Monday, January 28, 2008

Angels are ... EVERYWHERE!!

I had an unusal experience and encounter with God today on a much-needed day off. I have always been challenged and provoked by Rob Rufus's plea that we cannot just live from conference to conference in encountering Him. Rob said;

"If I don't experience the Presence of God daily then I get lonely".

It didn't depress me or condemn me because Rob isn't that kind of teacher. But it did provoke me! Every day I have been waking up wondering if God would reveal Himself to me! This morning was no different. I was blessed by much sleep but didn't wake up feeling particularly heavenly. However my faith was stirred by a message from my dear friend Pete. He wrote this;

"Last night at the end of the service, Malcolm's dad Alasdair, led the closing hymn after he preached (love divine). And when we get to the line "suddenly return and never, never more Thy temples leave" I had a brief glimpse of heaven open and the angels flying over us as we worshipped. It was very brief, but it was so real. The heavens are open!".

I was driving into town after reading that stirring, wonderful encounter and I was listening to the "Glory and Grace Conference" sessions. The amazing prophet Isi de Gersigny sang a prophetic song and a line (that I have heard before) really caught me;

"Light and glory come from the Eternal Throne".

For some reason I found tears running down my face. As I was driving in two thoughts came clearly to me. Firstly I asked God; "Why am I 30 and I am only beginning to see angels? Why is this the first time I have heard from Pete about him seeing angels? What's wrong with us?!". I heard God clearly reply and sound quite amused. He said;

"Son you have only just started to see angels because you haven't really been looking. And secondly you haven't seen them because you didn't think you were worthy. You aren't worthy. But My Son is, and that's the only price required".

I had to sit in the car in the car park for a while and gather myself but as I got up and began to walk through the Bullring Shopping Centre I began to feel that something was different. I hope I can describe this experience. You know how sometimes you can see someone out of the corner of your eye and yet when you turn to look at the person they are gone. Darting away like they were never there? That was my feeling. I was walking through hundreds of shoppers yet had the sense that there were other beings in the shopping centre. Angels were walking through - angels were following some of the shoppers. I could hear the rustling of robes.

I was standing waiting for Scott at one point and looking across a balcony at another cafe and I had the distinct feeling that someone was smiling at me. No mistake. Yet when I looked there was no one there. What to make of all this?! Was I losing my mind?! As I stood there revelling in the Presence of God in that shopping centre, an old charismatic song we used to sing in New Covenant Church in Dunstable came back to my mind. A line was;

"When all things that surround me become shadows in the light of You ... I worship You, I worship You - the reason I live is to worship You".

I felt God impressing on me that the veil between heaven and earth is becoming thin. Angelic manifestations occured in the Bible! Why don't we see them now? Does the fact that we don't see them prove that they are not present or here? Not at all - the problem is ours. The angels are there. But we simply need to look. The angels are ... EVERYWHERE!! I texted Pete and told him all that had happened. I save his texts because there is so much teaching wisdom in them. He replied;

"Well we prayed that God would meet with you today! In Leviticus the priest must go in with blood, "lest he die". But Hebrews says that Jesus has gone in with His own blood so THERE IS NO WRATH. The blood covers the tabernacle (which contains the 10 Commandments - so all the times we have broken the law are covered). So only light and glory come out. The veil protected us before from the fire of God burning us up. Now the veil is torn because it is SAFE for His glory to come out and it is safe for us to go in. No more wrath - only light and glory!".

Please hear what I am saying. I am not bragging of some ridiculous hyper-spirituality or a vivid imagination. I was in a shopping centre for crying out loud! I am trying to raise faith. If God in His grace will show me this - then what will He pour out for us all? Angels are ... EVERYWHERE! Let's start looking because when we see them truly - they will point to Jesus Christ - risen, glorified and exalted!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing this!

Similar to exactly what you experienced in the shopping mall has been happening to me the last few days, such as at work when I know no one else is in sight. I had thought it was just me wanting so much to see the things of God that I was making myself think that, but I think your blog entry has provoked me to think otherwise. :)

Dan Bowen said...

Thanks so much Amanda for your comment! Great to find your blog too! It's always so risky for some reason isn't it - sharing what God is upto and doing in our lives! I would NEVER want to be accused of being hyper-spiritual or weird. But I just found the whole thing so exciting and so totally random that I had to put it out there!

God is on the move in an exciting way in our generation and I am so thrilled to be a part of it! It's all of grace!

Thanks again - looking forward to reading more of your website!

lydia said...

Here's a question for you Dan, or anyone else....what do think/know/believe about angels appearing in human form....I have always wondered about that....I have heard people in past saying they believe angels can be present via a human we may meet at some point along the way....along with saying something like some have entertained angels unaware!
I am finding it difficult to think that would be the case, the more I learn about what the Bible says about angels.....maybe people experience a run in with some one and it feels supernatural in some way and God may use that person to encourage us ......but can they really be angels? I don't know...this is how ignorant I am on these things....not wanting to be though.....

Don said...

Dan, very interesting to read this. In recent months on my daily walks, I've turned around suddenly and looked all around me, because I was sure there was someone on the path behind me - you know how you "feel" someone's presence? Well, there's never been anyone there that my eyes could see, but like you I have been sure that I've had company on my walks. Especially on the walks when I've been worshipping out loud, singing in tongues, etc.

Since this began happening, I've been asking God to allow me to see - with my physical eyes - one of these heavenly companions. I'll let you know if he does!

Dan Bowen said...

Please do Don!! Can't wait to hear it! The experience is staying with me even a few days later and its quite off putting at times! I woke up just now and had the sense again of someone smiling at me!