Angels are Still Among Us if We are Willing to Believe

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places - Ephesians 6:12  

            The occurrence happens so gradually that one hardly notices the effects at first. It starts with a nagging feeling that something is "just not right". Maybe a fleeting thought, a bit of melancholy and then all is well for a few days. The next phase involves lingering thoughts and a few days of gloom that you just can't shake. Then, the truly agonizing episode sets in. The fleeting thought turns into obsession and the sadness into clinical depression. All of this transpires in approximately a month, as I have noted through observation.

            When the patient, let's call him "Johnny", finally went to the psychiatrist he was already overwhelmed with bouts of depression, anxiety and obsessive thoughts that had driven his girlfriend away several weeks prior. Johnny couldn't sit still; he kept pacing back and forth in the office.  His eyes were bloodshot from crying so much and he continually shoved his hands in his pockets and drew them out as if they were on fire and he couldn't figure out how to make the burning stop. 

            Johnny was convinced that his girlfriend, let's call her "Jamie", was cheating on him. Johnny said Jamie had been looking at other guys when the two of them would go out on dates. No, not just looking, according to Johnny.  She was making eyes at all the men they would pass in the street or sit next to at restaurants or the movie theater. Then, Jamie had the audacity to smile and chat with the waiter when they were eating at TGI Friday's. Jamie said she was just making conversation, but Johnny knew, just knew that Jamie was going to cheat on him with the hunky waiter guy.

            Johnny confronted Jamie with his theory of her cheating on him that he had been obsessing over for weeks now. Jamie was shocked and hurt.  She asked him how he could think that of her.  Didn't he know that she loved him?  Just him?  Jamie loved no one else, but Johnny refused to believe it.  Jamie said she couldn't be in a relationship with someone who couldn’t trust her. Johnny said he couldn’t be in a relationship with someone he couldn't trust.  So, that was that.  Jamie walked out of his apartment and out of his life. 

            That is when Johnny's life began spiraling out of control. His psychiatrist began upping the dosage of his medication. When that didn't help, Johnny turned to alcohol and other drugs to "numb the pain". Eventually, Johnny was walking in a fog; a hopeless haze of hurt, fear and anger. And that is right where the demon wanted him.  If a demon can get a person to that point of desperateness or wrath, then the evil spirit has full control of that person. That person no longer has control over himself.  At this point, the human will either take his own life or will take the lives of those around him.

            "Does anyone have any questions about today's lesson?" Michael looked around at the heavenly beings that sat before him.  Had he really been teaching this course for centuries now? Michael was beginning to feel...tired?  Can angels feel tired?  He had been doing God's bidding since the beginning of time and he had fought numerous demons and spirits throughout the years. Michael sighed and realized that he couldn’t allow himself to feel exhausted.  He looked again at the young angels that surrounded him. No, there was still much to be done and the most difficult component of the battle was just beginning.

The above passage is a rough draft of the first chapter of a story I am working on.  When I began doing some research on the topic of angels, I was amazed that the Bible mentions angels almost three hundred times!  What got me thinking about the topic of angels was a Bible lesson my husband was presenting to his Sunday School class last Sunday. We were studying in the book of 2 Chronicles chapter 32.  In verses 20-21 it states that Hezekiah (the king) and Isaiah (the prophet) prayed and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent AN ANGEL, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains and the king of Assyria.  ONE ANGEL defeated an entire army because of the faith of the men that prayed to God.
Obviously, God is the one we should pray to and worship.  However, we can't discount the power God gives his angels.  God has angels that live in heaven with him.  These angels are called Seraphim and Cherubim; these are the angels with wings.  Then, there are other angels that bring justice, angels that work miracles, angels that are guardians and angels that protect from demonic attack (which are the ones that I am focusing on in this section of  the story I am writing).
Next time you enter into your closet to pray, remember to thank God for the angels he sends to help us through life journeys.  Also, remember to pray that God will help us "put on the whole armor of God" so that we may defend ourselves against the wiles of the devil.