Angels Watching Over Me Series

There is the true story of a family who was desperately trying to sell their house, which was located on a busy street. Their real estate agent decided to have open-house nearly every day to promote the sale. And they instructed the children not to talk to anyone about the house. One evening a man took their seven-year-old daughter aside and asked if the house had any secrets he should know about. Her first reaction was to smile and ignore his question. But he became more persistent and, finally, she confessed that there was one secret but she could not tell it to him. “Ahh, come on,” he said. "Tell me the secret. I promise I won't tell anyone." She leaned forward and whispered, "We have angels watching over us here."

There’s an old Gospel hymn I remember from years ago… (SING)

Chorus: “All night, all day, angels watching over me my Lord; all night, all day, angels watching over me.

Verse: “I went down to the valley to pray - angels watching over me my Lord. Soul got happy and I stayed all day - angels watching over me.”

Verse: “When my heart is sad and blue - angels watching over me my Lord. I call on Him to see me through - angels watching over me.”

Verse: “Angels standing all around me - angels watching over me my Lord. They tell me how much God loves me - angels watching over me.”

Now, that’s a really nice song - but is it true? Do we REALLY have angels watching over us? Well, that’s what our story tells us today. Angels watch over God’s people!

Apparently, the King of Syria had discovered that Elisha had been warning the King of Israel about ambushes Syria had set for Israel’s armies, and he was not happy about it. So he sent a “huge army” to seize Elisha and bring him back to his city. Horses and chariots and a great army came by night, and in the morning Elisha’s servant goes out to the well and is frightened because the enemy have surrounded the city.

In a panic he goes back to Elisha. And Elisha smiled (pause)… and said “‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So 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.” II Kings 6:16-17

THIS is a repetitive theme throughout Scripture. God sends His Angels to watch over us.

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them.”

Psalm 91:11 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”

And in the New Testament God tells us “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14

God sends Angels to watch over us - to serve YOU and Me. They are our servants. That means you’ve got friends in high places!!!

So when Elisha prayed “Open his eyes that he may see!” suddenly the servant’s eyes are opened and he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire. (PAUSE) And that is what is all around us right now.

As Elisha said: Those who are with you are more than those that are with anyone who opposes you! And the reason those who are with you are more than those who oppose you is because “Greater is He who is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4

ILLUS: Chris Tomlin wrote a beautiful worship song that says (SING) “I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind. The God of angel armies, is always by my side. The one who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine. The God of angel armies, is always by my side.”

Where did Tomlin get that idea? He got it from the Bible. The Bible talks about God being the LORD of hosts. In the story of David and Goliath (for example) David tells Goliath “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45

WHO are these HOSTS that David referred to? WHO are these armies of Israel that David relied on? THOSE hosts and those armies were Angel Armies! And that’s why he could confront Goliath with confidence. Not only was Goliath outnumbered. And so was the entire Philistine army. They didn’t stand a chance.