1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:26,580 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,219 --> 00:00:41,600 We're looking at, in Hebrews chapter one, and today we're going to talk a lot about angels, 5 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:49,060 okay, because that's what this chapter talks about, a lot about angels. And I just could talk, 6 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:56,119 kind of introduce it a little bit first before we get into it, about angels. It's not necessarily 7 00:00:56,119 --> 00:01:03,280 a subject that I am enamored with, and yet it's important to God, so it's important for me to know 8 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:13,879 about it. And so over a hundred times in the Bible, an angel appeared on behalf of God to a person. 9 00:01:13,879 --> 00:01:19,900 So that's pretty substantial. Over a hundred times, probably more, because angels are called by various 10 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:27,700 names in Hebrew and Greek, hosts of heaven, that kind of thing. But angels actively praise and 11 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:36,200 worship God. They serve God in various capacities. Angels are messengers communicating messages from 12 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:42,879 God to people. Angels give guidance and instructions. Angels provide for people. 13 00:01:43,819 --> 00:01:50,640 Angels protect people. Angels deliver people from harm and difficulty. Angels encourage 14 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:58,920 God's servants. Angels deliver answers to prayers. Angels care for believers at the moment of their 15 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:06,560 death. Angels generally help believers in need. Angels are everywhere throughout scriptures. 16 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:12,520 Remember when Jacob is praying and he has a vision from God, there's a ladder above Jacob 17 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,900 with angels ascending and descending. You know, the Lord uses his angels to accomplish 18 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:25,460 his works. So it's something we should know about. Amen. And so let's pray and we'll dive 19 00:02:25,460 --> 00:02:31,080 right in. Father God, we thank you for your word. Lord, we thank you for your messengers, 20 00:02:31,740 --> 00:02:39,039 Lord, your hosts that come to minister to the saints, Lord, that you've assigned them duties 21 00:02:39,939 --> 00:02:46,919 to help us through this life and that we may never see them or acknowledge them, Lord God. 22 00:02:47,539 --> 00:02:53,639 That's not important. It's that you see them and you assign them to accomplish your will. 23 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:58,800 And Lord God, you work all things for the good of those who love you and who are called according 24 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,479 to your purpose. So Lord, we believe that you are using angels to help us through this life. 25 00:03:04,979 --> 00:03:11,400 And we thank you in Jesus name. Amen. I was talking to a friend of mine, you know, and he's 26 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:17,699 coming along. He's like a gradual believer, you know, and I talked to him all the time at, 27 00:03:17,699 --> 00:03:22,500 you know, Jesus and so forth. But he was talking and his wife is a strong believer, 28 00:03:22,500 --> 00:03:26,500 right? And so he was talking about how he was pulling this boat on a trailer 29 00:03:26,500 --> 00:03:32,360 and he's driving up this hill and his transmission is starting to fail. And he could, oh, no. 30 00:03:32,780 --> 00:03:39,460 And it's like a steep, steep hill. And so as he's driving in, it's chugging and chugging suddenly, 31 00:03:39,460 --> 00:03:45,300 he hears his wife praying and praying and saying, Lord, send your mighty angels to give us a push. 32 00:03:45,979 --> 00:03:50,860 And they made it up the hill and over. And I said, I can definitely relate to that. 33 00:03:50,860 --> 00:03:55,659 I remember many a times trying to get out of my driveway and it was pretty steep and I'm like, 34 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,580 Lord, because it was snowing, like Lord, just send those angels to give me a little shove, 35 00:04:00,740 --> 00:04:05,180 you know? And I like envisioning things, whether that's happening in the unseen world. 36 00:04:05,460 --> 00:04:10,639 I don't know, but I believe it probably is in a lot of cases, you know? And so angels, 37 00:04:11,439 --> 00:04:19,019 you know, the first time we see an angel and it's actually God as this messenger is when God 38 00:04:19,019 --> 00:04:27,279 came to Hagar. She had just ran from her master, Abraham and Sarah or Sarai at the time, 39 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:33,480 possibly. And as she's leaving, she's crying and so forth. And here she had Ishmael in 40 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:40,800 her belly already. And the Lord appeared to her as an angel. We see this in Genesis 1610. 41 00:04:40,939 --> 00:04:45,639 And then the angel of the Lord said to her, I will multiply your descendants exceedingly 42 00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:51,660 so that they shall not be counted for multitude. Isn't that amazing? The first time we see 43 00:04:51,660 --> 00:05:00,060 a messenger as God is to an Egyptian woman who is being used as a concubine. You know, 44 00:05:00,199 --> 00:05:08,100 it's God is so complicated and yet simple at the same time, you know? Sometimes like, 45 00:05:08,180 --> 00:05:13,300 what God? But just he could do whatever he wants. He's God. Amen. And then the next time 46 00:05:13,300 --> 00:05:17,920 you remember when just after that two chapters later, but we don't have it up there, but 47 00:05:18,579 --> 00:05:25,040 Abraham is there among the turban trees and the three men come to him. And as they're walking 48 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,899 along, he's like, oh, you know, and he's serving them and so forth. And one we know is God. 49 00:05:30,420 --> 00:05:36,839 And these other two are angels with God. And they're talking to Abraham promising him 50 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:42,819 Isaac would come soon. And then as they're walking along, going down to check out Sodom 51 00:05:42,819 --> 00:05:49,120 and Gomorrah to see if everything they've heard is true. Now they know, but this is how it's 52 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,500 explained in the Bible. And as they're going, should we share with Abraham what we're about 53 00:05:53,500 --> 00:05:58,379 to do? And like, you know, Abraham's nephew, Lot is down there. You know, what are you going to 54 00:05:58,379 --> 00:06:03,139 do? And they start saying, well, you know, if this is true, we have to bring the wrath. 55 00:06:03,459 --> 00:06:09,500 Will you do it even if there's 50 there that believe? No, not at this. How about 45? How 56 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:15,639 about 35? Can you imagine God's patience during all this? Like, stop it. Okay. Finally, 57 00:06:15,660 --> 00:06:21,620 he's down to 10. And so they go and you know the story there. But we see these pictures of 58 00:06:21,620 --> 00:06:29,680 angels coming as God, okay, or with God, or on behalf of God, ministering to people 59 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:36,920 and helping them understand God, right? Because they are his delegates, his dignitaries, 60 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:43,180 in a sense, right? And so we see this throughout scripture. But you know, even before that, 61 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:53,279 we see a mention of the sons of God, right? And most theologians and commentaries believe these were 62 00:06:53,279 --> 00:07:01,360 angels who fell from heaven when they actually went into women. And we see this in Genesis 63 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:07,540 chapter six, two, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men and that they were beautiful. 64 00:07:08,220 --> 00:07:15,079 And they took wives to themselves of all whom they chose. Basically, they raped women and had 65 00:07:15,079 --> 00:07:20,939 these supernatural giant, you know, babies that became giants. If this is strange to you, 66 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:26,639 it's still strange to me. And I've been reading it for 30 years. Okay. But it's strange. And 67 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:33,779 that could have been a version of possessing evil men who were worshiping demons, who then 68 00:07:33,779 --> 00:07:40,720 raped women, and then they gave birth to this race of people. You know, we're not getting into that 69 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:56,600 today. But the idea is we see the sons of God, and these were considered angels, okay? And yet 70 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:05,779 as we look at this picture of angels, okay, some who have fallen, we're going to get into the fact 71 00:08:05,779 --> 00:08:12,300 that it's interesting that Gail mentioned spiritual warfare, how this is all included in here that, 72 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:17,060 you know, knowing about angels, we realize that there is spiritual warfare, right? So we're 73 00:08:17,060 --> 00:08:23,180 going to get into that a little bit later. So why are we talking about angels, okay? Because we 74 00:08:23,180 --> 00:08:30,959 read about angels in this chapter, but why did the author of Hebrews talk about angels? Okay. 75 00:08:31,519 --> 00:08:35,659 Now, again, last week I went through how we're not sure who the author is, whether it's Paul 76 00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:42,379 with Luke, or whether it's Barnabas, or Apollos, or whoever it might have been. We know it's 77 00:08:42,379 --> 00:08:49,159 spirit-inspired word of God, okay? And we learn things from Hebrews that we would not know 78 00:08:49,159 --> 00:08:56,779 anywhere else except in Hebrews, and it really fills in a lot of gaps of understanding about God. 79 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:05,899 And so why is the spirit of God writing this so much about angels to this church in Rome, 80 00:09:06,759 --> 00:09:13,039 primarily for Jews, okay? But there's also Gentiles in these churches, right? Because 81 00:09:13,039 --> 00:09:20,539 they came together, right? And so why is he talking so much about angels? Well, for one thing, 82 00:09:21,259 --> 00:09:30,820 the Jews had a reverence for angels. Now picture this, there was no Jesus Christ yet, okay, 83 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:37,360 in the times of Israel with God. Well, He was the Word of God, but there wasn't 84 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:45,700 the Word becoming flesh. And so the only messengers that came were angels, right? That spoke to people, 85 00:09:45,919 --> 00:09:57,200 okay? And so they venerated angels. To them, they considered them so high and lofty and significant 86 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:05,240 to their heritage and their history with God. Like angels were so important, right? And they 87 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:12,139 are important, but the Holy Spirit wants the Jews to know, compared to Jesus Christ, 88 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:18,980 they're nothing, because He is every, He's the one who created them for His purposes, right? 89 00:10:19,379 --> 00:10:25,059 So we're going to read through this chapter how the author wants the Jews and anyone reading 90 00:10:25,059 --> 00:10:32,639 this book, including us, that Jesus is high above, far greater than any other dignitary from God. 91 00:10:32,639 --> 00:10:41,080 Any other angel because Jesus Christ is the creator of all things, right? And so we see this, 92 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:48,220 that the angels actually took part in the distribution of the Word of God. Did you know 93 00:10:48,220 --> 00:10:56,340 that? They were actually there, ordained by God to participate in the distribution of the Word 94 00:10:56,340 --> 00:11:01,179 of God, even on Mount Sinai. I don't know how that all played out in the unseen world, 95 00:11:01,179 --> 00:11:11,360 but we read about it here as Stephen was giving his great testimony to the early church and they 96 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:17,539 would stone him at the end of this speech, stone him to death, okay? Well, to sleep. And as he's 97 00:11:17,539 --> 00:11:23,460 telling the history of the Israelites, and then he starts getting into how, and you rejected the 98 00:11:23,460 --> 00:11:29,559 Son of God, but you always knew that these were angels from God who distributed the Word of God. 99 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:38,120 We read this in Acts chapter 7, 53, you who received the law as delivered by angels 100 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:45,740 did not keep it. So you knew like these dignitaries and yet someone far greater than all these 101 00:11:45,740 --> 00:11:54,720 dignitaries came and you also crucified him, Jesus Christ. Now, imagine here's Paul with 102 00:11:55,900 --> 00:12:03,179 these guys who are stoning Stephen to death and there's Paul saying, here, throw me your coats, 103 00:12:03,279 --> 00:12:09,899 I'll watch over them so that no one steals them, okay, or roots through them. So these people who 104 00:12:09,899 --> 00:12:14,179 are saying, we got to kill him, we got, he's blaspheming. And so they're right. And he goes, 105 00:12:14,299 --> 00:12:18,720 here, give me your coats, put them over here, I'll keep track of them. And they stone Stephen 106 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:27,600 to death. There's Paul experiencing all this. And yet Paul, when he gets converted, when he gets saved, 107 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:38,139 he realizes, wow, like, this was all true. And now he's rebuking those who knew that the Word of 108 00:12:38,139 --> 00:12:45,700 God came from angels and still rejected it. And we read that in Galatians 3, 19, when he says, 109 00:12:45,700 --> 00:12:51,720 what purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of the transgressions to the seed should 110 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:59,559 come to whom the promise was made. And it was appointed through angels by the hand of a 111 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:06,179 mediator. So again, I just want to point out that the angels were there when the law was given to 112 00:13:06,179 --> 00:13:14,240 man. Okay, so the Jews venerated, held, held the angels of such high esteem. So that's the 113 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:20,519 purpose why it's talking in this chapter so much about angels, because he's saying, and I don't 114 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:26,440 worship them, worship Jesus Christ. But another thing was going on too, because remember those 115 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:35,179 Gentiles in this church, right? Now Gentiles were polytheists, they love worshiping anything. Okay, 116 00:13:35,539 --> 00:13:41,580 carve me a log and into a little image, and I'll worship it, whatever piece of metal, 117 00:13:41,580 --> 00:13:47,200 I'll worship it. They loved lots of Gods, okay. They want to cover all their bets everywhere, 118 00:13:47,419 --> 00:13:54,860 you know. So they were polytheists, they worshiped anything, okay. And so Paul realized, you know, 119 00:13:54,919 --> 00:13:59,159 if they start hearing about angels, they're going to start worshiping them. So he wanted to make 120 00:13:59,159 --> 00:14:08,320 it clear angels were not to be worshiped. In fact, you remember when in 1 Corinthians 12, 121 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:15,179 when Paul's talking to Corinthians about the gifts of the Spirit, okay. And he's saying, you know, 122 00:14:15,580 --> 00:14:22,039 the gifts of the Spirit are good, but watch out Gentiles, because you love worshiping idols. 123 00:14:22,759 --> 00:14:32,440 These gifts will become idols to you. Be careful, okay. In the beginning of 1 Corinthians 12 too, 124 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:37,919 he's warning the Gentiles, don't get caught up in the sizzle of these things, you know. 125 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:46,559 And so, anyway, so we see even in these early days of the church, people were starting to worship 126 00:14:46,559 --> 00:14:52,899 angels, because they heard about them, right. And we see this when Paul wrote to the Colossians, 127 00:14:53,620 --> 00:14:59,659 and he warned them about this. What purpose then does the law serve? I'm sorry, that was not it, 128 00:14:59,860 --> 00:15:07,600 the next one, it's Colossians. Yeah. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in 129 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:15,019 false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, 130 00:15:15,580 --> 00:15:23,580 vanity puffed up by his fleshly mind. In other words, people love sizzle, you know. 131 00:15:23,860 --> 00:15:28,320 Oh, maybe there's something I don't know about, about these angels. Maybe they can provide me 132 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:34,220 something that God hasn't. Well, you know, that's happened before, remember, in the garden, 133 00:15:34,220 --> 00:15:40,559 right. And so, you know, he's warning the Gentiles, forget about the angels. 134 00:15:41,279 --> 00:15:45,899 They're there for you if God wants them to be, but don't worship them. He says it in another 135 00:15:45,899 --> 00:15:56,360 place in Galatians 1.8. He says, but even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel 136 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:04,440 to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. So just forget about the angels. 137 00:16:05,580 --> 00:16:11,480 They serve God, and God will provide for you. So if those are angels providing for you, 138 00:16:11,740 --> 00:16:16,860 so be it, but don't worship them. So does that make sense? And so we think, well, 139 00:16:16,879 --> 00:16:20,320 I've never thought about worshiping an angel. I know I haven't. I don't know about you. 140 00:16:20,779 --> 00:16:26,000 I've never aspired to worship angels, but apparently it was happening. But you know, 141 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:31,940 it's still happening. There's new age stuff out there about angels and so forth. 142 00:16:32,419 --> 00:16:38,580 And also Jehovah's Witness. They believe that Jesus was Michael the archangel, 143 00:16:38,980 --> 00:16:45,740 okay. And somehow he became a word. And I don't know everything about their religion. I used to, 144 00:16:45,899 --> 00:16:50,639 but I, you know, I tend to, there's too much fitting in here. Okay. At some point, 145 00:16:50,639 --> 00:16:57,019 you have to start to delete. Like, why retain stuff that's false? Do you agree? 146 00:16:57,620 --> 00:17:02,039 But it's still interesting, you know, but they believe Jesus was Michael the archangel. Like, 147 00:17:02,059 --> 00:17:08,079 it's still going on. So this is very important stuff. Even if you and I don't think it's a big 148 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:12,400 deal. Why are we talking about angels? Well, because it's in here and all of the word of God 149 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:18,079 is important. Amen. All right. So we're going to dive right in and actually start reading the 150 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:23,759 chapter, but we're going to go pretty much right through it. So are you in Hebrews chapter one, 151 00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:30,900 and we're going to start actually verse four, having become so much better than the angels, 152 00:17:31,740 --> 00:17:39,140 as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did 153 00:17:39,140 --> 00:17:46,480 he ever say, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. And by the way, even though they may have 154 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:54,420 been called sons of God, this is a special son. This is the son of God. It's the word become 155 00:17:54,420 --> 00:18:01,920 flesh. All the other sons of God were created by Jesus Christ, right? So there's a big difference 156 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:09,480 here. Okay. And again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. But what 157 00:18:10,279 --> 00:18:17,039 he again brings the first born into the world, but I'm sorry, but when, but when he again brings the 158 00:18:17,039 --> 00:18:24,640 first born into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels, 159 00:18:24,779 --> 00:18:31,759 he says, who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. But to the son, 160 00:18:31,759 --> 00:18:39,599 he says, you are thrown. Oh God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of 161 00:18:39,599 --> 00:18:48,220 your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore God, your God 162 00:18:48,220 --> 00:18:57,339 has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. I love that wheel of gladness. 163 00:18:57,339 --> 00:19:04,759 Isn't that cool? And verse 10, you Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth 164 00:19:04,759 --> 00:19:12,819 and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain and they will all 165 00:19:12,819 --> 00:19:20,200 grow old like a garment, like a cloak. You will fold them up and they will be changed, 166 00:19:20,759 --> 00:19:28,160 but you are the same and your years will not fail. Verse 13, but to which of the angels has he ever 167 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:37,099 said sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Verse 14, are they not all 168 00:19:37,099 --> 00:19:45,559 ministering spirits sent forth to minister? I love this for those who will inherit salvation. 169 00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:55,180 You see, they are ministers sent forth to minister for us. That's what they do. They're servants. 170 00:19:55,839 --> 00:20:02,920 You know, that's why so often when angels would appear and, you know, if I saw a nine foot angel, 171 00:20:03,659 --> 00:20:09,440 okay, or however tall they are, big, bright, radiant, and I'm like, you know, with wings, 172 00:20:09,660 --> 00:20:13,839 do they have wings? You know, if they have, I'm like falling down to the ground and I'm like, 173 00:20:13,839 --> 00:20:19,940 you know, and what did they say? No, no, get up, get up. I'm a servant just like you. That's, 174 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,980 in fact, how often you can tell the difference when it's probably God appearing like an angel 175 00:20:26,599 --> 00:20:32,579 or just an ordinary angel who's nine foot tall, who radiates and who has wings and mighty and 176 00:20:32,579 --> 00:20:39,039 strong, but because the angels were saying, no, no, no, no, get up. I'm one just like you. 177 00:20:39,039 --> 00:20:47,680 I'm a servant of God most high, but when God comes as an angel, they fall to the ground and worship and 178 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:53,000 he receives it. He allows them. In fact, you remember when Joshua met the commander of the 179 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:58,880 Lord's army, he fell to the ground and the commander of the Lord's army allowed him to do 180 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:04,819 it because it was God, you know, and so often we see this, right, that they accept that type of 181 00:21:04,819 --> 00:21:12,799 worship that only God should receive. Right. And so, and so as we think about this, 182 00:21:13,420 --> 00:21:22,000 we think about how that we are, we are to worship God only, and yet we know that there's, 183 00:21:22,319 --> 00:21:27,619 there's something we don't see going on, right? There's a dark side of this angelic 184 00:21:28,339 --> 00:21:37,559 warfare that happens. Okay. Because there is warfare happening all around us. We don't see it, 185 00:21:37,779 --> 00:21:44,980 but it's happening, right? And how, or why would that happen? Well, because we know that Satan 186 00:21:44,980 --> 00:21:53,559 himself was an angel, a special angel. We can read about this. In fact, in Isaiah 1412, 187 00:21:53,559 --> 00:22:03,359 it reads how you are fallen from heaven. Oh, Lucifer, son of the morning. In fact, 188 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:13,680 his name means day star. So Lucifer, Satan, he is a fallen angel, right? Again, a very manipulative, 189 00:22:14,539 --> 00:22:22,240 a very powerful one, one able to seduce the other one third of the angels to fall with him, 190 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:31,839 right? And yet that's him, right? And then we read more in Ezekiel 28 verses 13 to 15. 191 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:38,480 You were in Eden, the garden of God. I remember I was speaking to a Jewish guy 192 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,960 and I said, well, you know, I talked about Satan. He was like, what? We don't believe in 193 00:22:43,519 --> 00:22:49,019 Satan. And I'm like, well, he was in the garden. Well, we don't necessarily believe that. 194 00:22:49,019 --> 00:22:55,279 Well, here's from their book, Ezekiel, a prophet saying you were in Eden, the garden of God. 195 00:22:55,940 --> 00:23:02,420 The workmanship of your trembles and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. 196 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:09,160 So that's where we get the idea that probably he was a worship leader or someone that conducted 197 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:16,359 worship, right? And imagine this, this is why it's so important as worship leaders. And we have 198 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:22,660 just the most humble, amazing worship team anywhere. All right. Maybe I'm biased. Okay. 199 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:32,160 But because when they worship, they realize all this singing, all this worship is pointed to Jesus. 200 00:23:32,940 --> 00:23:46,339 Like it's not, I'm nothing up here. I'm just like a little piece of this, whether I'm singing, 201 00:23:46,339 --> 00:23:53,759 right now. Right. But, you know, some worship leaders can start to think it's about them, right? 202 00:23:54,279 --> 00:23:59,460 Listen to this. Yeah, I am kind of cool up here, you know, you know, and suddenly they start to 203 00:23:59,460 --> 00:24:06,079 receive that as if it's focused on them, right? And that's Luciferian ideas, right? Because 204 00:24:06,079 --> 00:24:12,380 Lucifer, a worship leader, started to think, you know, I kind of like this, like, God, 205 00:24:12,380 --> 00:24:18,500 can you get out of the way, get from behind me? I kind of like this being about me, you know, 206 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:25,400 he wanted to, he wanted to steal the glory for himself, right? That's the idea. Because 207 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:34,000 there's praise, there's worship. I want this to be about me, not about God. And it's not just 208 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:40,140 worship leaders. It's anything in ministry. If we start to think something is about me, 209 00:24:40,140 --> 00:24:46,640 guess what we're doing? We're falling into an evil realm. We're starting to take on 210 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:55,539 a spirit that is not of God, but is of the enemy. And that's for me, that's for anyone. Once we 211 00:24:55,539 --> 00:25:01,700 start to think we're anything special, there's danger, right? And so this is a warning to all 212 00:25:01,700 --> 00:25:09,380 of us to realize this, you know, Ananias and Sapphira, when they fell, you know, because they 213 00:25:09,380 --> 00:25:14,819 said, this is what I got for the, you know, it's like, it's stealing glory from God. All the glory 214 00:25:14,819 --> 00:25:21,259 belongs to God. It doesn't belong to any one of us. Once we think it does, we're not working with 215 00:25:21,259 --> 00:25:27,880 God, we're working against God, right? And so that's important. So here it talks about 216 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:34,819 Satan being this worship leader, a cherubim. You were anointed, and the anointed cherub 217 00:25:34,819 --> 00:25:42,259 who covers. I establish you, you were in the holy mountain of God, on the holy mountain of God. 218 00:25:42,619 --> 00:25:51,000 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created till the iniquity was found 219 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:58,799 in you. So, man, he was probably beautiful. He stunned everyone. He's like, wow, just look at 220 00:25:58,799 --> 00:26:04,400 that. Look at those wings. They're gorgeous. Look at the colors on them. I don't know. I'm 221 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:10,720 trying to make light of this, but really, that's what it is, right? It's really stealing glory 222 00:26:11,259 --> 00:26:17,960 from God. It all belongs to God, and yet he was trying to take it for himself, right? And so, 223 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:23,160 there is this spiritual realm that we need to know about as believers, so that we follow the 224 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:30,640 one true God, not people. We don't follow people. We follow Jesus Christ. How many fallen ministers 225 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:37,039 and people in ministry do we have to see fall to the wayside, backslidden, fallen to all kinds 226 00:26:37,039 --> 00:26:44,059 of depravity for us to finally realize, I'm not trusting people. I'm trusting Jesus Christ, okay? 227 00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:50,480 If they're with him, okay, then I'll go with you. But anything else, we can't follow people, amen. 228 00:26:51,319 --> 00:26:56,900 Or angels, for that matter. So anyway, so there is a dark side of this, and it's interesting 229 00:26:56,900 --> 00:27:03,460 because I had this verse already prepped up, and then Gail mentions it, the spiritual warfare, 230 00:27:03,740 --> 00:27:09,519 because we do warfare against these things. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12, 231 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:14,680 for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Many of you probably had this memorized. 232 00:27:15,599 --> 00:27:20,420 We don't wrestle, just even stop right there. In fact, Dennis and I were having this 233 00:27:20,589 --> 00:27:26,750 conversation on Friday night. Sometimes we can hate sin so much that we start hating the 234 00:27:26,750 --> 00:27:34,369 person who's sinning, okay? And that's not God, right? We don't wrestle against flesh and blood. 235 00:27:35,029 --> 00:27:41,910 It's the forces we don't see that we need to pray against and be discerning about. 236 00:27:42,250 --> 00:27:47,450 That's the warfare we engage in. The strongholds, our weapons are not carnal, 237 00:27:47,450 --> 00:27:55,069 but mighty in tearing down strongholds of the enemy, right? And so we do not wrestle against 238 00:27:55,069 --> 00:27:58,890 flesh and blood, but against principalities. We're not going to get into each one of them, 239 00:27:58,890 --> 00:28:02,490 but they're so cool when you really study them. Principalities, powers, 240 00:28:02,930 --> 00:28:08,950 against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 241 00:28:08,950 --> 00:28:16,049 in heavenly places. So they're heavenly places. Are they up there or is it a dimension? It's 242 00:28:16,049 --> 00:28:21,349 probably more of a dimension that's all around us that we don't see that's happening, right? 243 00:28:21,730 --> 00:28:27,369 But that's the warfare, right? And so I hope you're not getting as afraid because we're going to 244 00:28:27,369 --> 00:28:31,829 bat to talk about some really good news in this, but that's what's happening. 245 00:28:32,349 --> 00:28:38,049 So if we're aware that this person's acting like a jerk, well, what's really happening? Why? What 246 00:28:38,049 --> 00:28:44,009 are all the dynamics behind what's happening? And we can be discerning about these things, you know? 247 00:28:44,569 --> 00:28:54,630 And so these unseen worlds, when Daniel was praying, right? And he was praying for three weeks. The 248 00:28:54,630 --> 00:28:59,569 Lord said, there's a vision coming. I want you to know about it. And he's praying and 249 00:28:59,569 --> 00:29:04,670 anxiously waiting because the Lord was telling him things about the future of his own people, 250 00:29:04,990 --> 00:29:11,009 right? And it was during Cyrus of Persia was the king. And so Daniel was just fasting, 251 00:29:11,009 --> 00:29:18,769 praying 21 days. Finally, this angel comes to him and said, from the day you started praying, 252 00:29:19,049 --> 00:29:26,769 I was on my way there, but I was stopped by the prince of Persia. We read this in Daniel chapter 253 00:29:26,769 --> 00:29:36,549 10 verse 13 until the archangel Michael came. And one of the chief princes he was fighting against 254 00:29:36,549 --> 00:29:46,250 came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. So these spirits. 255 00:29:46,849 --> 00:29:53,829 So this is where a lot of times people say, well, there's a dark angel that is over, 256 00:29:53,950 --> 00:29:58,069 let's say, Lansdale. Well, there's probably more than one. There's by lots of them. But guess what? 257 00:29:58,349 --> 00:30:02,789 I don't have to worry about it because greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world. 258 00:30:02,789 --> 00:30:09,569 You know, I don't, we don't have to be afraid of these dark angels. We just need to be aware 259 00:30:09,569 --> 00:30:14,349 that they're there, right? So we don't look at what is seen and think that's it. No, no, 260 00:30:14,390 --> 00:30:21,450 there's something unseen under the lid that we're not seeing, that we need to be perceptive of. 261 00:30:21,789 --> 00:30:25,029 But I think it's so amazing because Daniel's praying waiting for this message 262 00:30:25,029 --> 00:30:29,869 and the angel couldn't even get to them till another angel came and helped them out. Isn't 263 00:30:29,869 --> 00:30:36,670 that phenomenal? I mean, that's amazing. Another example in Jude, the half brother of Jesus, 264 00:30:37,450 --> 00:30:44,910 when he was talking about Michael, the archangel, arguing with Satan about the bones of Moses. 265 00:30:45,430 --> 00:30:51,109 I mean, like, what? Like, this is happening? Like, you know, how didn't I see it? Well, 266 00:30:51,250 --> 00:30:57,569 these things are always happening. We're just not necessarily seeing them, but we could sense them. 267 00:30:57,569 --> 00:31:02,390 You know, I have this crazy story. If I shared it before, I probably did, but it's, 268 00:31:02,809 --> 00:31:06,630 it just popped into my head. So I have to, it's, I believe, gotta believe it's God. But 269 00:31:06,630 --> 00:31:12,970 I, one time I was newly saved, only maybe it was the first year. And I went to see this 270 00:31:13,569 --> 00:31:19,690 real estate broker at her house. And she was also a Wicca. She was like a witchcraft. And 271 00:31:19,690 --> 00:31:23,809 I didn't really believe that stuff back then. I'm like, whatever, she's weird, you know? 272 00:31:23,809 --> 00:31:29,730 So I didn't really care about that. And I was going there to do a mortgage application or 273 00:31:29,730 --> 00:31:35,430 something. So I go to her house. And as I go in there, I'll never forget because as we're talking, 274 00:31:35,609 --> 00:31:42,230 she's like, wait, I can't concentrate. And she read tarot cards and she did all this voodooy, 275 00:31:42,230 --> 00:31:48,289 you know, kind of witch witchy stuff, what witches do. Okay. I don't know what they do, 276 00:31:48,289 --> 00:31:55,250 but I know it ain't good. Okay. So, so she's like, we were talking, she's, I just can't, 277 00:31:55,269 --> 00:31:58,309 did you have an argument with someone or something? I'm like, no, what do you mean? 278 00:31:58,430 --> 00:32:04,690 Because she thought she was reading my vibes, you know? And I'm like, like, no, why? Like it 279 00:32:04,690 --> 00:32:10,289 was no, I keep hearing screaming and yelling. And I'm like, I don't know what that is. 280 00:32:10,690 --> 00:32:16,369 And then she's like, yeah, you know, you have to leave. She couldn't handle me being in her 281 00:32:16,369 --> 00:32:23,069 house because she was hearing things. She was sensing these demonic spirits because that's 282 00:32:23,069 --> 00:32:28,670 who she talks to all day long. If they actually can tell the future in anyone's life, it's not 283 00:32:28,670 --> 00:32:36,890 through divination of God. It's through divination of evil spirits, you know? So I do believe these 284 00:32:36,890 --> 00:32:41,369 things exist. I don't really get carried away with them, you know, because again, 285 00:32:41,369 --> 00:32:48,190 we're greater than all of it. We have the spirit of God in us, right? But these things are happening. 286 00:32:48,470 --> 00:32:54,230 We don't have to get carried away with them. We just have to know they're there, right? Amen. 287 00:32:55,250 --> 00:33:02,029 And so these are things we need to know about. But again, the good news is that greater is he 288 00:33:02,029 --> 00:33:12,390 who is in us than he who is in the world. When, when Elisha took over for Elijah, okay, and he was 289 00:33:13,069 --> 00:33:20,109 in Israel and he was the prophet, I mean, the main prophet of Israel and the king of Syria 290 00:33:20,109 --> 00:33:26,450 were always just chipping away at Israel, trying to like really cause them a lot of damage, right? 291 00:33:26,450 --> 00:33:33,710 And this was just after the incident with Naaman when he washed in Jordan seven times and he was 292 00:33:33,710 --> 00:33:39,329 overwhelmed by God. You don't read about Naaman ever wanting to go back there against God's people 293 00:33:39,329 --> 00:33:44,670 again, but there was always new ones that Ben Hadad, the king of Syria could muster up, right? 294 00:33:45,349 --> 00:33:49,750 And so this time the king is planning and plotting, all right, here's what we're going to do. 295 00:33:50,049 --> 00:33:54,369 We're going to camp out here when the Israel's go there, we're going to steal their weapons and 296 00:33:54,369 --> 00:34:00,650 supplies. So he's strategizing against God's people. But every time he makes a plan, 297 00:34:02,210 --> 00:34:07,509 every time he makes a plan, Elijah hears it. Oh, is that where you're going? He's in his room, 298 00:34:08,150 --> 00:34:14,909 you know, they're hundreds of miles apart. Oh, okay, I know that path. He goes to the king. 299 00:34:15,610 --> 00:34:22,150 Don't go over there because Ben Hadad sent people to capture all your people and supplies. 300 00:34:22,670 --> 00:34:28,489 Don't go there, okay? So he was reading Ben Hadad's mind, but Ben Hadad is like saying, 301 00:34:29,110 --> 00:34:33,809 how come every time we go there, they're not there, okay? But they always went there before 302 00:34:33,809 --> 00:34:38,190 this, right? So then finally somebody says, don't you know, there's a prophet in Israel 303 00:34:38,190 --> 00:34:43,449 that's reading your mind. When you're alone in your room, he hears all of it. He knows it all 304 00:34:43,449 --> 00:34:48,449 and he's warning the king. Go get him. I need him to work for me. You know, I got to go 305 00:34:48,449 --> 00:34:53,949 capture him, kill him, whatever, but we need to get him. He's a secret weapon for Israel, right? 306 00:34:54,050 --> 00:35:00,489 I'm filling all that in. But so they go and he send this mighty army to capture Elijah. 307 00:35:01,550 --> 00:35:06,289 And as they surround the town, suddenly his young servant looks up and he's like, 308 00:35:09,750 --> 00:35:17,489 he's looking around, he sees this monstrous army surrounding them, right? Ready to capture them. 309 00:35:17,489 --> 00:35:25,250 And he cries out, master, master, master. And Elijah's like, settle down, 310 00:35:26,150 --> 00:35:34,269 settle down. Lord, open his eyes so he can really see what's happening here. And we read this in 311 00:35:34,269 --> 00:35:43,769 second Kings 6, 16 and 17. And so he answers, do not fear for those who are with us or more than 312 00:35:43,769 --> 00:35:50,989 those who are with them. And Elijah prayed and said, Lord, I pray, open their eyes that they may, 313 00:35:51,110 --> 00:35:56,789 that he may see. And the Lord opened his eyes and the young man looked and saw and behold, 314 00:35:56,949 --> 00:36:05,469 a mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire. Remember we just read that messengers of 315 00:36:05,469 --> 00:36:13,570 fire, right? Chariots of fire all around Elijah. It's like, that's us. When you think you're 316 00:36:13,570 --> 00:36:22,789 surrounded by the enemy, you're like, Lord, open my eyes. This is nothing for you. You are far greater 317 00:36:22,789 --> 00:36:31,610 than anything any army, any dark angels, any spirits can do to me. They can't do anything 318 00:36:31,610 --> 00:36:41,010 to me. Do you realize that? Like the only, the only window or access Satan has into your life 319 00:36:41,010 --> 00:36:45,969 is the one you open to him. Do you know that? And Jesus says, you know, the rule of this 320 00:36:45,969 --> 00:36:53,789 world is coming, but he has nothing in me, right? Where are we? We are in Christ, right? 321 00:36:54,070 --> 00:36:59,090 He can't get through Christ to get to you. So how can he get to you? Unless you're like, 322 00:36:59,090 --> 00:37:04,789 creak open a little door, come on in. And we do that like idiots. I've done it, you know, 323 00:37:05,130 --> 00:37:10,570 and so like, whoa, whoa, they're coming in like a flood, you know? But he can't ever possess you, 324 00:37:10,630 --> 00:37:16,090 but he can sure oppress you, right? But when you realize, no, no, Lord, open my eyes, man, 325 00:37:16,369 --> 00:37:22,909 there's mighty angel forces encamping around me. In fact, the word says, you know, 326 00:37:22,909 --> 00:37:30,510 the Lord encamps his angels around those who love him. There's mighty angels. We're like 327 00:37:30,510 --> 00:37:34,690 Teflon to Satan. Do you realize that? I don't think that's a good word anymore. 328 00:37:35,110 --> 00:37:42,409 That's poisonous. We're, we're, we're, we're, we're stick free. Okay. He cannot have access to us 329 00:37:42,989 --> 00:37:52,889 because we are impervious because we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Amen. Isn't that 330 00:37:53,429 --> 00:37:59,849 about, you know, there are many antiChrists in this world. He says this in first John 4. 331 00:38:01,469 --> 00:38:06,429 He says, you know, there are many antiChrists and this is the spirit of the antiChrist, 332 00:38:06,809 --> 00:38:13,289 which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world. You are of God, 333 00:38:13,429 --> 00:38:22,090 little children and have overcome them. Do you see this? We have overcome them. We have dominion 334 00:38:22,090 --> 00:38:28,909 over the spiritual realm. There's nothing for us to fear. Right. And you have overcome them 335 00:38:28,909 --> 00:38:35,329 because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. And who is he's talking about 336 00:38:35,329 --> 00:38:42,670 the spirit of the antiChrist. You know, Satan hates us, but guess what? He can't do anything 337 00:38:42,670 --> 00:38:50,489 about us unless we let him. Right. I love when, and as if the worship team can come forward, 338 00:38:51,390 --> 00:39:00,329 I think it's so wonderful to see, you know, in Jesus, Luke chapter 9, when Jesus sends out the 339 00:39:00,329 --> 00:39:05,909 first, the 12 disciples, right, to represent him in all these towns and they would go ahead 340 00:39:05,909 --> 00:39:12,530 and they would do all the miracles and say the kingdom of God is coming near because Jesus would 341 00:39:12,530 --> 00:39:18,590 enter these towns after them. And so they were prepping him. They were preparing him. 342 00:39:18,590 --> 00:39:24,630 I see really in a lot of ways, you and I are like that preppers for Jesus Christ. Like, 343 00:39:25,030 --> 00:39:31,690 you know, I'm nothing. You got to know Jesus. You think I'm a nice person? Sometimes. But Jesus, 344 00:39:32,150 --> 00:39:38,489 you got to know him. Right. So we are those preppers for Jesus Christ. But we see this. 345 00:39:38,949 --> 00:39:43,909 And so he was like, you know, sent them out. And then Luke 10 talks about when he sends the 70 346 00:39:43,909 --> 00:39:49,969 out. And you remember, they're doing all these amazing things like they were impervious to the 347 00:39:49,969 --> 00:39:53,250 enemy. And he said, you're going to go out. You're going to crush the head of Satan. You're going to 348 00:39:53,250 --> 00:39:58,869 do all these things and he can't touch you. You have dominion. Right. And so they come back and 349 00:39:58,869 --> 00:40:05,010 they're like, wow, even the spirits are submissive to us. Like, like people quake and 350 00:40:05,010 --> 00:40:10,409 shake and, and they can't, they just part. It's like the Red Sea parting the evil, 351 00:40:10,409 --> 00:40:17,929 the evil realm, just parting because we are so anointed and appointed because he gave them power 352 00:40:17,929 --> 00:40:26,170 and authority. Guess what he gives us? Power and authority in his name. And then he says this 353 00:40:26,170 --> 00:40:40,389 in Luke 10, verse 18 to 20. He says, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. We don't know 354 00:40:40,389 --> 00:40:48,010 it happened. And behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents, scorpions, 355 00:40:48,010 --> 00:40:53,789 and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, 356 00:40:55,349 --> 00:41:02,670 do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are 357 00:41:02,670 --> 00:41:10,190 written in heaven. Do you know the fact that we are written in heaven? All these other things 358 00:41:10,190 --> 00:41:17,849 just come with it. These are just auxiliary functions of a believer because we are to have 359 00:41:17,849 --> 00:41:27,030 dominion down here. You know, if we walk in fear and trembling and insecurity and failure, 360 00:41:27,030 --> 00:41:33,150 if we walk in this type with our tail between our legs, all that we're not exhibiting the power 361 00:41:33,150 --> 00:41:40,650 and authority of Jesus Christ, right? But he has given us dominion in this world that we know that 362 00:41:40,650 --> 00:41:49,570 we can overcome anything evil, okay? And we also have a litany of angels all around us, 363 00:41:49,650 --> 00:41:56,889 supporting us, providing for us, protecting us, and guiding us, and giving us messages even on 364 00:41:56,889 --> 00:42:02,949 behalf of Jesus Christ. Amen. Isn't that great news? Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. 365 00:42:04,889 --> 00:42:10,489 So let's pray. We're going to sing this last song and worship. So Father God, we thank you 366 00:42:11,289 --> 00:42:17,650 such good news all the time, Lord God. You are just great news. So thank you for giving us 367 00:42:17,650 --> 00:42:25,329 dominion in this world to walk and talk and act and be just like you are in Jesus' name. Amen. 368 00:42:25,329 --> 00:42:26,429 Hallelujah. 369 00:42:30,150 --> 00:42:36,510 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss His word. Don't 370 00:42:36,510 --> 00:42:41,769 forget to join us for worship live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 371 00:42:41,769 --> 00:42:44,869 Be blessed and have a great day!