"He Shall Give His Angels Charge!"

An exhortation to trust

To the vivid mind of the Apostle Paul the existence of Satan was a very real thing. Nowhere in any of his letters does Paul suggest that the "Prince of the power of the Air" (Eph.2:2) was only an imaginary being. In every reference to Satan Paul conveys the idea, as strongly as words can possibly convey, that he is the great personal Evil Spirit, into whose hands, as the Prince of this world, the rulership of this present evil world has been permitted. He also calls him "the god of this world (or age)." (2 Cor.4:4) For many years this clear‑cut conception has been losing its sharp distinction among Christian people, and even theologians have been known to state that all evil is impersonal. To the Lord Jesus, and the Apostles, Satan was assuredly no mere impersonation of evil, but an evil personality; as truly personal as the Archangel Michael who called down the Lord’s rebuke upon him. (Jude 9)

From the earliest pages of the Divine records Satan is shown as an instigator of evil (John 8:44), as one employing cunning "wiles" (or stratagems) and as an accuser of righteously inclined people. God has given him great latitude, even allowing him and his evil co‑labourers to slay the saints of God.

Taking full advantage of God’s permission, Satan has produced a world‑order in which evil is the predominant factor; so much so that Paul describes it as "this present evil world." (Gal.1:4) This world‑order, passing on from generation to generation, has corrupted, for centuries, the words, thoughts and activities of nearly all the human race. But for the grace of God working in the hearts of the saintly few, this corruption would have been complete. Institutions created under the Satanic influence by one generation become the swaddling‑bands to bind and fetter the next and future generations. The strait‑jacket of custom is there when we are born, and it is tightly laced about us from our earliest days.

Both in and out of "Society" strict conventions are rigidly applied from which neither education nor illiteracy afford release. Deeper than any other national trait is the tendency to follow in "father’s footsteps" or to do as "mother" did. Life runs in grooves, worn deeper with each succeeding generation. Thus, with the first breath, the child comes under the control of a regime behind which is the cunning, seductive mind of the Prince of this world; this world‑order—with its many ramifications. It is because people have become accustomed to this general situation, and attribute it to "heredity" and "the glorious past" that the recognition of Satan’s personality tends to become blurred and indistinct. Too much emphasis is laid upon the "trend of things," and not enough upon the design and the designer of this world’s affairs. The "it" of sequence too often displaces the "him" who designs it. Good indeed would it be for the world if they could realise that the crises of life are produced more by Satanic design than by the drift of circumstances.

It is vitally imperative for the Christian to realise "what" or "who" he is "up against" in his daily warfare. It is no opposition of a mere impersonal principle, but of a cunning highly placed adversary. There is the mental calibre of a Spirit mind—more comprehensive in its range and more subtle in its operation, than the mind of mere man. That cunning mind is fortified by many centuries of experience. It has the advantage too, of seeing but of remaining unseen by its earthly opponent. It is a real foe, perilously real; an actual, personal, veritable opponent, bent upon the destruction of every child of God.

No child of God should be afraid to realise this fact. It should not cause fear or terror in even the least of God’s saints. No matter how vividly or realistically the mind can visualise the existence or the nearness or the malignancy of Satan, there is not the slightest need for alarm. It is one of the greatest phases of victory in the Christian life, to be consciously aware of the unseen presence of a malignant foe, and yet know no fear or disquiet of soul thereat. It bespeaks a courage—a self‑control—born of true faith, to realise the perils, and yet to remain unperturbed and undismayed. The Holy Spirit is thus, bearing a rich fruitage in the heart.

It has ever been God’s desire to produce in his people this rest of soul, by assuring them that He and his heavenly messengers are much more than a match for all Satan’s cunning and malignant power. From Psalmist days God has encouraged his people by telling them that his angels (even legions of angels) encamp round about them that reverence him, in order to deliver them. By Apostolic pen, God has assured us that they are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. (Heb.1:14) Every angelic minister, authorised and equipped with Divine Power, is just as real and personal and as veritably present as the hosts of wickedness. Jesus once said "their angels do always behold the face of my Father." (Matt.18:10) Their angels! As though every child of God were attended by an unseen bodyguard, whose mission is to superintend the details of life’s experiences allowing Satan to come near enough to test, but not to injure God’s little ones.

It is probably because we are not admonished to pray to the Guardian Angels, nor yet to seek contact with them, that we may not be so keenly aware of their presence with us; or it may be, though reading these promises, we forget to apply them, and fail to see, like Gehazi, till the Lord graciously opens our eyes, the chariots of the Lord, and the horsemen thereof. (2 Kings 6:17) filling the heavens around us. As the difficulties of the way surround our future pathway, and we see indications of unrestrained fury manifested by Satan and his evil hosts, it will be an act of grace toward each other to remind one and all that the invincible armies of heaven are not one whit less personal, nor one bit more distant from our side than the evil forces on the other side. "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." (Psa.91;11) On behalf of each child of God, old or young, weak, or strong, these Divinely sent ministers, who come invisibly near, are equipped with Divine Power, and are commissioned by a loving gracious Father to look after his children, and keep the opposing evil forces at just such distance that they may test, but not injure.

But while it cannot be other than comforting to know of this angelic bodyguard, God has provided additional means whereby we may be protected from the subtle snares of the great deceiver. The Devil’s weapons are mainly in the form of untruths. To protect against these God has provided an armour of Truth, a full equipment to cover both heart and mind. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph.6:11) This is the part we must give attention to, deliberately and consciously: leaving the safety of our person in the hand of God and his messengers. Thus equipped with the Truth within, and protected by the angelic bodyguard without, we should be able to look out on the most dangerous crises of life, with great peace of heart, assuring each other in fullest confidence, that though devils rage and men run riot, all things are still working together for good under God’s protecting hand. (Rom.8:28)

TH