Never Forget Your Guardian Angels…

by Gary Mueller

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” –Hebrews 11:1-3

The preacher Billy Graham wrote, “The Bible [tells] us that for the believer, nothing happens outside God’s control…if we know Christ, His angels continually watch over us. The Bible says that God will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:11). It also teaches that the angels—although they are largely unseen—watch over us and work for our good. The Bible says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).

On the bookcase in my living room there is a framed message: “God loves me.” It is in a frame that says, “My family has a guardian angel who watches over us and guides us every day.” I strongly believe in these words. When was the last time you saw or experienced an angel of the Lord? Perhaps it was on your last Christmas tree. Then what happened to it? You took it down, carefully wrapped it up, and placed it in a box until next year.

Notwithstanding, I urge you to consider these facts for a moment:

• From Jesus’s miraculous conception to His ascension into heaven, angels played a vital role in unfolding the Biblical story.
• Angelic beings are referenced over 300 times in the Old and New Testament.
• Key references: there is no doubt that angels help protect us (Daniel 6:20-23; 2 Kings 6:13-17), reveal information (Acts 7:52-53; Luke 1:11-20), guide us (Matthew 1:20-21; Acts 8:26), provide for us (Genesis 21:17-20; 1 Kings 19:5-7), and minister to believers (Hebrews 1:14).

Psalm 34:4-7 says, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked at Him and were radiant. And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them.” Furthermore, in 1 Peter 5:7 it says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” I believe that angels play a part in the care that Jesus provides too.

A Christian author whom I greatly respect, Roosevelt Burns, in his book Angels: What You Need to Know, believes that angels are not just powerful protectors, but also messengers and warriors. He suggests that the most important thing to remember about angels is that they are focused on fulfilling God’s will and that God has given them authority over different spiritual realms. Therefore, if we believe in God’s will, then we can call upon angels to protect us in times of need such as spiritual warfare.

Now you may say, show me some proof of angels in your life. OK, I will. One late night, I was returning home from an appointment in L.A. via the 5 freeway. The freeway was packed as usual, and I was on the inside lane close to the divider wall, running well over 70 miles per hour. As many of you know, the space between the concrete divider and the inside lane is far less than the width of my SUV. Vehicles were packed on the lanes all around me. There was an old lawn maintenance truck in front of me with the back jammed full of garbage bags and I was only several car lengths behind him. Then the unimaginable happened. The hood of that truck popped up and the driver slammed on his brakes. I was literally trapped with nowhere to turn and thought I was going to die. Just then, I saw a face in front of me, and I blacked out (as people often say they do just before a near-death experience). A few seconds later I came to, driving in front of the gardening truck, still going much too fast while closely surrounded by other vehicles. I knew my guardian angel had saved me.

On another occasion, I was riding my Honda Goldwing motorcycle. I stopped for lunch on the top of a mountain in a parking area. Unfortunately, I did not realize that I was parked pointing downhill on the fine, slippery gravel with no guardrail. I started slipping forward and quickly asked God to help me. I couldn’t back up and my bike was too heavy to pull onto its stand. Just then, I heard a man’s voice from behind asking if I needed a hand. I nervously replied, “YES!” He placed his hand on the rear rack and pulled me backward until I could get out of my predicament. When I turned around to thank him, there was no one there.

We cannot know for sure from the Bible if every believer has a guardian angel assigned to him or her. However, God does use angels to minister to us. In the end, whether we have an angel assigned to watch over us or not, we have an even greater assurance from God: if we are His children through faith in Christ, He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28-30), and Jesus Christ will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). After all, if we have an omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving God with us, does it really matter if a specific guardian angel is protecting us as well?

As the Bible tells us, God surrounds us with hosts of angels to protect us and to go before us. Even when hard times come, the devil can never snatch us away from their protection; and someday they will also escort us to Heaven. The reality of God’s angels can help to support our confidence in God’s faithfulness to keep His promises.

So this week in your prayers and devotions, give your guardian angel a thought as well. I know they will hear you.

“If you say, “’The Lord is my refuge,’” and you make the Most High your dwelling place, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” –Psalm 91:9-12

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly entertained angels.” –Hebrews 13:2

“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” –Hebrews 1:14