Holy Angels and Evil Angels - 236-246

236.  What does the Bible teach about angels?

• Psalm 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place .
• Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
• Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
• Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
• Revelation 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Dearest Father, surrounding Your throne are thousand and thousands of holy angels which You have created. The beauty and harmony of Your Heavenly host makes Heaven a delightful place. The angels adore You and worship You. They are obedient to all Your commands. Lord, to think that You will take a sinner like me, ransomed by grace, into the society of angels is an amazing thought.

237.  What do holy angels do for me?

• Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
• Psalm 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
• Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
• Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
• Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Dear Lord, I am so grateful that You have commissioned powerful angels to protect me, and guide me. Thank You for my special guardian angel who is always by my side, day and night. Teach me to be aware of my angelic companions and appreciate the protection they provide. Show me how to treat strangers as if they were angels from Heaven, because indeed, they may be!

238.  How will the angels be involved in the second coming?

• Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
• Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
• Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Dear Jesus, as You come in the clouds of Heaven, sitting on Your glorious throne, thousands and thousands of holy angels will accompany You, and fill the sky. What an awesome sight that will be! One shining angel is enough to conquer a whole army. Thousands of mighty angels will be an extreme spectacle. Yet, dear Jesus, Your magnificent glory will outshine them all. Make me like You, Jesus, so I can see You as You are.

239.  What was Satan's original problem?

• Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
• Isaiah 14:13, 14 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
• Ezekiel 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
• Ezekiel 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
• Ezekiel 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Heavenly Father, what a huge lesson there is for me in these verses. It was self-seeking and pride in Lucifer's heart that brought about such horrendous consequences. These sins are so foreign to Heaven's principles of love and unselfish service to others. Lucifer, a perfect being, exalted himself, but in the end he will be cast down to the lowest depts. Enable me, Lord, ever to chose Your self-sacrificing love and humility, that I may turn from evil, and delight in the principles of Your kingdom.

240.  Is Satan a liar and deceiver, and the originator of sin?

• Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
• John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
• 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
• Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Dearest Lord, Satan is incredibly subtle and deceptive, full of lies. He tries to fill me with doubts, causing me to question Your Word. Lord, I cannot afford to listen to him for one moment. Empower me to turn from his lies, to run from his deceptions. I thank You that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil! Teach me to love Your truth and saturate my mind with Your Word, so Satan's lying snares will be so obvious that I will never be swayed by them.

241.  What does Satan, the liar, promise us?

• Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
• Matthew 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
• Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
• Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
• 2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Heavenly Father, Your Word is true and Your promises are for sure. The enemy of all that is true also makes promises, but they are full of his lies and deceptions intended to snare fools. Though Satan may promise wealth, power and sinful pleasures, they are only fleeting and shallow. He promises freedom from Your law, but brings his victims into the most cruel bondage to addiction and sin. All of Satan's promises will vaporize along with all who fall for his lies. Energize me, Lord, to trust in Your promises, which will endure for eternity!

242.  Does Satan try to put us in bondage to sin?

• Isaiah 14:17 [Lucifer] That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
• Isaiah 42:7 [Jesus] To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
• Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
• John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
• Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
• Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Dearest Lord, the contrast between You, Lord Jesus, and Satan is huge. The evil one delights in bringing his victims into bondage. He instills fear and hatred into their hears, and causes powerful addictions to life-destroying substances and behavior. He makes his followers slaves of sin, which brings death. But You, Lord Jesus, came to open the door to the prison house of sin, and to set the captives free. You came to bring peace and hope. Lord Jesus, I thank You and praise You for delivering me from Satan's bondage. Thank You for freedom from the slavery of sin!

243.  Are there evil spirits, and what bad things do they do?

• Matthew 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
• Luke 8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
• Luke 9:42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
• Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
• Acts 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Father in Heaven, In these last days, demon possession is becoming more familiar in our society. It seems like many people are becoming so incredibly evil, and bizarre behavior is increasing. It shows demonic activity in people. Satan is cruel, and loves to cause suffering. He uses his victims to cause horrible pain to other victims. Lord, help me to realize I am no match for the devil. I must be filled with Your Holy Spirit or I also am a potential victim of demons. I need You, Jesus!

244.  Does the Bible warn us against communicating with familiar spirits who pretend to be the dead?

• Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
• Leviticus 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
• 1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the Word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
• 2 Chronicles 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
• Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Father in Heaven, You have given strong warnings to us that we should not have anything to do with familiar spirits. The devil has infiltrated our society with supernatural elements, especially in the media, so that they are widely accepted. Ghost stories are used to amuse children, and people are becoming very familiar with these evil spirits. Society is becoming comfortable with UFOs, aliens, departed loved ones or angelic appearing beings. And they don't realize these are the familiar spirits You warned us about. Help me, Lord, to be aware of the danger and stay far away from these things.

245.  What does the Bible say about witches or wizards, astrology and magic?

• Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
• Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
• Deuteronomy 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
• Deuteronomy 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
• Deuteronomy 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Father, You were very serious about forbidding witchcraft of any kind among Your people. Everything that deals with the evil powers of darkness are an abomination to You. In our modern society, witchcraft is gaining popularity, especially among the children. There is a growing intrigue into this forbidden area. Father, strengthen me to cling to You, and Your truth, and not be attracted to witchcraft or magic in any way.

246.  What are some more forbidden practices involving spiritualism and sorcery?

• Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
• 1 Corinthians 10:20 But I say , that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
• 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
• Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
• Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Dear Lord, Sorcery and spiritualism belong to the devil. Your Word prophecies that these things would be increasing in the end times. People who turn from You and Your power become enchanted by the power that the devil offers. But it is a terrible snare, and will cause them to suffer the same fate as the devil. Enlighten me, Lord, so that I will not have anything to do with these demonic doctrines, but instead dwell in Your holy light.

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