9780768423709_ch1 by Destiny Image

ANGELS IN OUR LIVES Everything Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Always Wanted to Know About Angels and How They Affect Your Life

by Marie Chapian

© Copyright 2006 – Marie Chapian All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation and The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. All emphasis within Scripture is the Author's own. Please note that Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers’ styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. Destiny Image® Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 310 Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310 “Speaking to the Purposes of God for this Generation and for the Generations to Come.” For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A. ISBN 10: 0-7684-2370-8 ISBN 13: 978-0-7684-2370-9 This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, MercyPlace, Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books are available at Christian bookstores and distributors worldwide. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 / 09 08 07 06 For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call 1-800-722-6774. For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040. Or reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 PROLOGUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Chapter 1: LISTEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Chapter 2: WHO ARE THE ANGELS? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Introducing the Invisible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Angel Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 What Do Angels Look Like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Where Are Angels Today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 How Many Angels Are There? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Angels and God’s Pleasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 What Form Do Angels Take? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 What Do Angels Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Chapter 3: WHEN ANGELS FIRST APPEARED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Angels of Destruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Abraham and the Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 An Angel as Matchmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Intimacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 What Is Your Truth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Jacob’s Visitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 God Sees Your Purpose and Destiny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 God’s Book of Remembrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Chapter 4: EMBRACED BY HIS WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Chapter 5: SOUL, BODY, SPIRIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Questions for God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 The Soul Realm Versus the Spirit Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Born Again and Your Soul-Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Your Spirit-Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Supernatural Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Align Your Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Your Angels Help You Have Faith for Trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Angels and Surrendering to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 What About Your Beautiful Body? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Triumph With the Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Taking Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 The Passion of Your Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Art and God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 How Incredible Are You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Decree to Your Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Faith Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Chapter 6: ACTIVATING FAITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Definitions of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Speaking Faith Into Ourselves and the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Our Five Senses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Train Your Senses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Peter in Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 The Task of Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Created to Live in the Spirit Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Partnering With Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 The Difficulty in Describing Glory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Chapter 7: ANGELS IN PRAISE AND WORSHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Seeing the Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Heaven Lives Inside the Christian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Meeting an Angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Angels in Praise and Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Chapter 8: HEAVENLY JOURNEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Chapter 9: SERVANTS AND MINISTERS OF FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 The Fire of Judgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 The Fire of Mercy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Elijah and the Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Holy Spirit Fire and You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Igniting Our Hearts in Time of Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Paul’s Demon Angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Be Discerning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Is It Scriptural to Call for Angels? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Angels and Sufficient Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Chapter 10: POSSESSING THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM . . . . . . . . . .113 Ministering to the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 Can Angels Read Our Minds? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 Recognizing the Angels: God’s or the Devil’s? . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 Chief of the Crow Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 Can Animals Be Demon-Possessed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 The Blessings You Give . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 The Talent of the Geranium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Discern the Spirits in the Things You Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 Spiritual Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 Do Christians Ever Need Deliverance? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 Marie’s Three R’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

A 4-Year-Old Boy and an Angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 Chapter 11: THE ORDER OF ANGELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Ranks of Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Archangel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Gabriel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 The Heavenly Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 God Is in Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Lucifer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 Partnering With God’s Heavenly Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Chapter 12: IN GOD’S GLORY ARENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 Introducing the Cherubim and Seraphim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 The Cherubim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 The Seraphim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Celestial Chariots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 My Mother’s Whirlwind Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 Our Spirit-Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Free to Choose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Chapter 13: WITH AN ANGEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 Chapter 14: SPIRITUAL LIBERTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 My Desert Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Moving Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 The Charismatic Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 And Now? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 But Is It Real? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 The Problem of Zacharias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 More Glory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 An Angel on a Bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161

An Angel in a Convenience Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161 Spiritual Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Imagination? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Chapter 15: PREPARING FOR ANGELIC ENCOUNTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 You Are: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Who Do I Want to Please? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 The Favor of Men or of God? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 How to Release Angelic Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 A Meeting With Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 Cooking for God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 Bless the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Purging Ourselves of Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 What Is Sin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174 When God Shows Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 In What Form Do Angels Come to Us? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 Chapter 16: ANGELS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Chapter 17: OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185 Bill’s Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186 Hearing Your Angel Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187 Can We Hinder the Work of Angels? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188 To Know the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 When Do You Not Hear From Angels? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 The Word of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191 The Goal of Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192 Our Guardian Angels as Invisible Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192 Angels Alongside Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194 You’re a Living Epistle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195

Chapter 18: LEARNING TO THINK IN THE SUPERNATURAL . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Is There a Formula for Talking With Angels? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 The Mount of Transfiguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 A Soulish Reaction to a Miracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 The Place of Surrender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 Breaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 God’s Audible Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201 Deaf Miracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Chapter 19: OUR SOUL AND HIS DIVINE NATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203 Your Angels and Your Kingdom Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204 Repentance as a Way of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206 Chapter 20: COME BACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209 Chapter 21: DREAMS, VISIONS, AND REVELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Ezekiel—“Strengthened by God” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Zechariah—“The Lord Remembers” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Angels in Our Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217 Chapter 22: ANGELS IN HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 Historical Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223 Be Aware of the Biases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Who Told Adam and Eve That They Were Naked? . . . . . . . . . .226 Daniel, a Man of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226 A Pastor’s Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Chapter 23: GOD’S ANGEL GOES BEFORE YOU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 Moses’ Impossible Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 Following God’s Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 Angels and the Spoken Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234 Is It Too Much to Ask? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 Chapter 24: PROPHECY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237

Chapter 25: FIFTY THINGS GOD’S ANGELS AREN’T AND DON’T DO . . . .239 Chapter 26: A CLOSE LOOK AT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGELS . . . .243 Do Angels Have Personalities? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 Accepted by Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249 Are Demons Smart? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250 Chapter 27: THE FIRE OF GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 Isn’t That How It’s Supposed to Be? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 Caught Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254 Chapter 28: GREATER WORKS THAN THESE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257 The Real You, Like Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 Imagine This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259 Expect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260 Chapter 29: THAT DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263 Chapter 30: THE FINAL WAR WITH THE ANGELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 ANGEL REFERENCES IN THE BIBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

For Sam

ENDORSEMENTS My attention was fully captured as I read Marie Chapian’s book, Angels in Our Lives. Yours will be too. Her refreshing writing style and the obvious revelation she carries on the subject draws your heart to question, to explore and to embrace these wonderful Kingdom realities. Read…and then expect…angels in your life! —Patricia King Author, Light Belongs in the Darkness Founder, Extreme Prophetic

Marie Chapian’s Angels in Our Lives is a powerful book that will challenge you to pursue a deeper, faith-filled relationship with the living God. Through her inspiring personal accounts with angels and her extensive knowledge of the Word, her book catapults faith in the supernatural and gives deep insight into the realities of the heavenly realm. —Ché Ahn Senior Pastor Harvest Rock Church

INTRODUCTION

NGELS were at God’s side cheering and praising Him at the creation of the world. Angels were there when Adam fled the Garden, when Noah built the ark, when Moses walked into the court of Pharaoh and demanded that he should let God’s people go. Angels have seen every birth, every marriage, and every death. They know all about cult religions and tribal battles. There isn’t a fight or a bloody dispute they haven’t seen. Angels are at christenings, baptisms, deathbeds, treaty signings, and wars. They are our heavenly co-workers and friends who serve the Lord day and night, century upon century, eon upon eon. Over 5,000 years old, they’ve seen it all. They never tire and they never give up. They are our guides, protectors, Heaven’s news reporters, and our friends. When I talk about angels, I discover the majority of people have the impression that angels are creatures on the order of invisible elves who are going about performing miracles whenever they feel like it. Angels are credited for everything from finding a good parking space and a five-dollar bill in the weeds to saving a child from drowning. We also hear of these invisible beings in reports of near-death experiences when they appear as winged creatures in shining white robes. Much speculation has been made about the world of the supernatural, and particularly about angels, but today the Lord is preparing us for a time when much more will be required of us than our human theories and conjectures. In order to know the created world, both visible and invisible, we must know the Creator of those worlds. The Bible tells us that we must not focus our attention on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seen, because the things which are seen

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are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal. (See 2 Corinthians 4:18.) God wants the eyes of our spirit to be open to see beyond the natural realm into the realm of His Spirit. He wants us to see the ministry of angels and to cooperate with what they’re doing on the earth today. He wants us to partner with His heavenly host in bringing His will to pass on the earth and in Heaven. Our guide is the Word of God, which saves us from speculation. Grounded on what God Himself tells us about Himself and His heavenly host, the Bible gives us solid footing for our journey. God is reaching out to us, and He is eager to bless us every mile of the way. Supernatural wonders are taking place, and His Holy Spirit is being unleashed around the globe in a fresh, new wave of power and glory. God is calling us to partake of and participate in all He is doing today. “I am a fellow servant of yours,” the angel told John on the Isle of Patmos. In other words, the angel said, “I am here to co-labor with you and with your brothers and sisters, the prophets, and all those who do the words of this book.” The is time for us to join forces with Heaven’s host and learn of God as He presents Himself in His Word. I know you want more of God. You want supernatural manifestations of the love and splendor of God in your personal life, your family, your work, and your ministry. You want it all. I write this book to encourage you to take this miracle path God is opening up before you. As you read, you’ll follow a Scripture path to understand the nature and acts of angels and the heavenly host. I’ll share some very humble experiences of my own and some inspiring experiences of others who live in the dimension of the supernatural. I pray that your heart and mind will open up to a revelatory understanding of the angelic realm and of its Captain and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. I know you want Heaven to open in your life. Please allow this little book to help expose this to you by showing you the way.

PROLOGUE

N the Presence of the Lord we find ourselves wordless. We’re overcome. A magnitude of incomprehensible beauty surrounds us as all portals of Heaven resound with a brightness that reverberates with the magnificence of: Perfect love. Perfect peace. Perfect beauty. Perfect perfection. Perfect ecstasy.

Glory is now a word that speaks of mystery, for in God’s Presence we’re groaning with the bliss of seeing the unknowable, of caressing the breath of the unutterable. “Jesus?” we whisper.“Jesus?” “Here am I.”

We’re shocked silly at the sound of His voice. We feel ourselves disintegrate in the radiance of such a sound. His eyes are explosions ripping into our faces. Our heads become small torches. Our bodies jerk, stunned, singed by fire. We cower, we shiver, and we want to cry for help. But to whom do we cry? Our ears have turned to trumpets. Our hands to lighted cities.

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Our feet to ships lost at sea. “Did you not call?”

I am certain my ears will snap off my head. I don’t know if I’m standing or hanging in the air. Angels cry out in voices of thunder. I am on my knees now. Every unconfessed sin I’ve committed flies before my nose like a flock of black crows. I’m emptying out fast. I’m dying of spirit-hunger. Is the glory of God killing me?

In His Presence is fullness of joy, say the Scriptures. (See Psalm 16:11.) But… In the cities of our darkness we once cried into the palms of our hands,“Where are you, God?” We cried and cried.

And now He answers. Not with death, but with life, with a pledge and seal to keep us forever in the fire of His eye, as angels cover sky and earth. I shrink beneath the canopy of their eyes. He answers! He answers, and opening the heavens to us, calls out, “Enter!” The angels, shining in His light, reach out their hands for ours. God calls once more and I have found my eternity. “Enter.”

chapter 1

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hundred million angels accompany me as I journey through the years of my life. It’s a distinctive joy to the angels when each of God’s children follows their urging to visit the heavenly realm in our human state. There, in the heavenly realm, I meet with and walk with the Lord Jesus. I experience the glory and purpose of God, the Father, beyond my finite understanding. Christians pray for heavenly visitations; we pray for miracles, deliverance, healings, signs, and wonders—and will God answer our prayers? We know from His Word that He wants to answer our prayers. Is there a catch? A secret? When our prayers are to a god (with a small g) whom we can understand and control, a god (or genie) we can order around to do our bidding and bring to fruition all our hopes and dreams, we are continually disappointed. Confronted face- to-face with the power of the living God, we discover that He answers only that which glorifies Him. God must be glorified. Period. My life must glorify Him. Period. How can I glorify Him if I don’t know Him? God longs for us to know Him. Knowing Him, I cannot help but love Him. When I enter His Presence, I enter the very essence of His nature; I enter His heart’s nucleus of perfected love. In His Presence, encased in so unspeakable a privilege, my spirit takes wing to join His Holy Spirit and in a miraculous fusion, I become one with the love that calls His own to abide in that marvelous place forever. God wants us to love His Presence. I think of the biblical account of the Israelites in the wilderness who couldn’t tolerate the Presence of God when He came to them in His

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glory on Mount Sinai. (See Exodus 20:18-19.) The Israelites cried out in terror to Moses, “No! You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us directly, lest we die!” The Presence of God nearly did them in. But why did the Presence nearly do them in? Why not Moses? Why could Moses bask in the Presence of God and not be fried to a crisp? Why is it that Moses could talk with God directly as a friend? What was the secret? I believe the answer is that Moses loved the Presence of God. He welcomed God’s Presence, he lived for His Presence. God wants us to love His Presence, and He wants us to ache for, live for, adore, and passionately love His presence. Think of it. Moses was a man totally uninitiated in the ways of the living God, Yahweh, who spoke to him first from a burning bush. In spite of his lack of knowing the living God, Moses listened. I wonder how many other people God had spoken to who wouldn’t listen—or, rather, couldn’t hear? Maybe the soulish mind of reason impeded these people’s spiritual ability to hear God’s voice. (“But a bush can’t speak. I must be dreaming.”—“Water from a rock? Ha!”—“Manna from heaven? Never.”— “God can talk to me face to face, personally? That’s ridiculous.”) Think of the countless ways we halt the hand of God from touching or moving us upward in levels of faith that supersede reason and decorum. What keeps us from levels of faith so dynamic that nothing of this earth can diminish, tarnish, or discourage us again? Our angels, God’s special messenger agents, are at our side ready to usher us into deeper revelation, wisdom, and experience, as well as to help us to gain understanding and power in the Holy Spirit. The Lord has so much more to tell us, to show us. He has so much more for us to learn and experience, and for us to give and be. God loves to give. The supernatural realm of God’s giving heart is waiting for us to enter. Study Scripture and you will see that what is called holy on earth always refers to a divine relationship. His heart is open for us to enter. He wants to become one with us. When we are fused into His heart, His

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love utterly saturates us. We are no longer tugging along in life on our own. We are no longer fussing about what’s what and how-to and what-for on our own. We’re transformed. Call it being born again. We’re saved from ourselves and our tiny, pinched picture of the Big Picture. In Christ Jesus: At last I find my real self. At last I find my real intelligence. At last I find my real talents. At last I find my real beauty. At last I live my holy destiny.

What God calls holy on earth has purpose and destiny that begin with His will and my obedience. The fragrance of His holiness carries me through every pitfall and hardship because I know Him and live in Him. And still, there is more. I am but a babe in the school of the Holy Spirit. The messenger angels we read of in the Bible arrive with the words, “Be not afraid…” and, as I enter into the Presence of God with my soul and spirit yielded to Him, His Holy Spirit fills me and I, unafraid, am ready, hungry, and willing to receive all He has for me.