ANGELIC HOSTS
Revivalist Todd Bentley

Through this article, I pray that heaven, the second heaven and the realm of the invisible would become more real to you. I'm asking the Father that heavenly glory would touch your life along with the spirit of prophecy. I pray that God would give you divine wisdom and revelation to see and experience Him in the reality of the supernatural. I believe that God will open the windows of heaven for you as you read and that, just as in the old Maria Woodworth-Etter meetings, He will give you glimpses into the supernatural realm through visions and trances. Recently we've seen individuals taken into the same vision at the same time and whole church services that have been overcome with a Spirit of prophecy. God wants to remove the veil that is on the eyes of our heart and open up the reality of the supernatural so that we can see the release of signs prophets. So I'm asking God to release the seer anointing to you as you read this article so that you can even see the angelic hosts.

Today I want to focus the teaching on the angelic realm and how you can release angels to fulfill God's word. Recently, I had several daily visitations of angels which lasted for weeks. Since the beginning of this year I've also sensed an increase in the presence of angels in our meetings. Many others have reported to me of increase of spiritual activity in their lives too. During a meeting in Salt Lake city, I had a vision in which a hole opened up in heaven and I saw an open-eye vision of angels of God ascending into heaven and descending into the service, bringing eyes and wings (the seer anointing). The Lord spoke to me about the increase of the prophetic and of angelic activity in America. We're in need of reinforcements in the Western Church to neutralize the demonic assignments and backlash that is causing pastors and leaders to burn out. I believe that this message will prophetically call forth reinforcements in the angelic realm and bring healing to many who are under attack.


OPENING OUR EYES TO THE ANGELIC REALM

God also wants to reopen the spiritual realm to those who have at one time had angelic encounters but were afraid because they didn't understand that level of prophetic revelation. Some of you have had frequent heavenly experiences but didn't know who to tell or what to do with it. Others have been shut down and have been afraid to speak about prophetic encounters. Today, in the spirit, God wants to release a new freedom to experience and talk about supernatural encounters. It's OK to have visitations of the Lord. It's OK to have visions, trances and encounters with angels. Today you'll learn about the activity of angels and their place in the Scripture. As a result, you are going to come under the anointing that God wants to put on our lives to walk in the supernatural on a daily basis. God wants to put an anointing on us to release signs and wonders, not just physical healing and miracles. He wants our lives to be prophetic messages which carry supernatural substance. I want to pray for you before I continue:


Holy Spirit, come. Father let there be a release of angelic activity. I ask for the angels, the angels of intercession and healing, the different angels we see in your word Father. I ask for angels to be released to every one reading this. Let these ministering spirits come from your throne God. Let this whole angelic realm become more real to the body of Christ because we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. We need to see into the invisible realm. Thank You Lord for answering this prayerin the name of Jesus, Amen.


First, I'm going to describe different angels and some experiences I have had with these beings. At times I've had visitations from a healing angel like the one which stirred the waters at the pool of Bethesda. I've also had an angel by the name of Revelation visit me. This angel came to me looking like a pillar of light. Its personality is like Wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Every time this angel has come to me, he has come like a child. Although innocent like a child, this angel possessed strength, authority and power. At times, it will actually come like the Spirit of truth and bring me into different visions and prophetic experiences. Now, you need to realize that I didn't go looking for an angel. I didn't say, "Hey angels, come to my house."

A SCRIPTURAL GRID FOR THE SUPERNATURAL

However, I have developed a spiritual grid and understanding which has made that realm more accessible to me.  I have studied the bible and had a revelation of how real that unseen realm is from the beginning to the end the book. I have also asked God to send angels to work in my life and ministry: "God, I love to feel the presence of the angels that are around your throne. Your word says that angels encamp around those who fear You. I would like to feel that angels are encamping around me. It would be great to have the experience of what I know I have because the Bible says I have it. It would be awesome to feel the angelic presence in my house and meetings and to have others in meetings say, 'Man, there were angels in that service.'"

When I'm aware of the activity and ministry of angels, I become more aware of the supernatural, and it becomes easy to release all the miracles, healings and other stuff that God wants to do. In our busy world full of entertainment, work, bills and family, it is easy to forget all about the supernatural, even though we have heard about it. But God wants us to set our minds on the supernatural, the things above, not the natural realm. Through this teaching, I want to help you develop a deep heavenly consciousness. Realize that we are not talking about worshipping angels. We worship God. However, in order for the invisible realm to open for us, we need to talk about all the supernatural stuff in the Bible. We need this realm to become supernaturally natural.

Our world has an increased interest in the supernatural and in angels. Think about it! How many different angels do we have out there? They've got the fat chubby little angels and angels with big wings. You can buy all kinds of angel ornaments and angel pictures in the store and go home and watch the show Touched By An Angel on TV. Even though I've never seen an angel that has ever looked anything like the world portrays, it is interesting that people are becoming extremely interested in these beings. I believe it is time that we, the church, begin to talk about, and portray the true, God-given angelic realm.


WHAT ANGELS LOOK LIKE

By now you may be wondering what angels really look like. Well, I've had angels come as shimmering pillars of light with such brightness about their person that I couldn't make out the details. I had another angel come to me looking like he was about 6' 4" tall with 24" biceps. He was cut with rippling muscles and wore a golden sash about his waist. He had blond, shoulder-length hair and blue eyesthe hunk of hunks. We are talking better than Fabio, OK. Another time I had a similar-looking angel come to mehe was young and in his early twenties. I said, "God is that like me in the spirit?" He said, "No Son, it's an angel."

What about the appearance of angels in the bible? Well, the bible tells us that the angel Gabriel looked like a man. Yes, many angelic visitors look like men. I once had an angelic visitation, I believe, in a Mac's convenience store. I had told these guys in the store about Jesus once before - they were laughing, mocking, scoffing, drug addicts. One guy was an atheist. One of them, an atheist, standing with his buddies, began to scoff at me saying, "Look, it's the guy who came in here last week telling me about Jesus. What do you guys think about Jesus?" They were all drunk, stoned or smoking cigarettes, wearing AC/DC or Motley Crew T-shirts: "We don't believe in angels and God and all that crazy stuff and blah blah blah." Nothing would have convinced these hardened skeptics besides the power of God.

Suddenly, I fell under the power in the convenience store and, on all fours, roared like a lion. Then the shop clerk ran with fear and dived behind the counter with the two dope heads right behind him. By now, the entire atmosphere had changed. Then the atheist gets up, points his finger at me, and says, "Is that your God?" At that moment, this dirty bum comes walking into the store with two bags of bottles or something, puts them up on the counter and says, "You guys, listen to what these guys are telling you. Everything these guys are telling you is true." He gets his money and walks out of the store.

AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE

The first thing I thought when I looked at my friend was, "That was an angel." He was thinking the same thing. My wife and her girlfriend were waiting in the car and watching what was going on in the store. When we got into the vehicle my wife said nobody went in the store and nobody came out. This particular angel, I'm convinced, came looking like a bum. (He was like Angelo, the street person, who was given a privileged place in heaven, in Rick Joyner's book, The Final Quest.) So, angels do come looking like men at times. Sometimes they look like heavenly beings, while at other times they're 6" 4', blue-eyed blondes, with 24-inch biceps. The bible also describes other angels in the third heaven who look totally different than these angels.

Angels are common and very real throughout Scripture and are becoming more and more common for Christians today. In the bible, we read about an angel visiting Peter in prison. While in the lion's den, Daniel had a visitation of an angel. Also, Joshua, Gideon and Zachariah had angelic visitations. What about Jesus? Jesus had a visitation of angels at his birth after His 40-day fast, at His betrayal and when He was arrested. Angels visited Jesus at His resurrection and His ascension and they will be present again at his second coming. Did you know that angels were important in the ministry of Jesus? Why did angels visit Jesus so often at vital times in His life? Sometimes the presence or visitation of an angel in a place is to express God's favor and to endorse whatever is happening at the time. That's why, in recent years, angels have been sighted during supernatural outpourings like in Albany, Oregon during the healing revival and in other places in the Pacific North West and California.


AN ANGEL CALLED HEALING REVIVAL

I first saw the angel called Healing Revival on December 5 of 2000 in Grant's Pass. The angel came to me again in Albany the next February. He stood in the church service with his body going through the ceiling of the church. Then the Lord told me the angel's name and that he was the same angel I saw in Grant's Pass earlier. God also revealed to me that this angel was involved in the ministry of John Lake, William Branham, and John Knox in Scotland. This angel, the Lord said, is from the North West Healing Revival and is manifesting again as a sign that God is restoring the Voice of Healing revival and opening up the ancient wells.

In our ministry over the last year, this angel has come frequently and on many different occasions. When He comes I get a gift - the ability to diagnose people's sicknesses with my left hand. At times this angel brings words of knowledge; I get very accurate details from God including people's first, middle and last names as well as nicknames, the year they were injured, the color of their vehicle and the state they are from. Many other people have also seen or had contact with this angel in the meetings. And whenever this angel shows up the miracles go off the charts. Instead of a few healings, we'll get three blind eyes in one night or maybe a cripple guy gets out of a wheel chair.

I believe the angel showed up in Albany as a sign that God was endorsing what was taking place and that it was opening up a healing well. Everywhere I have seen this angel the miracles continue after I leave and a healing well is established in that church and in that city. When that angel visits, we have another John 5 Pool of Bethesda experience as God releases His approval. That is why God repeatedly visits Jesus throughout His lifeto place His stamp of approval on every stage. After we start to examine this topic, it's easy to see how important angels were throughout Scripture.


SEEING THE ANGELIC ARMY

A story in 2 Kings 6:14 illustrates the importance of angels for God's people. Here we see Elisha and his servant trapped in a city. The King of Syria is angry because the prophet went into the King's bedroom, found out his secrets and wrecked his plans for war against Israel. We pick up the story in verse 14: "Therefore he (the King) sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city (where Elisha was)." Think about it-they must have had a great army. They surrounded the whole city with horses and chariots, ready to siege the city where little Elisha is sitting in his hotel room with his disciple. Now look at the following verses:

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas my master, what shall we do?" So he (Elisha) answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those that are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then 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 6:15-17)

In this story, two things were happening in the spiritual realm. First, the prophet was aware that He had a greater army on his side. In the same way, we need to have a spiritual consciousness everyday that those who are for us are greater than those who are against us. We need a revelation of that angelic realm at all times so we know we have somebody backing us up. That heavenly realm was so real to Elisha that he wasn't worried about that huge army with its horses and chariots arrayed against him. He wasn't worried about what he saw in the natural realm because he could see the heavenly realities. In that place he saw an angelic host far greater and more powerful than the king's army. The hills were covered with angelic horses and chariots. Elisha didn't trust in what his natural senses felt or saw; his mind wasn't on the temporal but on the eternal.

And you know, some of us forget that those who are for us are greater than those who are against us. We forget how abundant and how numerous the angelic hosts are in heaven. You know, if the Devil was to amass all his troops and every demon in hell was to come against you, they would still be outnumbered by the angels. One third of the angels were kicked out of heaven with Satan. However, God still has 2/3 of the angels. Not only does God have far more angelic forces, His angels also have far greater power. They see God's glory and carry His presence wherever they go.

ANGELIC STRUCTURE IN HEAVENLY PLACES

Now let's talk about the structure of the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 describes the demonic realm: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." This passage lists four structures in the invisible realm.

First, principalities are like the Prince of Persia that Daniel saw in chapter 10. Principalities preside over nations; they are geographical spirits and are the biggest demons. Next, the passage mentions powers, which might be ruling spirits over cities. The verse then lists rulers of darkness. These rulers are like army generals - they're commanders over the troops, just as in the natural realm generals oversee the military action of the marines, the Green Berets or the special operations divisions. Finally, the scripture speaks of the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. These demons are the soldiers, the evil spirits that do what the general tells them.

The Kingdom of Heaven, I believe, is structured like the demonic realm with angels over nations, angels over cities, angels that are commanders over the troops and angels (part of the angelic host) who act as the regular troops or soldiers. These structures exist in the heavenly place, which is also known as the second heaven. In order of command, the hosts are under the general, the general answers to the power and the powers take their orders from the principalities. The ones that oversee the principalities are called archangels. That is why, in Daniel 10, Michael the archangel comes to deal with the Prince of Persia, a demonic principality. The archangel is the highest ranking officer in heaven.

Many bible scholars believe that Gabriel is an archangel and that so was Lucifer before he was thrown out of heaven. But the Bible doesn't specifically say that. The only archangel specifically mentioned in scripture is Michael. He is mentioned four times in scripture. Every time we read about Michael, he is involved in spiritual warfare. He is the ruling big chief over spiritual warfare in the heavenly places.
Understand that the heavenly arena is structured because it is a place. The spirit realm, or the second heaven, is a real physical place. The Bible talks about the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12. So if there is a third heaven, there has got to be a second heaven.

The second heaven is the supernatural heavenly realm. The third heaven is the place that God dwells, which is also called paradise. I believe the second heaven is the realm in Ephesians 6 where the demonic forces and the angelic armies operate. The book of Colossians also speaks of these structures of authority in the spiritual realm: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col. 1:16)" Above all these heavenly structures sits Jesus, the Great Commander of the Hosts. He is the Lord of the armies, the Chief, the commander of the army of the Lord. He is also the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and God of Gods.

PROPHESYING ANGELIC VISITATION

As you read this message, let's believe that your eyes can be opened and that you can begin to experience the glory realm right now. Don't just get a bunch of information and say, "Wow, this is a great message on angels." Be praying, "Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my heart and let the angels come right now. Let me feel the presence of angels, let me see the angels and let angelic activity be released here now." You know why it is important to talk about heavenly things?  Because we actually call forth those things that are not as though they were. As I speak out the truths of the heavenly realm, I'm actually prophesying angelic visitation. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a visitation of an angel today or if you have a prophetic dream. Angels can come in the natural and they can quite often come in your dreams.

Now we've talked about the second heaven, we'll take a look at the third heaven, the glory realm, which I sometimes call the throne zone. There are also angelic ranks in this realm. We can read about the highest rank of angel, the Seraphim, in Isaiah's vision of God's throne:

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above it (the throne) stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory!'" (Isaiah 6:1-3)
From their place above the throne, these six-winged angels oversee the worship in heaven.

In Ezekiel 10 the Bible also describes angels called the cherubim which live around God's throne. They are the ones who cover and protect the Glory. The cherubim are found wherever the shekinah glory of God is. In scripture, we read about these angels above the mercy seat, moving with, and ministering in, God's glory. These angels are covered with all kinds of precious stones of many colors - they have four faces and four wings with the likeness of a man's hand under each wing. Scripture also speaks of angels called seraphim with six wings and full of eyes, front and back. Some of them look like beasts with four faces which look like a lion, a man, an ox and an eagle.

THRONE ROOM ANGELS IN WORSHIP

So you know what that means? When you come into a believer's meeting where God's people are praising Him, these throne room angels are present. God inhabits the praises of His people. If you were to have the eyes of your heart opened, you would see living creatures, Seraphim and Cherubim in the meeting. We need to ask the Lord to open the eyes of our heart to the throne zone, the glory realm. Every time you enter into worship you need to say, "God let me see the throne of God; let me experience Revelations 4:1." As you acknowledge the activity of angels, you will begin to experience the throne.

Recently, in the middle of a service in Iowa, the Lord took me into a prophetic experience which lasted until 11:30 at night. I wasn't even able to preach. During the middle of that service, I felt the Holy Spirit say, "Thank God for the Cherubim. Thank God for the Seraphim." Acknowledge their presence in your midst. And as soon as I began thanking the Lord for these angels, I began to have the prophetic experience. Think about this realm for a minute, think about four living creatures going around the throne, about thunders and lightning's and the faces of a man, ox, lion and eagle. Doesn't that sound like a fantasy movie? However, because this description of the throne room seems like fantasy to many of you, it's difficult for you to grasp what I'm talking about in this article. It seems out of this world to youit seems so Star Trek.

Often we can't experience this supernatural world because we spend most of our life in the natural. We don't hear many messages like this preached in the church so that the eyes of our heart can be opened. I sometimes experience this realm daily. Never more than a few days go by that I don't encounter third heaven and some kind of prophetic experience, at times it happens daily for months. Supernatural experiences have become part of daily Christianity for me. We have got to have the eyes of our heart opened. Many Christians today approach worship as singing some songs or as something to get through so the guy can get to the preaching or so they can get their healing and go home. They forget to take time to ask themselves: "What's going on in heaven right now as I worship? I wonder what it looks like. Who is in the room with me right now? If my eyes were open in the spirit, what would I see in the service right now?"

HEAVENLY THUNDER AND LIGHTENING

If believers would ask the Lord questions like these, many would begin to see living creatures, Cherubim and Seraphim or we would begin to experience thunder and lightening. These throne-room realities began to be revealed to me in the meeting in Iowa as I gave thanks to God for the angelic beings. I made a conscious effort to remember that angels are in the spirit realm. As soon as I did that, throughout the service people were caught up into prophetic experiences. People in the service either saw a vision, heard heaven or smelt, touched, felt or had some kind of supernatural experience. Many people literally began to see the same open-eyed vision while others began to have different visions. It didn't matter whether the lights were on or off or whether people's eyes were open or closed.

Even unsaved people in the meeting who were into Transcendental Meditation began to see the lightning's of God manifest in the physical realm. They saw lightning bolts zip across the room for two and a half hours. The congregation began to freak out. This prophetic download went on until 11:30 that night. It was the kind of thing you read about in the old Maria Woodworth-Etter meetings. Children coming into the service began to see angels. People began to scream out, "I'm in a trance and Jesus is coming to me" or others, all at the same time, would shout, "We are in a garden." Then I would see a lightening bolt and shout out, "Did you see it?" In response, many others would yell, "I saw it!" The lightning's of God were manifesting. The meeting became pandemonium for two and a half hours. Then the Lord spoke to me about the thunder and lightning which proceed from the throne. I said, "Do you know where we are right now guys? We are in the throne room."

In retrospect, I realize that the only thing to get us into the throne room was my conscious decision to think about what it looked like in the heavenlies at that moment in the service.[ ??? ] I had also begun to acknowledge the angelic realm. So it appears that there is something about the angelic host that brings spiritual experiences. Are you ready for these types of experiences today?!

HONORING THE ANGELIC REALM

You know, when you honor healing and preach healing you get healing! When you honor salvation and preach salvation, you get salvation. Did you know that? The Holy Spirit confirms the word with signs following. When you honor and talk about the supernatural or you honor and talk about angels, guess what starts showing up? Angels. You know why many of us don't live in the supernatural? It's because we don't have a mental understanding, openness or grid for it. We don't lift the level of our expectations of how much of God we can experience today. Somehow we have erected mental barriers or created limits for God's working in our lives.

Some people believe this realm of experience is only for the prophet and only for the Ezekiel's or the Isaiah's. However, God really does want us to enjoy this supernatural realm. If Elisha could pray that the eyes of his servant (just a young disciple) would be open to see the angels, I believe that I can pray that God would open up your eyes so that you can see what the prophets see. It's biblical. We can live in that place.

Now let's see what the book of Hebrews tells us about this fourth dimension:
And of the angels, he says, "Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:7, 14)

According to this passage, angels manifest as flames of fire and are ministering spirits sent to serve us. The minute you inherit salvation, angels are released into your life and ministry. In Hebrew the word minister means service, aid or relief.

EXAMINING WHAT ANGELS DO

Now I want to examine what angels do, how you can access their service in intercession and how to release them in your life, church, region and ministry. Now, from the book of Psalms, let me show you five things that angels do. "Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word." (Psalm 103:20)

Note that the first thing that angels do is bless the Lord. They are involved in worship. Next, angels do His word. Whatever the Father purposes, the angels do it. Because the word says, "He sent His word to deliver them from destruction," (Ps. 107:20) the angels job is to go and carry out that word. Because God's word is all about healing, angels must be involved in bringing healing. The angels don't do the healing, but they are involved in bringing healing. You'll see more miracles and healings in your life and ministry when you include angels. We need angels in healing because many sicknesses and diseases today are caused by demons. So we need angels to come and war and take authority over the demonic realm.

Thirdly, the most important thing angels do - they heed "the voice of His word," the word spoken by His saints on the earth. They heed His voice as it comes through His saints who declare His word on the earth. This means that, according to Jesus' words, what you do and don't do can bind and release heaven. Whatever you loose in heaven is loosed on earth, or whatever you bind on earth is bound in the heavens (Matt. 16:19). So as you and I proclaim, decree and prophecy God's will in a church and in a region, the angels carry out His word concerning His activities on the earth.

According to Psalm 103, angels are also involved in doing God's pleasure or doing what His desire is. Therefore, the fourth thing angels do is minister on God's behalf. Fifthly, angels also do His pleasure. Let's examine this a little bit furtherwhen the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden, in Mathew 26:53, he said that, as a son, He could pray to His Father and He would give him more than 12 legions of angels. Jesus knew that the angels were available to him. Jesus knew that the angels came to do His word and to heed the word of God's servants. Angels are commissioned to carry out the word that God's servants speak and prophecy.

ASKING THE FATHER FOR ANGELS

The key to getting angels into your ministry is not by directly inviting angels into your life but by praying to the Father. It's OK to ask the Father to bring angels into your life or your church and to let the manifestation of angels be known in your meetings. I believe that because Jesus could call for the angels, that as sons and daughters, we also have 12 legions of angels at our disposal. Like Jesus, we can pray to our Father. We've got to say "Father I thank you for the angels. Thank you for the Cherubim and for the Seraphim. I thank you that the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him. I thank you for the reality of angels from the beginning of the Bible to the end of the Bible. I thank you for the angels that bring forth your purposes. I thank you Father for the angels that protect me and the angels that are involved in the harvest. I thank you for the angels that are involved in the glory realm. Lord, let those angels come right now. Father I ask you for the angels that can take authority over the demonic powers and principalities that are in this room tonight so that I can release the miracles and so that I can release the healings."

The bible shows us that you and I are partners with the angels and what is going on in heaven. What goes on in heaven in the invisible, whether we are overcoming the works of darkness or whether we are being overcome, has something to do with our partnership on the earth with angels. That is why it is so important that we use angels in intercession and spiritual warfare. Let me give you one more example from Revelation 12:7: "War broke out in heaven. Michael and His angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought. But they did not prevail." The fact that the demonic forces didn't prevail means that they could've prevailed. However, not only did they not prevail, but they were routed, as we see in the rest of the passage:

nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. That great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and His angels were cast out with Him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the Accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:8-11)

PARTNERING WITH ANGELS IN WARFARE

Notice that they overcame him. The angels overcame him. The believers overcame him. This scripture illustrates a partnership in the warfare going on in heaven. Victory came by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony. They didn't love their lives even unto death. These are prophetic acts that give strength to the heavenly battle against the Devil and his angels. Through laying our lives down, appropriating the blood and declaring the word of our testimony, we overcome. The word that comes out of our mouths actually gives strength to the battle that is going on in heaven and destroys the enemy's works.

God is looking for partners who will proclaim, prophecy and pray into the heavenlies so that the angels can be released in the spirit and the angels can be released in the region to overcome the warfare. We have authority to release angels to work on our behalf through prayer. It's important that we learn to pray for the angels to come: "In my city, Oh God, we are under warfare. Father, I ask you for the angels right now. I want them to prevail." Everyday war rages in the second heavenwar for your soul, war for your house, war for your body and war for your money. We don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities. We are in a constant battle. We need to be sober and alert, understanding the reality of the demonic realm and the reality of the angelic realm. We need to understand that it is OK to say, "Father let the angels come right now and be involved in intercession, warfare and healing. Let the reinforcements come into the region." These angels, according to Psalm 103, are to do His word, which is His purpose and activity on the earth. But angels also carry out His word, which means that they are acting on what you say with the words that God has revealed to you. Angels partner with humans and with God's word in His people. We release His word into the spirit realm as prophetic decrees.


RELEASING ANGELS FOR SOUL WINNING

Another aspect of angels' roles, as we've already seen in Hebrews 1:14, is to minister to those who will inherit salvation. In other words, angels are involved in wining souls. So we can be more successful in soul winning if we simply say, "Father, I ask angels right now, to come into the region to gather the harvest. Let angels come right now to win souls in the North, East, South, and West of my city. Father I release the angels."

It is important that we release the angels if we don't, angels can be bound out of the battle. The Devil can be prevailing in his darkness in a region until we begin to release, bind and loose in heaven, and begin to pray to the Father to release the angelic hosts that we need as reinforcements. Scripture tells us that the god of this age is blinding hearts and minds, so there are times where souls can't be saved because of deep darkness that covers the earth. However, as we begin to prophesy, we can command the captive to come out of His prison and we can begin to prophesy salvation into our city and region saying, "Father, give us the reinforcements and give us the angels that we need. We release them right now. We acknowledge them in the region so they can come and help us get victory in warfare and so we can have the harvest."

Jesus talked about angels coming to gather the wheat (Rev. 14: 15). He commands the angels: "thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." God has assigned specific angels in heaven to world evangelism. As we pray to the Father, we can have an increase of harvest in our lives. That is one of the primary tasks of angels.

ANGELS HELP MINISTER STRENGTH AND HEALING

Another aspect of the angelic job description is that of ministering divine strength. When you are in a place of hardship, trial, warfare, suffering or you're burned out and beaten down, it is scriptural for angels to come and minister to you. They ministered to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and after His forty-day fast. They imparted divine strength and life to Him. For those of you who have been in the desert or under attack by the enemy, I pray that the angels will come and minister to you now.

Angels are also messengers. Quite often they come in your dreams like they came to Mary and Joseph.  They come and bring direction. Angels also operate in the area of healing. As I've already mentioned, the Voice of Healing angel has appeared several different times in the Pacific North West in recent years. Scripture also gives us an example of a healing angel. Often people think they've never heard of angels called Healing until I point them to John 5 where an angel came down at a certain season to stir the waters of the pool of Bethesda. Whenever the angel stirred the waters, whoever was first into the water would be healed.

Scripture also speaks of angels that bring divine protection. Everyone has a guardian angel and, according to Psalm 91, they lift us up so we don't dash our foot against a stone. They also help us "overcome the lion and the cobra." The Bible also says the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him (Psalm 34:7).

ANGELIC AWARENESS BRINGS BREAKTHROUGH

Now let me show you the angel that is involved in your prayers. If you could live in the reality of this message and see what is going on in heaven when you pray and worship, you would see far greater supernatural manifestations in your life. We are called to a life of signs and wonders. As we set our mind on things above rather that the temporal, God will open the eyes of our heart to the invisible realm. We need to ruthlessly rid ourselves of all the distractions of everyday life that keep us from real supernatural Christianity. Meditating on the unseen realm and hearing about this stuff lifts us into a place of walking in the spirit realm.

I live in a place of breakthrough because I am so aware of the angels that I can say, "Lord, let world-wide evangelistic angels come with me right now. I'm going to Uganda." Then I'll go to Uganda and they'll give me a press conference and access to every television station and all the major newspapers in the whole country. I'll go and preach and have an incredible revival because I say, "God, let the harvest angels come with me. There are people who are going to inherit salvation. I don't want the Devil and darkness to prevail over the crusade, so I release the angels right now. I loose them in heaven now in Jesus name."

AN ANGEL CALLED PROMISE

Recently, I had an angel come to me in Kansas City. He said, "Todd, my name is Promise, and I've come to bring the fulfillment of God's promises. I've come to bring the fulfillment of the prophetic words spoken to intercessors. I have come for those who have been like Hanna.  They have prayed, waited and carried a promise in their hearts. There will come a time when God has heard and I will release the Samuel," Be encouraged there is an angel called promise that is involved in bringing your intercessory breakthrough. When this angel comes into my meetings people get breakthrough and answered prayers. Look at the description of this angel in Revelations 8:1-6:
    When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel having a golden censer, came and he stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightning's, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Now pay attention here. There is a Devil in the invisible realm that wants to keep you from receiving the manifestation of God's presence. God wanted Daniel to have a breakthrough on the first day he prayed (Dan. 10) but it took 21 days because of a demonic Prince called Persia. In the same way, at times our answers to prayers are delayed in the heavenly places because there is a demon or assignment keeping us from receiving our spiritual breakthrough. However, as our prayers go up before God's throne as incense, they go into a bowl until it is full. Then the angel comes and releases the answer and the fulfillment of that promise.

On certain occasions, the angel of Promise has come into meetings where I was speaking to bring people delayed answers to prayers. In some cases, the very next day, in answer to prayers people have prayed for and waited on for years, breakthrough will come. People will get healed, financial breakthrough will come or miracles will begin to take place. So I'm asking that right now God will let the angel of Promise gather the incense that has gone up before His throne through the lives of every reader. Oh God, take the prayers of every intercessor and let an angel begin to release those prayers into the earth, pushing back the darkness, resistance and warfare that is wanting to keep them from spiritual breakthrough. Father I thank you for the angel called Promise.

ANGELS RELEASE FINANCES

Scripture also speaks of another angel that releases finances. I understand that God will supply all my need according to His riches in glory (Phil. 4:19). Do you know what that means? There are riches in glory because the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. He is the God who supplies our needs according to His riches in glory. The bible even tells us that the silver and gold are His. So when I need a financial breakthrough I don't just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: "Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf. Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money. Let them gather my partners."

You know why it's important to pray like this? Because the Devil wants to cut off your cash flow. He wants to hinder and block your finances. He wants to do whatever he can to hinder you from receiving the blessing and provision that God has for you. Sometimes praying about it isn't good enough because you need to prevail in heaven where the angels and demons are actually fighting. We want to push back the demonic forces, so sometimes we need to say, "Father, let those legions of angels assigned to release financial breakthrough, come into the earth right now and loose the Devil from the money assigned to me. I call in that money in the name of Jesus." Sometimes when I pray this way, bam!  I've got the money I need within a few days. Yes, I get financial breakthrough because God is my source. If man doesn't have it for me, God does. Yet the Devil is trying to keep it from getting to me. Even though God heard me on the first day, the Devil wants to delay it 21 days or as long as he can. But I've got to get the angels involved with my incense and say, "C'mon God, let those angels come and help fulfill your wordyou promised me the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich and You add no sorrow with it."

EMMA, ANGEL OF THE PROPHETIC

Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: "Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?" He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, "Bob, who is Emma?" He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Buelah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, "Here's Emma." I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and youngabout 22 years oldbut she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life.

She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people. "God, what is happening?" I asked. The Lord answered: "She is releasing the gold, which is both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that I am bringing into this church. I want you to prophecy that Emma showed up in this servicethe same angel that appeared in Kansas cityas a sign that I am endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church." See, when angels come, they always come for a reason; we need to actually ask God what the purpose is. Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands! Even though the entire community consisted of only three thousand people, weeks after I left the church the pastor testified that the church offerings had either doubled or tripled.

During this visitation the pastor's wife (it was an AOG church) got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost she began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her. Also, as this prophetic anointing came on her, she started getting phone numbers of complete strangers and calling them up on the telephone and prophesying over them. She would tell them that God gave her their telephone number and then would give them words of knowledge. Complete strangers. Then angels started showing up in the church.

I believe Emma released a financial and prophetic anointing in that place. That was the first angel that I have ever seen in the form of a woman. Some angels I've seen seemed like they were neither male nor female. However, Emma appeared as a woman who was like a Deborah, like a mother in Zion. When she came, she began to mentor, nurture and opened up a prophetic well. The people in the church began having trances and visions and the pastor began getting words of knowledge and moving in healing. That congregation also saw more financial breakthrough than they had ever seen before.


AN ANGELIC VISITATION OF BREAKTHROUGH

I was at another meeting in Atlanta when my wife, Shonnah, saw two financial angels walk into the service and pour oil out on the pastor. Shonnah then knew there was financial breakthrough coming. That night two people wrote the pastor cheques for $16,000 and $17,000 and others also wrote cheques to Fresh Fire for thousands of dollars, which we used for missions to the nations. In addition, many people experienced great financial blessing as well. The day after this angelic visitation one guy had millions of dollars released to himhe had been waiting for about 10 years for this breakthrough. All this financial release came because my wife saw two financial angels walk up and stand on the platform. Can you imagine? We need to pray for the Father to give us financial angels for our lives, our church and region. With this angelic assistance, we will prevail and overcome the warfare trying to hold back our financial breakthrough. Some of you don't know how to use the angels in intercession like this. You don't even know whether it's OK or not.

Now here's one more thing that angels do. According to Luke 16, the angels accompany us and take us into the presence of the Lord when we die. When the rich man and the beggar died the angels came and they took the beggar and brought him into Abraham's bosom. The Bible is full of angels from the beginning to the end. We need to pray, "God, let us see the angels. Let them come into the church, the city, and the region in Jesus name." Are you ready to open the gate of heaven and release angels? Like Elisha, let's cry out, "God, open the eyes of our heart today." Join with me as I pray:


PRAYER FOR ANGELIC VISITATION


Father we ask you in the name of Jesus, open the eyes of our heart to the invisible realm! God we hunger for the supernatural realm. We believe in cherubim and in Seraphim. God we believe in angelic hosts and guardian angels. We believe in healing angels and in angels that are involved in intercession. God we believe in the angels that are around your thronethose angels that cover and protect and move with your glory. Father let angels, cherubim, seraphim and angelic hosts be released into our lives and ministries today. Oh Lord of the armies let the warrior angels, the horses, the chariots and the sound of heaven come now. Lord open up the heavens that, like John in the book of Revelation, we would be immediately in the Spirit and would experience the open door in heaven. Holy Spirit, let us hear the invitation, 'come up here, come up here, come up here.'

Lord we want to understand the reality of the supernatural and of heavenly places. Lord, let scales come off our eyes just like they came off the eyes of the Apostle Paul. Holy Spirit come, enlighten the eyes of our understanding. Release the Spirit of Wisdom and of Revelation and take us before your throne. We want to experience the glory realm, the throne zone. Lord, thank you for the ministering spirits that do Your word and heed Your voice through the hearts and mouths of Your people. Lord, release the angels into our regionslegions of angels, oh God. As sons and daughters, we ask for angels in our lives, in our church and in our ministry. Let the children see angels oh God. Let angels come in our dreams oh God. Send angels with direction and with warnings, heavenly Father, we ask.

We your people look to you, oh Lordwe look to the Lord of hosts, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and the Captain of the armies. Father, let the angels come in our worship and as we intercede and do warfare against the Devil and his demons. We need angelic reinforcements and renewed strength. We need the protection, breakthrough and healing that angels bring, oh God. Lord, release the noises of the throne, the lightning's and thunderings of God. Holy Spirit come and manifest the glory with the gold, the creatures and the angelic beings. Like Isaiah we want to say, "I saw the Lord and He was high and lifted up and His train filled the temple." Lord, give us eyes and wings like an eagle. We want to be carried on the winds of Your spirit. We want to mount up, renewed in strength like the eagle. We are going to wait on You Lord.


Continue waiting on the Lord. He is bringing impartation to your spirit. Heaven is real. Heaven is a place, an eternal realm where we can experience and encounter God on a daily basis. Let's continue praying:


Lord, we set our minds on the things above. We're looking for the miracles and healings today, oh God. We're looking for the breakthrough. Father, we ask that angels would come and strengthen all of us who have been in a place of suffering and warfare and desert. Lord let us feel the wind of angels' wings as they minister the life of God to us. Give us strength for the battle God. We have been in a place of hardshipwe are weak, beaten and tired. Let those angels minister to us right now.



EATING FROM THE TREE OF LIFE

I see angels bringing some of you to the tree of life. Remember how God, in Genesis 3:24, sent the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life because man had sinned. God took Adam and Eve out of the garden. But today the Lord wants to bring some of us into that place where we taste the fruit of the tree of life. I want you to get involved right now and say:


Father, please give us that fruit. Lord let those angels bring us right into the place where you have prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Give us the divine life that comes from that tree so we can taste and see that the Lord is good. Father, we ask that you would send the angels of promise too. Release our breakthrough and promise. God, break the power of every demon sent to hold back what God wanted us to have the first day I asked. In Jesus' name, we break the delay in the spirit realm. We prophecy strength, life, restoration, healing and regional breakthrough. Lord, let your kingdom come in the name of Jesus. (Now I want you to keep warring and pushing back the darkness until you get an open heaven in the area you need breakthrough.) Father, send an angel of life, we pray. We release the resurrection life of Jesus in every place where there has been death in our lives. We say that winter is past and spring is coming into our lives and our region. We say that we are coming out of the wilderness leaning on the arms of our Beloved. We thank you, Lord, that you are making us a people and a church that overcomes the kingdom of darkness in our region. Father, thank You that we are arising triumphant and victorious as we come up out of the wilderness into new life.

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