Angels and demons

He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands (Psalm 91:11-12).

Do you believe in things that you cannot see? Of course you do. You can’t see the air, yet you breathe it constantly. You can’t see gravity, but you measure its effects when you step on a scale. You can’t see love, yet I’m sure that you’ve experienced it in one form or another for most of your life. Invisible things are real, and they have a profound effect upon us every single day.

This is also true of angels and demons. Normally these beings are invisible, although they can reveal themselves if they choose to. But although they are unseen, they are very real—and very powerful. They are all around us, and they frequently have an impact on our lives.

Angels and demons are exactly the same in all respects save one—angels serve God, while demons follow Satan. Demons started out as angels, but chose to side with the devil when he challenged God’s authority. Now they are doomed; when Christ returns on the last day, Satan and his demons will be locked in hell forever. But the demons are sore losers; so until the day when Jesus comes back, they work hard to cause as much pain and misery as they can. They are spiritual terrorists, doing whatever they can to make people scared and miserable. They cause disease. They arrange accidents to happen. They make harmful things look appealing; they make degrading behavior look like fun. Whenever we have a choice to make, they give us subtle nudges towards the worst possible choice.

Thankfully, God’s angels are on our side. Our Lord has directed them to look out for us. Scripture says that every child has an angel watching over them. The prophet Elisha showed his servant that an army of angels surrounded them, keeping the two men safe from enemy attack. Angels protect us from danger. Have you ever been in a life or death situation, yet managed to escape unharmed? That was the work of an angel, shielding you from injury. Angels try to keep us from making choices that cause harm to ourselves or the people around us. Have you ever been interrupted just as you were about to say or do something bad? That was an angel, giving you a chance to reconsider your actions. Although you cannot see them, these servants of Christ are constantly at work trying to help you; they are just one more proof of how much Jesus loves you.