I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS…
Several months ago the Lord spoke to me an unusual request. He asked me to pray for three angels. (He did not say if these were angels assigned to me personally, or for all angels within that specific category).
Two things about that request surprised me:
1. That He asked me to pray for angels at all (whether personally assigned to me or a general category such as Cherubs….of which there are several types.)
2. And that I had never seen these particular angels.
The request surprised me, for I said to myself: “If the Lord is asking me to pray for these angels (let us just assume for this discussion that these are angels assigned to me personally) then there is almost a lifetime that I have never considered angels as having needs—and certainly not praying that those needs be met.”
Oh, I had often asked the Lord to send angels to protect me or others or that He send them to help me in some way—but I had never considered standing before the Lord in their behalf as I might a human.
Why, I wondered had I not prayed for them? I knew that they were extremely helpful in all manner of ways. I personally (actually) knew that they had different and unique personalities—and I had been blessed with the gift of—not only seeing—but of knowing a number of angels rather well. Why had I not considered praying for their needs? I suppose I simply looked upon them as too mighty or as servants of my Father (we are all servants of our Father, even as our Lord Jesus)—and not as they actually presented themselves—which was as friends…spiritual friends, that’s true, but friends. Granted, most of us do not see them (as yet); but all of us know of their helpfulness. The Holy Spirit is not seen either, but we know Him as Friend.
WHO ARE THESE ANGELS?
The Lord asked me to pray for the angels: CONTINUING PRAYER, GRATITUDE, and THANKFULNESS.
The dictionary defines “gratitude” as a feeling of thankfulness, appreciation for favors or benefits received or a warm appreciative response to kindness.
The dictionary defines “thankfulness” as a state or quality of being thankful—impressed with a sense of kindness received and ready to acknowledge it.
Therefore gratitude is a “feeling” and thankfulness a “response” to that feeling.
MY RESPONSE TO GOD’S REQUEST
Therefore, several months ago I began to beseech the Lord on their behalf.
I asked the Lord to:
1. Bless them
2. Empower them
3. Anoint them
4. To give them wisdom
5. Knowledge
6. Understanding
7. Discretion
8. Discernment
9. To prosper the work of their hands
10. To give to them zeal in serving Him
11. To help them have success in the tasks that He gives to them—and
12. Great joy in doing these tasks.
Although I have been blessed to see many angels, to this day, I have never seen CONTINUING PRAYER, GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS. But because I pray for them daily, I feel that I know them.
I asked the Lord to extend these requests to cover all the angels assigned to me or to my family members. Goodness, I want all the angels serving the Lord by assisting me to have all that they need for their work—and, hopefully, to enjoy their assignments.
A CHANGED ATTITUDE
Praying for these three angels (and indeed all the angels assigned to me or my family members) has changed my attitude toward the angels themselves. I think of them now as friends—spiritual friends. They are so helpful to us, I am glad to give my time to ask the Lord to help them and to bless them for their service to us.
I am not suggesting to you that you should pray in this fashion—because prayer is a very personal communication between you and the Lord. I am merely sharing a request made to me—which in many ways has changed my life. I only hope that sharing with you this extraordinary turn around in my own attitude toward angels, might—in some way—help you.
We get by with a little help from our friends….It is possible that “help” might go both ways–friendship certainly does.
