Angels Watching Over Me by Bryan Craig
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. - Psalm 34:7
There is an old Amy Grant song that still sticks with me. It is called “Angels Watching Over Me” and it recounts the story of Peter being rescued by an angel in Acts 12 and she goes on to sing about different ways she sees God’s angels protecting her every day. This is such an interesting topic to me and one that is usually not mentioned. However, angels are mentioned in many places in the Old and New Testament so I hardly think we should ignore their existence.
As I consider how God has utilized his army of angels, the first thing I think about is the fact that they are Messengers. So many times, angels are recorded as coming to God’s people with special messages. Think of Jacob, who was on the run from his calling, even wrestling with God at one point, who is given a dream of a big staircase with angels moving up and down and the Lord speaking to him about his anointing and leadership. There is Gideon, who an angel spoke to about being a mighty warrior, when he felt weak and timid. It was an angel who also comforted a pregnant, distraught Hagar when she was shunned by Sarai and who told her to return to Abram. And we know of the stories of Zecariah, the priest, who was told by an angel that he would have a son in his old age, speaking of John the Baptist. And there was Mary, whom an angel told about her immaculate conception and about the Lord Jesus. And it was an angel who encouraged Joseph not to divorce her.
Another role of angels is that of Protectors. It was angels who guarded the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were banished from it. They had to protect it from unholiness. One of my favorite stories about angelic protection is when Elisha was surrounded by the Syrian army and his servant was panicking. We read:
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-18 ESV
This was just one of many examples of an army of angels fighting the battles for God’s people, and they did not even have to fight.
And as Amy Grant referenced in her song, there is a great story of Peter being put in prison. This was very serious as James, John’s brother, had just been put to death. The believers were gathered at a home and earnestly praying. You’ve got to read it:
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” Acts 12:6-11 ESV
A funny follow-up to this story is when Peter goes to the house where they were praying for his rescue. When the servant girl answers the door and tells the people that it’s Peter at the door, they don’t believe her. Little did they know, God answered their prayers for Peter’s protection in real time!
Just a few more thoughts about the protection and power of angels. Psalm 91:11 says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” And when Jesus was in the Garden on the night He was arrested, he makes mention of angels after Peter struck one of the guards with his sword: “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?’” Matthew 26:52-53 ESV
The last observation I want to make about angels is the fact that they are Ministers. It was angels who ministered to our Lord Jesus as he was tempted and tormented 40 days in the desert and also who comforted him in the Garden of Gethsemane. There is debate about whether we actually have a “guardian angel” assigned to us personally, but there is evidence that angels work on a very personal level.
“Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.” Hebrews 1:14 NLT
When Jesus is talking about children, he says: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 ESV Yes, He says “their” angels, which is a possessive pronoun. Or back to the Peter rescue story. When they didn’t believe the servant girl about Peter being at the door, they speculated, “It is his angel!” Acts 12:15 ESV Once again, they used the personal pronoun, as if to say that an individual has an angel.
So, what to do with these thoughts about angels? I, for one, find them very encouraging and strengthening. Whether or not I have an angel assigned to me doesn’t matter, though I would love that. But angels are real and powerful and they visit us in dreams and sometimes in person, though we may not recognize them.
“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” Hebrews 13:2 NLT
It’s comforting to know that His angels are all around and speaking to us and watching over us. I believe the more we abide in Christ, the more our eyes are opened to see the spiritual realm behind this world, where angels tread. We will discover these Messengers, these Protectors, these Ministers are near.
I pray, like Elisha did for his servant, “Lord open our eyes that we may see.” Then, when we are in scary, difficult situations, we will have eyes to see the angelic forces that have been dispatched to help us. Yes, His angels are watching over us.