We have spent the last four parts of this series learning how angels speak: God's angels and Satan's angels.
We are now ready to look at what Christians claim they are hearing from angels today. We will be able to compare what we've learned from the Bible to see if what they're hearing is true.
Angels, Angels Everywhere!
I first came across people 'talking' with angels decades ago and they were not Christians. They were part of what was called "New Age" spirituality. Some of their beliefs were familiar to me because I spent time before becoming an atheist in the study of Eastern mysticism. I became a Christian in 1971, about the same time that New Age spirituality was growing in popularity in the West. The New Age spirituality looked a lot like the Eastern mysticism I had studied.
[Marcia Montenegro has a good explanation of New Age on her website, Christian Answers For The New Age.]
One of the common themes I heard from people who were involved in New Age spirituality was that angels were everywhere and available to help anyone who called on them. Anyone. All people needed to do was pray to angels and they would hear and do as we asked.
Even though Jesus Christ was not the primary focus for New Agers I met, some would include His name in their prayers. Here's an example of one New Ager's prayer for self-healing that includes the names of Jesus, angels, and a human 'saint' -
"Beloved Jesus, loving healer of God; beloved archangel Rafael, loving healer of God; beloved archangel Zadkiel, loving healer of God; beloved St. Teresa, loving healer of God. The love of God is now inside of me. I am completely filled and healed with the love of God. Jesus, Rafael, Zadkiel, Teresa, I am so grateful for the ministering, healing and comfort that you bring to me. Thank you for surrounding and filling me completely with positive energy. Thank you for clearing and cleaning me completely. I am now completely well. I now feel absolutely wonderful, filled with the spirit of love in all ways. I am energized, I am happy, I am rested and refreshed. Thank you God, thank you divine healers. Amen"
How to Talk with Angels, Mary Jo McCallie, Angel Therapy Practitioner and Medium
Notice that the medium recommends praying to Jesus, angels and a human 'saint' and calls them all 'divine healers.' Jesus, though mentioned first in this prayer, is lumped together with all the other names as one of many divine healers. How does that fit with these verses from the Bible?
"... and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:19-23
"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:8-11
"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Colossians 1:13-18
" For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You'? And again: 'I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son'? But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: 'Let all the angels of God worship Him.' And of the angels He says: 'Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.' But to the Son He says: 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.' And: 'You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.' But to which of the angels has He ever said: 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool'? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"
Hebrews 1:5-14
It doesn't. The name of Jesus is above all other names in the universe. Grouping Jesus with angels and humans is a centuries-old heresy.
The medium goes on to say that all a person needs to do is 'ask' angels to show up when called on and they will. Why are the angels so readily available? Because, New Agers believe, every human being has multiple angels with them from birth (e.g. guardian angels) and are always at the ready to do our bidding.
The medium says the reason you have to call on angels (pray to them) for help is because they cannot interfere with human free will unless you ask. She also emphasizes the importance of people developing their own divine intuition and psychic ability. She also teaches people how to 'hear' angels talk.
Many New Age mediums and psychics work with angels. They talk about ministering 'through' the angels. They say that angels love us, believe in us and want to help us. They say that angels gently work with us to bend our behavior toward that which is good. How do they do that? Some New Agers say angels work quietly by influencing our thoughts, intentions and emotions. Is that true?
"We might not be aware of that, but they [angels] are constantly trying to lead us toward something good."
How Angels Talk With Us, interview with Dr. Thane Glenn
That angels 'influence' our thoughts and emotions sub-consciously toward doing good things is how many New Agers believe we 'hear' from them. How do they know that an angel is influencing their thoughts and emotions? Let's hear from another New Age medium on that subject.
"There are many signs with angels. They will show you a feather, they will show you a butterfly, they will show you a nickel, they will show you coins. You'll start smelling different smells, and people also feel the embrace, they feel the love, they feel the heat. Some people feel the tingling, they feel being 'touched' by an angel ... after I get warm I see a light and they can be different colors of light. And then it's like they're stepping on stage. When they step on stage I will see who they are. Not with the halo like everybody thinks or the diaper. They're human beings, divine spirits, and they're all different. They can be a woman, a man, tall, short, fat or skinny ... Everyone pay attention. If everyone just listened, just listen, they're here."
Rosie Cepero, The Learning Channel
Angels of different colors of light?I'm reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote Christians living in Corinth -
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works."
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
So, do angels also 'talk' to us in voices we can hear?
"They whisper constantly. I'm always listening cause they're always talking to me."
Rosie Cepero, The Learning Channel
Many New Agers describe the voice of their 'angels' as being a quiet voice inside their mind. Others say the voice sounds like a trumpet or other instrument and that their mind 'translated' the sound into thoughts they could understand. Some hear specific words from angels about what they should do with their lives.
Here's one example of a leading New Age author speaking at a church.
Interesting. She sees angels everywhere. That's 'normal' for her. Unemployed angels? Really? They have nothing to do? God is pouring unemployed angels onto the earth? God is pouring unemployed angels on us to 'save the planet'? Really? We can make this world 'just' and 'full of love'? How do we do that?
Americans have been chosen to be part of the 'new race'? We can solve the world's problems as part of that 'new race'? It's part of 'spiritual evolution'? Man 'becoming more than what we are today'? Really? How does that work from a biblical perspective?
Guardian angels 'allow' unemployed angels to be 'in and around you.' Angels 'in' us? Does that sound like supernatural 'possession'? As in 'demon possession'?
The soul we have in us is a 'spark,' a 'speck of light'? That spark is 'God' and is 'inside of you'? Really?
Where does she reference the Bible in support of any of her beliefs in her presentation? Where did she mention Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin on the Cross? Where did she mention sin? Where did she mention Christ's resurrection? Did the 'priest' ever question her about what authority she has for any of her beliefs? He did not because they agree that Scripture is not an authority needed in the new age.
[You may find it interesting that Lorna Byrne is a well-known new age spiritualist and author about angels from Ireland. Lorna speaks around the world and presents messages from God and angels in her speeches and books. Those messages include that "it doesn't matter what you believe or even if you believe in nothing" ( Lorna's Message). The interview was conducted in San Francisco's Grace Cathedral by Matthew Fox. Fox is a former member of the Dominican Order of the Roman Catholic Church. He became an Episcopal priest after leaving Catholicism. Grace Cathedral is the seat of the Episcopalian Diocese of California. Fox is also a well-known author for his books about 'creation spirituality,' which some have classified as monism and pantheism.]
So, is talking with and hearing angels just something for New Age people? No. Many Christian leaders say they talk with and hear the voices of angels. Many say angels have transported them from earth to Heaven and back to earth.
We know from the Bible that angels have spoken to people in a language the people understood. So, does that prove that what Christians say they are hearing today are the voices of God's angels speaking to them? And how about what people in the past centuries have said about what angels said to them? Should we believe them? Is God revealing new spiritual knowledge through angels?
That will be our focus in the next part of When Angels Speak.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
