word Of Faith Publishing
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
