Angels: Activating God’s Secret Agents
Angels When the Believer Dies
February 21, 2010
Introduction
A Don’s story of his dad
B God has used His angels in your life to direct, guide, protect, strengthen, encourage, bring health/favor, & provision.
1 We can’t begin to understand what we call “near misses” were actually times when the hands of angels moved us at just the right moment.
a Let love of the brethren continue.2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Heb 13:1-2 (NASB)
b We’ll never know how many times we’ve gotten counsel, help from strangers who were actually angels, secret agents of the Most High God.
2 I believe angels were watching you when you got saved.
a "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10 (NASB) Heaven exploded with joy when you got saved!
b They saw you weep your way to Christ, trusting only in His blood & the power of His life-giving resurrection.
c I believe your angel jumped the highest, shouted & sang the loudest, danced the fastest.
3 As you have grown in the Spirit, you have been watched in wonder & amazement as your relationship with Christ has bloomed.
a It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look . 1 Peter 1:12 (NASB)
b You know Jesus in a way angels do not.
aa They have never sinned, have no need of redemption, have never been lost, blind, sick, healed.
bb You have been washed in the blood, filled with the Holy Ghost, blind, sick, lost...
C If angels have been set in charge over you during your life, you can rest assured they will be there when you die.
I The angels & death
A Paul reminds us the “last enemy destroyed will be death.” The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor 15:26 (KJV)
1 The moment a Christian dies, the spirit departs the body & enters the atmosphere, air.
a Eph. 2:2 tells us that the air is the realm that the enemy/devil is prince over–enemy territory. ...in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Eph 2:2 (NASB)
aa Daniel 10 describes a battle in that realm when his own angel was held up for 21 days fighting with the head demon of the region of Iran.
bb There are spiritual battles going on now, just above us in the invisible realm.
b The moment a Christian dies is the last opportunity the devil has to attack the believer.
2 I believe one of the main reasons God’s angels are sent at the moment of a Christian’s death is because of the last enemy, battle.
a The sting of death has been removed by Christ’s work on the cross, but we’ve still got to cross the valley of the shadow of death...enemy territory.
b When Christ came to earth in the flesh He was escorted by angels. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger ."13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." Luke 2:8-14 (NASB)
aa When He returns, He will be escorted by angels. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds . Matt 16:27 (NASB)
bb Spiritual battles in the heavenlies are being constantly waged by the enemy of God.
3 I believe the angels who’ve guided, counseled, protected, ministered, shielded will actually escort me into the presence of the Lord, and the reason they are sent is because the last battle I’ll ever fight with the devil is death. The last enemy is death! The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor 15:26 (KJV)
a Billy Graham wrote in Angels: God’s Secret Agents, “Could not the ‘rod and staff’ which helps us in the valley of the shadow of death be these holy angels?” (Pg. 149)
b The road to heaven goes through the valley of the shadow of death, but the road is marked with victory all the way.
c When Paul spoke about his own approaching death, he said... we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Cor 5:8 (NASB)
aa When the separation of physical & spiritual happens, angels are there to escort us into the presence of our Savior.
bb Joy, everlasting life
B On at least two occasions in Scripture, believers were carried home by angels.
1 In the Old Testament, Elijah is at the end of his prophetic ministry, & his apprentice, Elisha, is walking beside him to the place Elijah would go to be with the Lord.
a As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.12 Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 2 Kings 2:11-12 (NASB)
b A chariot of fire with horsemen swept in & carried Elijah to heaven.
2 In the New Testament, Lazarus, a poor man suffering with leprosy who laid at the gate of the rich man.
a And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. Luke 16:20-22 (NASB)
b Angels carried Lazarus to his eternal home when he died (nobody came for the rich man).
C Christian, take comfort, because when you die no “grim reaper” will come for you when you breathe your last breath.
1 An angel band will be your escort home!
a In 20-plus years of ministry, I have seen with my own eyes the ministry of angels at the deathbed of believers.
aa Smiles, reaching out, twinkle in the eye, talking to visitors whom they had loved & long since lost.
bb Angels show up to take you home with shouts of joy because they’ve seen the Savior’s empty tomb, & they know yours will be too! But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 1 Thess 4:13-14 (NASB)
b Personal story
2 We don’t face death like lost people, with no hope.
a Sad funeral, hospital room, nursing home room, someone’s house, be there when a lost person dies. Hopeless, sad, heavy, complete loss...with good reason.
b Death is not a shadow in those places, the stinger is intact. He won, victorious, & he’s swallowed their soul.
Conclusion
A I believe death can be beautiful (almost come to anticipate it with joy & expectation).
1 I’ve seen people die with sweet expressions of triumph on their face.
a No wonder the Bible says...Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. Psalms 116:15 (NASB)
b No wonder David wrote...Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil , for You are with me...Psalms 23:4 (NASB)
2 You can be suffering, & in a moment be transformed into the glorious likeness of our Savior.
a Book of Life, heavenly gates, crystal river, streets of gold, walls of jasper, tree of life, Temple are no longer just words on a page, but a reality.
b You will be escorted there by God’s secret agent, invisible allies, sent by God to bring you home.
aa Don’t take disease, debt, depression, divorce, disappointments
bb You do take something...And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, ’Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them." Rev 14:13 (NASB)
c No wonder Paul wrote...Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor 15:58 (NASB)
B A phrase used when a Christian passes is “crossing Jordan”.
1 The phrase refers to the victorious march of the nation of Israel crossing the Jordan River after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, & finally entering the land of promise.
a In my mind I imagined a huge body of water (Mississippi, Ohio, the Great Lakes), but in reality it’s more like Mary’s River or Nine Mile Creek.
b It was nothing at all like I thought it would be (not that big, wide, deep).
2 I believe when the angel band comes to carry me home, cross Jordan, I’ll look at the river & think it wasn’t that big, deep, wide.
a That’s what I feared? Was worried/scared about?
b If this is death, it’s sweet. There is no valley here. God’s calling me, & I must go.
c And then one day I’ll cross the river/I’ll fight life’s final war with pain/And then as death gives way to victory/I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives
3 Are you ready to face death?
a No one is truly ready to die unless they’ve learned to live for the glory of God.
b You can put your confidence in Jesus because He died for you...and at that last moment...the greatest crisis of all–He will have His angels gather you into their arms & carry you gloriously, wonderfully into heaven.
4 Pray
