Do You Believe?

Continuing the book Angels by David Jeremiah, there are some stories of encounters with angels. One in particular is a man named Walt that was saved from a fire by two strangers who disappeared after rescuing him. He then came to follow Jesus, and his dad suggested that they were angels sent to him.

Why? So that he would have the chance to do what he did - to turn to Jesus. Jeremiah asks, “Do you believe Walt’s story? I do.” Well I do too! Were they angels in the sense of spiritual beings? Or were they people - human beings - that God sent at the right time? Does it really matter?

Yes They Exist

Next, Jeremiah goes into the fact that angels (spiritual beings) are REAL. Do you believe it? Do you still wonder? Quoting the book, “in the Scriptures - from Genesis to Revelation - the existence of angels is simply assumed. The Bible contains more than three hundred direct references to them.”

If I remember correctly, the other book I read on this topic had a similar opinion from the author. We aren’t given a full diagnostic description because when the scrolls were written, people didn’t doubt! They also didn’t doubt the existence of witches, demon possession, etc. But our modern day ‘scientific’ perspective leaves no room for such ‘superstition.’

The Sadducees

Something I had never ‘caught’ before in my reading of the Bible (side note - isn’t it great that when you go digging, you learn EVERY time you open yourself to the truth of the Word?).

Acts 23:6–8 – Paul knew that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees. So he called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee. I am the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When Paul said this, the Pharisees and the Sadducees started to argue. The people in the meeting were divided. The Sadducees say that people will not rise from the dead. They don’t believe there are angels or spirits. But the Pharisees believe all these things.

Did you catch that? The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, nor angels or spirits. It’s no wonder that when Jesus and the disciples were casting out demons and ‘unclean spirits’ that they didn’t believe Jesus. Do you know anyone that claims to believe in God the Father - the Most High - the Creator - but not in other spiritual realms? It’s a dangerous place to be…

There’s an old quote that fits here… “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” — often attributed to Charles Baudelaire.

This isn’t Scripture, but it captures a truth the Bible makes clear — Satan works in deception. If he can convince a person that there is no spiritual realm, no angels, no demons, no need for a Savior… then he’s already won the battle for that soul.

No Choice But to Believe and Speak of

Jeremiah quotes theologian M.J. Erickson - “The teaching of Scripture is that he has created these spiritual beings and has chosen to carry out many of his acts through them. Therefore, if we are to be faithful students of the Bible, we have no choice but to speak of these beings.”

This applies to other topics as well. Do I talk timing of the Rapture when I am witnessing? No! But Jesus talked about the End Times, so it shouldn’t be ignored either. Actually there are MANY things that are ‘discussed’ and different people will draw different conclusions, and I’m happy to ‘respectfully disagree’ on these secondary issues, but when it comes to Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life? No compromise!

When Eternity Is at Stake

I would like to share another longer quote from Jeremiah… “Most Christians agree demonic activity will increase as we near the last days. It’s a viewpoint grounded not only in simple observation of what the world is coming to, but also in Scripture. ‘The Spirit clearly says,’ Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 4:1, ‘that in latter times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.’”

Now of this, I have no doubt! I don’t know that the demons are stronger, or that the church is weaker, but at the very least the church does NOT have the influence on the secular United States that it once had. Is the same thing happening worldwide? I can’t say for sure, but I do know that reports are coming in of people being converted in every part of the world!

Let me be VERY very clear in something. The church is made up of believers, and believers that don’t FULLY COMMIT to following Christ will not have the effect on the world that they could have - and SHOULD have! Is it too late? Not at all!

2 Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Can God really hear us and heal the land? YES! What will it take? His people - Christians - doing the things mentioned. Humble themselves is the first thing listed. Are you humble? I am definitely trying to be humble towards my fellow man and especially towards God, but I fail sometimes…

Do we pray and seek His face? Do we turn from our wicked ways? That last one is especially hard. It means turning away from your sin - from your wrongdoings. This is harder and harder to do as things become more enjoyable.

Why is pornography so prevalent? Why is alcohol so accepted in society? Why is abortion simply called a “choice” and no longer called murder? Because we are selfish. We love our sin. As long as we can have a moment of pleasure, we tell ourselves God can wait.

But He won’t wait forever.

We can’t keep sowing our wild oats and telling God we’ll deal with Him later. Souls are at stake. Every moment we delay, people are slipping into eternity without Christ.

The time for excuses is over. The time for obedience is now.

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