Matthew 26:47-56 "Angels at Your Back"

Read Matthew 26:47-56.

"Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" NIV

A legion is 3000-6000 men. So twelve legions would be about 36,000 to 72,000 angels. Jesus could have opened the heavens and called down an army to rescue him from the crowd. He also had every right. He had been betrayed by a friend. Not only was he unjustly being arrested, but a friend had turned against him. If justice was to be served, the debate was on Jesus' side. But that was not the Father's will, and Jesus had the strength to stand because He had been with His Father in prayer through the night. This shows us the lengths we must go to for the Father's will to be done. His desires need to be my desires; His plans my plans. I cannot allow anything to stand in the way even if it causes me some pain.

On the other side of that, if Jesus wants to rescue, encourage or send me a message, He has at least 72000 angels to do it. The same Jesus that could call on the hosts of heaven to help Him in the garden can send the angels to minister to me today. He's always got my back. There is no situation I can get myself into where there isn't an army at my disposal. Psalm 91:11-12 says, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." That power is promised to us as God's children. What tremendous comfort those words hold. In every situation I face, I can stand. I've got an army at my back led by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Boy, who needs to ever worry?

Further Thoughts:

1. Do a study of angels and see what their jobs are. There are many theories about angels floating around out there. Be sure what you research has Scriptural support.
2. What are you facing right now that could possibly overwhelm you? Surrender it to the Lord. He is not only omnipotent, but has a whole army to work for him. That's bigger than any problem you can throw at Him.

Matthew 8:28-34 "Worthy Only of the Swine"

Read Matthew 8:28-34.

“’What do you want with us, Son of God?’” NIV

Wouldn’t it be awesome to one day be walking down the street and someone comes up to me and says, “What do you want with us, Child of God?” Okay, maybe it would be kind of creepy. But how amazing would that be if my very presence would so be entwined with Christ that I would scare the demons of hell? That’s how I want to represent Christ. What boldness, what filling of His Spirit! And we are empowered as His children with His Spirit in such a way that if we would just stand in that authority, and I mean really stand with power, the enemy must cower. He has no power over me because I am protected by the Spirit of the Almighty.

Will bad things happen to me? Yes. That’s the fallen world. But the enemy will never have my soul – the very heart of who I am. It’s been bought with a price and I have accepted that gift. I’m not giving it away to anyone or anything else. And I am ready to do battle against the enemy at any cost. He is already a defeated foe and will not get in my way. I’m so tired of him thinking he’s won. Oh, he may make it on top through a few battles, but the war ain’t over yet. And we know how the story ends. C.T. Studd said, “I pray that when I die, all hell will throw a party to celebrate the fact that I am no longer in the fight.”

Lord God, help me to live my life with such unwavering devotion and use of the authority You give that the demons tremble.

Further Thoughts:

1. Can demons take us away from Christ? Read Romans 8:35-39. Find other Scripture.
2. Do we have authority over demons? Read Mark 16:15-17, Mark 6:7, and John 14:12-14.
3. If we have that authority, how is that related to the faith and fear issue in Matthew 8:26?
4. Demons believe that Jesus is who He says He is. We see that evidenced in this passage – they address Him as the Son of God. Is our faith in the authority of Jesus Christ enough? How is our belief different than the demons? Read James 2:14-26.
5. I never want to give the enemy too much credit, but we also can’t dismiss their existence or activity around us? How do we know this? Read Ephesians 6:10-12 and my post on this passage.