Do life’s challenges occasionally feel overwhelming? Do your trials seem so challenging that you have little hope for a positive outcome? Do you ask yourself “Where is God in this?”  

   All of us go through challenges that test our faith, but God is far from absent! In fact, He sends teams of angels when we need His help, whether we ask for them or not. If you picture angels with sweet smiles, halos, hands clasped together in prayer, big white wings, dressed in radiant white, then you haven’t met the ninja angels on God’s team. Let me broaden your view of angels with a few stories from Scripture. 

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   Jesus was being arrested by the chief priests and elders when Peter tried to protect Him, cutting off the ear of a servant with a sword. Jesus rebuked Peter: “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt 26:52-53) 

   In Jesus’s day a Roman legion consisted of at least 3,000 men. Can you imagine Jesus calling upon His Father and requesting 36,000 angels?! If Jesus had called for them, do you think these angels would have been dressed in white, smiling, and enjoying their halos? I don’t think so. Let me share some Old Testament passages that will give you a different picture of angels: 

   Numbers 22:21-31 – A prophet of the Lord, Balaam, was riding a donkey to meet with the Moabites, who desperately wanted him to pronounce a curse on the invading Israelites. While traveling to Moab, God opposed Balaam by revealing Himself to the donkey. God stopped Balaam’s donkey by sending an angel with a drawn sword in his hand (v.23). The donkey turned off the road to avoid harm from the angel. Balaam got angry at the donkey and beat her to get her back on the road to Moab. The donkey complied. As they approached a narrow path with walls on both sides, the donkey saw the angel of the Lord with a sword again and pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot to avoid the angel. Balaam beat her again (v.24). The donkey was allowed to see the angel with the sword, but God also opened Balaam’s eyes so that he could see the angel with the drawn sword (v.31). Once Balaam understood what was going on, he bowed low before the Lord. 

   2 Kings 6:15-17 – The king of Aram was at war with Israel. Elisha, a prophet of God, was being hunted by the king of Aram, who was enraged that Elisha kept telling the king of Israel every word being spoken by him. Elisha knew every word spoken by the king of Aram because the Lord was revealing it to him. So the king of Aram sent a strong force of men with horses and chariots to capture Elisha. The servant of Elisha got up the next morning and discovered Aram’s army surrounding the city: 

   “Oh, my Lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 

   Angels are spirit beings (Heb 1:14) who have tremendous power (2 Peter 2:11) and are innumerable (Heb 12:22). I find great comfort in knowing that when the trials come, God has our backs. Sometimes He sends a team of angels with swords in hand. Sometimes He sends a team of angels to mount horses and chariots to protect us. Our circumstances may feel overwhelming to us, but nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). We may not witness God’s angels directly unless He chooses to “open our eyes” like He did for the servant of Elisha and for Balaam. 

 When you face the challenges, the trials, the overwhelming circumstances, God wants to take care of you. Ex 14:14 says, “The battle belongs to the Lord, all you need to be is still.” Just as Jesus rebuked Peter for pulling his sword and cutting off the ear of an enemy, we need to remind ourselves that we don’t have to immerse ourselves in a battle or try to defend ourselves in our own strength. God already has a solution in place.  

   He has a team of angels ready to go whenever we need them. Jesus taught that He could ask His Father for twelve legions of angels, and He would have them immediately. We can ask for them too. God has angels working hard for each of us, even when we’re not spiritually aware of them. Let’s remember that every battle belongs to the Lord. Let’s drop our “sword,” be still, and let the Lord defeat our enemies. 

   Is it hard for you to drop your “sword” and trust that God is mightily at work in your circumstances, even when He feels absent to you?  

Blessings,

Lee Ann