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April 9, 2021 3:00 am
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue of a specific ministry in the life of the Christian. We are just brought from heaven to assist us to minister to us.
Sometimes the secret agent sister Greg Laurie Susan angels are real special maybe an angel or to right now angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit eternal life.
Angel would be look bad news and accurate reporting or not little baby sitting on cloud. We don't have two wings of a glowing halo and not all angels are the good guys which the truth about Pastor Greg Laurie has the answer to a new beginning only reliable source wired by God for you to remain viable. Right now all around us is a supernatural world. It's an invisible world around us right now are thousands of mysterious created beings called angels. Most of them are holy.
I'm sorry to say, some of them are not. Some of them are fallen, but you find what the Bible says about angels in both the old and the New Testament event. The Bible mentions angels nearly 300 times and there's so many misconceptions about angels.
Let me just say first off the job of an angel is the kind of work undercover.
I like to compare angels to Navy SEALs, you know, Navy SEALs are that elite force that we dispatch in certain situations to take care of business to go into things all the time and we often don't hear about what they did they just get the job done.
That sort of a good description of angels they get the job done for God are not there to draw attention to themselves. They're not there to have us have extended conversations with them. Though it's possible you spoken with an angel and I'll tell you why believe that the few moments but you probably were aware of it. If you were speaking with an angel. I would suggest you. There are 200 angels of spoken to you what you probably didn't know it was an angel but they're very interesting creature sort of working behind the scenes working undercover. There sort of like God's secret agents, but there's a lot of misconceptions. As I said, for starters, people think that that when we die we might become an angel, you know I've heard it said when someone dies.
Well, God must've needed another angel in heaven. Well, God doesn't need any more angels in heaven. More to the point people don't become angels when they got angels are created being there other group all under themselves. When we die we receive a new body and and so forth but but we have no connection to angels made to break this to you girls, but in every appearance of an angel on earth. It was a guy not a girl, I know that is hard for some people to believe because we use the term angel sometimes in a feminine way like Jesus pretty is an angel right we don't generally think he's as handsome as an angel but actually all of the appearances of angels are appearing as men in the Bible and so these are amazing created beings that are there working constantly in our life.
It would appear from Scripture that they are eternal, it would seem as though they never got speaking of those who have died and gone to heaven. Jesus said in the chapter 20. Neither can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels now angels have a specific ministry in the life of the Christian they are dispatched from heaven to assist us to encourage us to minister to us sometimes to protect us occasionally to speak to us.
Hebrews 114 says angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit eternal life.
There's many instances in Scripture were angels intervened and angel spoke to Philip and told him to go to the desert. He went and the man came to faith from Ethiopia and then we have the story of Peter, who was taken to prison and he was going to be executed because James had already been put to death by King Herod and the church pray and an angel was dispatched to wake Peter up and get him out of jail.
So an angel was sent as an answer to prayer is a story in the book of Genesis, for God was speaking to Jacob at this show on the world of angelic activity and in Jacob had a dream and in this dream or vision he saw the stairway or a ladder of angels going up and down the stairway or up and down the escalator if you will just angels constantly at work moving between heaven and earth doing the work of God and is already set. It's entirely possible you've met an angel is a will. How would that be well. Hebrews 13 to says, don't forget to entertain strangers print doing so.
Some people have entertained angels without knowing it. So you know you you might survive how what I know you probably wouldn't know. Maybe you know when you get to heaven and you'll be walking around in some angel what to do to say thanks for get me that burger but what got me that burger we met with Matt, never that homeless guy that you ran into in this date and I was hungry and I said can I get a meal and you took me into In-N-Out Burger, and you got me a great burger double double. As I recall, animal style still remember it, even in heaven want to thank you for that. You are an angel.
Yes, I was because the idea is that when you dinner for a stranger. Somebody that was Anita Goodman in Angel undercover so it's possible you've met in Angel, it's possible there's angels in the room right now and I know they're here in the invisible realm, but it's not entirely outside of the realm of possibility that they could be an angel as a person to look around the ground. You never know the look for feathers or anything like that would be mind blowing. If an angel appeared to us right now.
I tell you what if an Angel did appear to be very tempted to worship the angel that actually happened to the apostle John in Angel appeared he was so blown away, fell down to worship it in the do not worship me worship God. But there's so incredible. There's so awe-inspiring, you'd be inclined to worship but imaginative Gabriel or Michael or another angel appeared before a friend. I did hear a story about a time in a church service when the devil himself appeared so here people at church and all of a sudden Satan appears on the stage, people are screaming and freaking out, climbing over each other to get out of the church are climbing out of the windows running up the doors they're terrified the church is empty then just seconds except one older man sitting in the second row, the devil says why aren't you running do you know boy and limits as I know who you are and the devil says I am the devil. I have a lot of power I could bring a lot of misery in your life where it you afraid of me. The old guy said I would married to your sister for 46 here to start notice this one of those lean preacher jokes. I even angel of the Lord appeared, we would certainly be amazed that sometimes the question is asked, we have guardian angels. I don't know the answer to that but I think the answer is maybe you and I know we have angels evolve in our lives. But do we have a specific angel that is assigned to us like that your job you watch over that child or you watch over that person. We can know with certainty, but there is an interesting statement were Jesus says in Matthew 1810 don't look down on these little one. Speaking of children pride tell you there angels in heaven always see the phase of my father in heaven. Interesting phrase there angels in heaven, so that would imply maybe a guardian angel going back to the story of Peter when he was sprung from the prison by the angel.
He showed up at a house for budget dresses for praying and he knocked on the door and that they they can believe the God answered their prayers so quickly and so when someone said it was actually the main rotor. She said Peter is standing at the front door knocking. One of the other said while it's probably just his angel and they loved him, knocking to me for me. If an angel knocks on him among the men pay a FedEx box. I open the door. When I opened the door for an angel.
And so that's a curious thing but it's interesting that they think maybe it's his angel so maybe there are guardian angels that there are or there are not, that's really not that important.
You can just be confident of this. You have angels actively involved in your life protecting you watching out for you. As I said, God's secret agents master Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment. So many listeners have commented on the help they received from Pastor Greg Staley messages God's word ministers to them often gets them through some of their darkest hours.
I'm down hard, really, how you live here and are not any help may have been any leave in working here met today and your hard work and getting my not reading your back and reading the Bible, which I've read that he kind now. I practically turn when I go comforting to fry you if you had your life changed because of harvest ministries which you let Pastor Greg know just drop him an email. great@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org today. Pastor Greg is offering insights from his series, the afterlife and the eternal with insights today based in Genesis 3 let's continue. So the title of this message is angels and demons. So this is what kinda perplexes us is where the hectic demons come from, why do we even have to have demons while they're out there for sure in this simplified a demon is a fallen angel God did not create demons as we know them today he created angels what he gave to these angelic creatures of free will and an ability to choose as hard as it is to believe one third of the angels followed a high ranking angel known as Lucifer, the son of the morning and a rebellion server is also known as Satan and the devil. So, before I address where demons came from.
Let me just talk about where the devil came from the forward as the word of the devil come from most of you would probably say how the devil came from. No, actually that's not true. The limits are. You are the devil really came from the devil came from heaven.
That's right.
Now he wasn't the devil in heaven.
He was, as I mentioned Lucifer this beautiful angel.
Maybe an archangel if not certainly a high ranking angel on the level of maybe a Gabriel prayer. I don't think I'm Michael but taught certainly a high ranking angel, but he rebelled against God. In fact, it's described in vivid detail over and Ezekiel 28 word is said of Lucifer, you were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, you were in Eden, the garden of God, you are anointed as a guardian sheriff Friar Dean you you were on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the fiery stones.
I don't know what the fiery stones are, but he walked among them you were blameless in the day you were created listen to all wickedness was found in you and through your widespread trade you are filled with violence and you send and I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, but I expelled you all guardian, sheriff from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud, on account of your beauty and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor, so I threw you to the earth and made you a spectacle before kings while so what happened to Lucifer wickedness was found in him. It's also spoken of in Isaiah 14 the fall of Satan, Lucifer allowed his perfection to be the cause of his corruption.
He wanted the number one job Satan says in Isaiah 14 again I will be like God, I will be like the most likely one of the top job and the Lord said, you're outta here and so he lost a position he once held in one third of the angels followed him.
Instead of wanting to worship God. He himself wanted to be worship you know it's interesting that it says he was filled with violent. This is so insane. These shootings and you we always want to find the motive all first of all those in the political world want to find out is he a Republican or is he a Democrat and make it all a political discussion over what we what race was he was the why was he black with a Hispanic what they missed the big issue there is a spiritual dynamic going on and we forget the fact that there's evil in the world today and there's a devil who is full of wickedness and full of violence and inspires people to take the lives of other people. That's what I mean when I say word a spiritual battle I sent out a tweet negative. Let's pray for everyone who is in office right now whether you put them there or not. I got liberals and conservatives mad at me. What is wrong with you people and so I think the thing that we don't realize is this is a spiritual world that we get caught up in the political fights and caught up in the these other little things we forget were children of the most high in our kingdom is in heaven were ambassadors of the kingdom of God. We need to remember that and so we'll talk about that more next time. In our message on spiritual warfare.
But anyway, so the devil yet sees no longer in that exalted position in heaven. This might surprise you. He is a backstage pass into the presence of God, you say well how do you know that because we read about it multiple times in Scripture. The book of Job is the account of the Angels of the Lord, presenting themselves before the Lord. So here's all the Angels and guess who shows up little safer. Is there and the Lord says that what you been up to. Says devil I'm going back and forth across the earth watching everything that's going on in an interesting description is just like roaming around. He's looking for trouble right with what happened to my rack. What would misery can I bring a woodlike can I potentially destroy.
That's where the Bible describes him as a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. That's him you know and that's when a lion is like a hunting for prey. The devil never takes a vacation wouldn't be nice to be that when integrated right we can announce a we just found out Satan's taking August off no devil in August, you know, I think even if Satan took August off we would still get ourselves in the trouble unto the think so, but the devil doesn't take a month off the devil doesn't take a week off. He doesn't take a day off.
He doesn't take an hour off.
He's always at work. If he's beaten, he rises again. If he can't come in the front door he'll come in the back door if he can climb down the road filled towel up through the floor he'll find a way to get in and he's looking from vulnerability is looking for someone he can grab you know going back aligned to the usually good easiest way from line to get their lunch or dinner is when they watch that little herd of antelope or whatever it is, there chasing after there's always the lacquer right is a group and then there's one guy you know 20 feet behind Google doodle appliances and looks like lunch to me. You want to know something surprising though more people are killed in Africa by hippos then alliance yachts drew lines kill some, but all hippos kill way more in the funny thing about a hippos they don't even look threatening you know what I plead hungry hippo. They're so cute you know you gone the jungle Cruise ride in Disneyland and other of the little ears and they do that are reliable or turnaround like that and then uniting how dangerous are they there very dangerous and did you know the really fast on land. I noticed as I went to Africa years ago we stayed in the tented camp and and they took us to our tent and they warned us about the hippos that come out at night. Hippos are you serious.
I should be scared of hippos goes on. They move fast in the attack people so I bring that up because the Bible does not say that your adversary the devil is like a hippo running around okay so these like a lion but the point I'm making is sometimes all you want top of the lives of the devil can come to you in many way sometimes and come in all of his depravity and wickedness and perversion, and other times to come to you as an angel of life but always with the purpose of deceiving or miss leading you and he is a well organized network of demon powers doing his bidding, and those are his demons. We read numerous passages that refer to Satan and his minions, not those minions these minions. Matthew 1224 speaks of Beelzebub, which is another name for the devil, the prince of the demons.
Then in Matthew 25, 41, the devil and his angels. Revelation 12 seven. The Dragon another phrase for the devil and his angels, and of course hell is the future of dwelling place of the devil and his angels. Now it seems to me that the purpose or objective of demons is twofold. Number wanted is to hinder the purposes of God.
Number two it is to extend the power of Satan. Again, the purpose of demons i.e. fallen Angels is twofold. They want to hinder God's purpose in your life and they want to extend the power of the devil. So I know that kind of a scary movie talk about things like this and it's true that one third of the angels followed Lucifer but it's also true that two thirds of the Angels are on our side.
More importantly, God is on our side. So were on the winning side. Greg Laurie close look at the world of angels and demons today here on a new beginning, and there's more to come in this message.
If you missed any part of today's presentation. You can get a replay instantly by going to harvest.org.
The study title is simply Angels and Demons for a copy on CD. Just call 1-800-821-3300.
We can take your call anytime again at 1-800-821-3300 one Pastor Greg just finished her brand-new book called Billy Graham the man I knew that site.
I know that when he went home to the Lord that you and Kathy had the opportunity to attend his memorial service. Do you remember where you were when you heard that Billy had gone home. Yes, I was actually in Israel and I was on a little tour with some fellow pastors. In fact, Sissy Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of Billy was with us on that trip and she heard the news differently than everyone else. We all lost a hero.
So when we look up to.
She lost her grandfather and she is very close to him and we were all very sad. Now Billy was 99 years old, so he lived a very long life, but yet you know it was the end of an era and so there was great sadness and losing him because I just feel like we need another Billy Graham right now in our world. You know a man who is a pastor to presidents regardless of what side of the political aisle thereon, Amanda could speak to us during cultural moments of me. Billy was there.
After 9/11, speaking to the nation really being a chaplain to America and he played such a viable role, and of course the great evangelist, but so yeah, I remember the day very distinctly and then I attended his memorial service that was held. A bit later.
Back at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte North Carolina and just about every pastor I've ever met. Fact as I walked around and looked at the diversity of people that were there people from every denominational background every kind of theological background. I thought well this is what heaven's gonna look like if we like it or not, you know where were going to be there because we believed in Jesus and we believe he died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead, but does these are people that would not normally hang around each other. But even in this funeral service. It was a reminder of the bridges he built to so many people in the Christian world and so many came from around the world to pay tribute to the great evangelist and in fact when his library was dedicated to Pres. Jimmy Carter of Pres. George H. W. Bush were there in person, as was President Clinton, so that alone shows you how he reached people on both sides of the aisle and he was loved and appreciated by these presidents that valued his counsel because Billy kept it confidential and he would rarely reveal something about a president.
I asked him lots of questions. What was it like when you're with this person what they say he kept it confidential. He did tell me one amazing story though about Pres. John F. Kennedy. I asked him if he had any regrets in life and he said yes I do and he told me the story of how he was that the prayer breakfast there in Washington DC and the president will always be in attendance.
Pres. Kennedy was there.
Billy spoken after it was over with the president said Billy I would like you to ride with me back to the White House. I have something I want to talk to you about. Will Billy was very sick and he said Mr. Pres., I I'm afraid I'm gonna have to decline. I don't want to get you sick. But maybe I could talk to you as soon as I'm over this sickness and Pres. Kennedy agreed and and then only days after that Pres. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas and Billy always regretted that because he wondered what did the president want to talk to me about but you know he would keep these conversations in confidence and I think that's why people trust in them so much and wanted to to share their heart with him knowing that he would give them good counsel and I do write about his relationships with presidents and its fascinating his relationship with Pres. Johnson is really surprising, they they had a very close friendship. There were both Southerners. You noticeably connected on that level.
He was very close to Pres. Reagan as well.
Not as close to Pres. Carter but an audit continued with the Bush family. George H.
W.
Bush. He really played a role in George W. Bush coming to Christ and then fast forward he was very close to Bill Clinton and Hillary as well and they admired him and and fact building Hillary came to his final crusade and in some people get very upset because are so partisan these days and how dare you be with those people.
What you talking about, you know, Jesus spent time with all kinds of people. He was called critically, I might add, the friend of sinners. Billy build bridges the people and he always shared the gospel and he always emulated Christ and they think we can learn from his example. So I write about that a lot more in this new book I've written called Billy Graham the man I knew, yet it's a book you will be able to put down. It's a fascinating look at the life of this remarkable man of God and will send you a copy.
It's just out to thank you for your investment in making these daily studies possible. It's only through listener support that we can feature pastor Greg's teachings each day. So please send your gift today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300.
We can take your call anytime. Again, that's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and look for Billy Graham, the man I knew everybody great glory here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a Bible study.
It's a worship service. It church in your home, you're not able to get out your church right now. If so, join us per Harvest at Home people are listening this from around the world listen to this. We have seen thousands of people make a commitment to follow Christ. Join us this weekend Harvest at Home.oh well, next time more insight on Angels and Demons. An important warning from Pastor Greg about the devil and his strategies.
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