"OPENING OUR EYES TO THE ANGELIC REALM"

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 prayer - in 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 eyes - the hunk of hunks. We are talking better than Fabio, OK. Another time I had a similar-looking angel come to me - he 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 life - to 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.

by Todd Bentley