Angels, Pt.5

ANGELS ARE MESSENGERS

Over and over again in Scripture we see angels showing up with a message from God for God’s people. Gideon was hiding from the Midianites, when an angel of the Lord showed up with a very important MESSAGE. You can win this battle because God is with you, you are a mighty warrior.

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12 NIV)

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31 NIV)

WHAT DO ANGELS DO?

ANGELS PROVIDE YOU WITH DIRECTION

There was this teenage girl named Mary. She was engaged to a guy named Joseph. Mary got pregnant, the only problem was that she was still a virgin, and more important to everyone else was that she wasn’t even married yet. Can you imagine the scene? “Umm, Joseph, I have good news. I am pregnant.” Joseph replise, “But we aren’t even married yet, you couldn’t wait for me? How could you do this to me?” Mary says, “No, don’t worry, Joseph, an angel told me that it was the Holy Spirit who got me pregnant.”

Like any other sane person Joseph is thinking of a way to break off the whole thing. He is ashamed that his bride to be is pregnant with someone else’s child. He is about to make the biggest mistake of his life though, he wants to end the engagement, but God has bigger plans for Joseph and Mary.

Isn’t it amazing how God chooses his entry into this world: TEENAGE PREGNANCY OUT OF WEDLOCK, A STABLE WITH SMELLY ANIMALS, AND NOBODY AROUND TO REALLY ANNOUNCE HIS ENTRANCE BUT SOME SHEPHERDS WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Mat 1:20 NIV)

WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH UNBELIEVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES, GOD WILL GIVE YOU DIRECTION AND HE MAY SEND AN ANGEL TO DELIVER IT.

The angel says, “DO NOT BE AFRAID”. I am telling you, the closer we get to Jesus and his dream for our lives and the mission for His church we are going to HEAR THAT PHRASE A LOT BECAUSE GOD’S MISSION IS SCARY, IT IS RISKY. GOD’S MISSION FOR OUR CHURCH IN THIS WORLD IS DANGEROUS – DO NOT BE AFRAID.

So many of us are afraid to TAKE THAT NEXT STEP IN THE WAY OF JESUS, we are afraid of people ridiculing us or misunderstanding us, DO NOT BE AFRAID, IT IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD WHO NOW LIVES WITHIN YOU. We are afraid of losing our jobs if we really cling tightly to what God has called us to – DO NOT BE AFRAID. We are afraid of losing our girlfriend or boyfriend now that we are followers of Christ – DO NOT BE AFRAID.