What gives us the right to command angels?
I have attended many meetings that people, during prayer, begin commanding angels to do this, that, and the other thing. This has caused disturbance in my own spirit. At first, it did not make sense that I felt uneasy about the things being said. In fact, there were times prior to that I would pray the same way but as I grew closer to the Lord, He began to show me in scripture that we take our petitions to the Lord. He showed me clearly in scripture the domain of which man was given. We were commanded to rule over the earth. The more time I spent in scripture, the more I began to see that angels are with us to help and protect us. They are subjective only to God's command. Period.
I used to attend intercession prayer calls. The firm commanding of angels to do the bidding from a person caused me to be uneasy. I eventually stopped attending the prayer calls. Only recently, have I begun to hear people command angels while praying. Once again, it caused me to perk up and listen intently as it was disturbing to me. I do not want or intend to be divisive. Rather, the ability to be in one accord, unified, there is a need to look carefully at the scripture and allow it to mold how we behave and think.
As I began to contemplate putting down on paper my position, a timely feed came across my phone. It was a story by a man who says he has been having visitation from the Lord and angels since 1986. How ironic is that? During one of this visitations, he asked the Lord if we were allowed to command angels? He said, the Lord looked at him and smiled. He then said, you don't even know how to pray as your should. What makes you think you can tell and angel what to do?
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The reference about not knowing how to pray comes from Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
There are no instances in Scripture where humans gave angels commands, either in their own name or in Jesus’ name. There are no passages where man has control over the work of the angels. We do know that they are beings of higher rank, since Jesus had to make Himself “lower than the angels” in order to be born and suffer as a man
It is my opinion based on scripture the teaching that believers have control over angels is false. The following biblical principles show that angels do not obey the commands of men:
Moses spoke of when the children of Israel “cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry, and sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt” (Numbers 20:16). The Israelites did not command an angel to come to them. They appealed to God, under whose command the angels function.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Daniel 3:17-18). God in His mercy “sent his angel and rescued his servants!” (Daniel 3:28). The three Hebrews did not summon the angel of the Lord. God sent him. God later “sent his angel” to deliver Daniel from the mouths of the lions in their den (Daniel 6:22).
The church in Jerusalem prayed for Peter when he was in prison (Acts 12:5). When Peter was delivered, he testified, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating” (Acts 12:11).
The Christians praying for Peter were so surprised when he came to their door that they almost did not let him in. Certainly, they had not commanded any angel to rescue him.
Angels are called God’s “holy angels,” who do His bidding, not ours (Mark 8:38; Revelation 14:10).
Matthew 26:51-53 51And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
Jesus sets the example of how we are to live our life and to know our place in relation to God, our Father. Jesus makes very clear that He does not command angels. He says that he can appeal to His Father and the Father would send angels.
Revelations 3:5 The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Jesus, once again, makes clear that the angels belong to God. They do not belong to us to command. They belong exclusively to the God.
Psalm 103:19-22 19The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! Bless the LORD, all you His angels, You who serve Him, doing His will. Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, my soul!
Some will argue that this passage is where humans are given the right to command angels. I am having trouble coming to that conclusion. This passage of scripture establishes that all things are initiated in heaven, not earth. The angels, once again, are said to belong to the Father. Therefore, their assignment is initiated in heaven, by God, not from earth.
Psalms 91:11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you, To protect you in all your ways.
- God does the commanding. Angels obey the command.
Luke 4:10-11 For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You
to guard You carefully; and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.”
- Satan used the scriptures to tempt Jesus. Satan confirms that God does the commanding of His own angels.
How do we handle situations where there is an awareness in the spirit that angels are about to do something? I believe this happens when we are operating in the spirit and are in alignment (in tune) with God's will.
A man said he once was having a conversation with an angel. One of the things the angel said was quite interesting. We only know God as the creator. You know God as savior. Wow!
As I began to contemplate putting down on paper my position, a timely feed came across my phone. It was a story by a man who says he has been having visitation from the Lord and angels since 1986. How ironic is that? During one of this visitations, he asked the Lord if we were allowed to command angels? He said, the Lord looked at him and smiled. He then said, you don't even know how to pray as your should. What makes you think you can tell and angel what to do?
---
The reference about not knowing how to pray comes from Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
There are no instances in Scripture where humans gave angels commands, either in their own name or in Jesus’ name. There are no passages where man has control over the work of the angels. We do know that they are beings of higher rank, since Jesus had to make Himself “lower than the angels” in order to be born and suffer as a man
It is my opinion based on scripture the teaching that believers have control over angels is false. The following biblical principles show that angels do not obey the commands of men:
Moses spoke of when the children of Israel “cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry, and sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt” (Numbers 20:16). The Israelites did not command an angel to come to them. They appealed to God, under whose command the angels function.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Daniel 3:17-18). God in His mercy “sent his angel and rescued his servants!” (Daniel 3:28). The three Hebrews did not summon the angel of the Lord. God sent him. God later “sent his angel” to deliver Daniel from the mouths of the lions in their den (Daniel 6:22).
The church in Jerusalem prayed for Peter when he was in prison (Acts 12:5). When Peter was delivered, he testified, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating” (Acts 12:11).
The Christians praying for Peter were so surprised when he came to their door that they almost did not let him in. Certainly, they had not commanded any angel to rescue him.
Angels are called God’s “holy angels,” who do His bidding, not ours (Mark 8:38; Revelation 14:10).
Matthew 26:51-53 51And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
Jesus sets the example of how we are to live our life and to know our place in relation to God, our Father. Jesus makes very clear that He does not command angels. He says that he can appeal to His Father and the Father would send angels.
Revelations 3:5 The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Jesus, once again, makes clear that the angels belong to God. They do not belong to us to command. They belong exclusively to the God.
Psalm 103:19-22 19The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! Bless the LORD, all you His angels, You who serve Him, doing His will. Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, my soul!
Some will argue that this passage is where humans are given the right to command angels. I am having trouble coming to that conclusion. This passage of scripture establishes that all things are initiated in heaven, not earth. The angels, once again, are said to belong to the Father. Therefore, their assignment is initiated in heaven, by God, not from earth.
Psalms 91:11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you, To protect you in all your ways.
- God does the commanding. Angels obey the command.
Luke 4:10-11 For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You
to guard You carefully; and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.”
- Satan used the scriptures to tempt Jesus. Satan confirms that God does the commanding of His own angels.
How do we handle situations where there is an awareness in the spirit that angels are about to do something? I believe this happens when we are operating in the spirit and are in alignment (in tune) with God's will.
A man said he once was having a conversation with an angel. One of the things the angel said was quite interesting. We only know God as the creator. You know God as savior. Wow!
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