What About "Guardian" Angels? 
Everyone Has at Least Two
by Pastor John Hamel

“Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” (Psalm 91:9-11)

Every couple of years the "Swine flu" comes around.  Swine flu has to be monitored very closely because it has the potential to turn into a pandemic.  

Let's look at that word "pandemic."  “Pan” means “all” and “demic” means “people.”  So, a pandemic has the potential for effecting all people.  

We are going to be talking about the doctrine of individual guardian angels in this lesson.  But before we do that I want to say something about the Swine flu and angels.

I will begin by paraphrasing the above verses from Psalm 91 for you.  

“Because you love God and you’ve made Him your life, there shall no plague come near you, for He gives His angels charge over you.”  

Do you see that?  No plague shall come near you for, or because, He gives His angels charge over you.  Apparently angels have plague-fighting ability.  Why would they not?  They have healing ability as we saw in "The Power of Angels, Part Two." 

If angels can effect the healing of disease, then it only stands to reason they can prevent disease. 

My wife, Barbara says, “He gives His angels CHARGE over you.  The Glory of God is like electricity, and God can use His angels to set up an electrical charge, or force-field, all around you - like an electric fence.  Anything that tries to go through the electric fence gets fried." 

John G. Lake was a wealthy businessman turned missionary and faith preacher.  He also founded the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa in 1908.  He was greatly influenced by the healing ministry of John Alexander Dowie.  While in Africa the region where he was ministering was stricken with an outbreak of bubonic plague.  People were running from the sick, refusing to help them, for fear that they might catch the plague themselves and die.  Many people actually stayed offshore in boats waiting for the plague to pass.  

Brother Lake, however, did not hesitate to wade amongst the stricken populace, praying for them and looking after their physical needs.  The doctors and military personnel offshore could not understand why the plague was not affecting him. They called for him to ask him why it seemed he could not die from the plague.  He told them, “Plagues die when they come in contact with me because I have a healing Covenant with Jesus Christ.”  

He illustrated his point by taking in his hand an infected foam sample from a person who had just died of the plague.  He placed his hand under a microscope to show the doctors the plague actually dying as a result of coming in contact with his hand.  

Why did this happen for him and not others?  It happened for John G. Lake because he actively believed Psalm 91:10-11 when others did not.  It is important that you relax and know that the calamities, the crises and plagues that are in the Earth have nothing to do with the Believer who makes the daily decision to walk obediently in Covenant with Almighty God. He gives His angels charge over you to protect you from calamities, crises and  plagues.  

Guardian Angels. Plural. Not Singular

Many believe that all people receive, at birth, one guardian angel that watches over them all of their lives.  However, there is no Scripture to support the doctrine of the individual guardian angel.  

Jesus said, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established." (Matthew 18:16)  There is not one witness in Scripture, let alone two or three, to confirm the doctrine of the individual guardian angel.  

The word “guardian” is never even used in relationship to angels or any other living being in all of Scripture.  There is simply no Scriptural authority for the age-old belief in singular guardian angels.  Nor is there any Scriptural authority that completely rejects it.  So what we must do in this situation is to deal with the truth as it is revealed in Scripture.  

We read in Psalm 91:11, our opening text, "He gives His angels charge over you."  Plural not singular.

Let's look at a couple of verses of Scripture that are commonly used to wrongly build the doctrine of individual guardian angels.

“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 18:10)

These are the words of Jesus.  He was talking to His Disciples about the significance of little children when He made the statement that their "angels" (plural) continually go in and out of the presence of God on their behalf.  Many have taken the plural use of the word "angels” here to mean many individual angels guarding many individual children.  However, that is not what is being stated here neither can it be supported from any other place in Scripture. 

We must interpret Scripture in light of Scripture, meaning we must not believe something simply because it is stated one time in Scripture.  We must have multiple confirming witnesses from the Scripture in order to build a Bible doctrine.  There is no place in all of  Scripture where even one reference is made to an individual angel guarding anyone.  The Scripture always refers to a plurality of angels with whom God promises to guard us. 

The Bible does not teach the doctrine of a single angel for a single child.  But the Bible does teach a plurality of angels for every child of God.  These angels are around every Believer at all times.  We will see this more from the Scripture in this study.  But first we will look at the second verse of Scripture used to wrongly teach the doctrine of individual guardian angels.

You will recall from Part Two of the lesson “The Power of Angels” how Peter was in prison awaiting execution in Acts chapter twelve.  At that time an individual angel appeared to Peter, supernaturally releasing him from prison.  Without ever touching Peter’s shackles or chains, that angel caused them to fall off. Without ever touching the the prison doors, the angel caused them to open automatically as well.  

The angel then took Peter out into the street and disappeared. At that point Peter went immediately to Rhoda’s house where there was an all-night prayer vigil occurring on his behalf.  Peter banged on the gate to Rhoda's courtyard to let them know he had been delivered.

“And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.” (Acts 12:13-16)

Notice the Bible says it was Peter, not his guardian angel knocking on the gate.  The Jewish Believers who were praying at Rhoda’s house wrongly thought it was Peter’s individual guardian angel.  God did not say it was Peter's guardian angel.  The Jewish Believers said that.  God caused what they said to be written right here in the Bible, but He did not cause them to say it.  

Jewish Believers at this time believed in the doctrine of individual guardian angels.  Because the New Testament had not yet been written, they did not have the good teaching that you and I have today.  Therefore, they said and did many things that we would not say or do today. So, it was the Jewish Believers in their lack of knowledge who made reference to individual guardian angels, not God. God simply inspired Luke to record what they said here in the Book of Acts.  We should not repeat the mistake they made by believing in a single guardian angel for everyone.  We have Biblical revelation which they did not have, revelation which makes clear the doctrine of individual guardian angels is not true.

It is interesting to note here that these Jewish Believers stayed up all night praying for Peter’s release.  God caused one of Peter's angels to appear to him to do as the Believers had prayed. Yet, when Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, they refused to believe that God had done as they had asked. This sounds like some Christians I know today. They pray and when God answers they call it "coincidence."  

To build the doctrine of individual guardian angels on the two verses of Scripture we have looked at is to build a false doctrine for it is taking them completely out of context. (Matthew 18:16)  The Bible teaches a plurality of angels for all Believers.  Yes, only one appeared to Peter to help him at this time, but the Scripture reveals there were more than just the one angel he could see. 

There is something else that needs to be considered concerning the narrative of Peter's supernatural angelic release.  Most Jewish Believers at that time were misled by the Old Testament references to “his angel,” “mine angel,” “the Angel of the Lord,” etc.  They did not realize that this was talking about Jesus Himself appearing as an angel.  It was not a reference to individual guardian angels that follow each Believer through life.  The reader will come to a greater understanding of this in our lesson "Who Is the Angel of the Lord?".  

It is a very common misconception even by Believers today that when an individual angel appears to someone in the Bible, it is an appearance of their singular guardian angel. However, this is not true.  There are different angels with different assignments who can be seen while others who are also present cannot be seen. 

You will not find two or three verses of Scripture anywhere in the Bible to prove that one single guardian angel is assigned to each Believer at birth.  But there are approximately 300 Scriptures that support the fact that there are two or more angels, and in many cases many more, available to each individual Believer.

Multitudes of Angels Helping All Believers

“And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he (Gehazi) saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

In this narrative every time the Syrians tried to sneak up and attack Israel, God would tell the Prophet Elisha what they were planning.  Elisha, in turn, would notify Israel and they were able to avoid those sneak attacks.  When the King of Syria discovered that Elisha was doing this, he sent soldiers to capture him.  When the Syrian soldiers arrived at Elisha's dwelling place, his assistant, Gehazi, saw that they were surrounded and had a panic attack.  He frantically inquired of Elisha, "What are we going to do now?"   

Elisha prayed to God, asking Him to show Gehazi the multitude of angels surrounding them.  The Discerning of Spirits went into operation on behalf of Gehazi, his servant, and the spirit world was opened to him.  What did Gehazi see?  Not one angel for the Prophet and one angel for his helper.  Gehazi saw a multitude of horses and chariots.  As we saw in Part Two of our lesson “The Power of Angels” those chariots and horses were all driven and ridden by the angels of God. There were multitudes of angels, thousands of angels, available to the Prophet and his servant that day, not just one guardian angel each.   

“Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.” (Psalm 103:20-21)

There are innumerable angels available to all Believers in Jesus Christ.  They hearken to the voice of God's Word when it is spoken by the Believer who is in need. 

“Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire:” (Psalm 104:4)

Notice, He makes His angelic ministers a flaming fire.  These flaming fires from the spirit world consume human problems and human enemies when we speak forth by the commanding power of God’s Word, releasing the angels to cause the will of God to come to pass in our lives. 

There are 551 references to spirit beings in the Bible.  Approximately 300 of them are references to angels working in the Earth on behalf of man in one way or another.  There are over 20,000 references to the God Who created them.  Everything we need to know about the unseen world above us, around us and beneath us is revealed in the Holy Scriptures.  

The Scripture does not teach the doctrine of individual guardian angels.  However, the Scripture does have much to say about the doctrine of a plurality of angels working on behalf of every Believer.  Those who have revelation knowledge in this area and the good sense to commission them to go to work on their behalf benefit the most from the ministry of angels.

I am not saying you should not call them “Guardian Angels,” after all, that is what they do.  What I am saying is, do not make the mistake of believing you are limited to the service of one angel only.  According to the Bible there is a multiplicity of angels at your service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9)

Jesus made Himself very clear.  Only by confessing Jesus as your Lord and Savior before men in the Earth, will Jesus personally release the angels (plural) to go to work on your behalf.  Deny Jesus Christ before men and He will be unable to release the angels (plural) on your behalf.  That is a strong statement indeed.  One that Jesus made, not me.

Jesus' Own Personal Angels 

“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” (John 20:11-16)

Now this is very interesting.  Was Jesus a human being?  Yes, He was God, but He was also a human being.  If Jesus was not as human as He was Divine then He did not qualify to bear the punishment for the sins of humanity. But, of course, Jesus was fully human, although He was also fully Divine. 

Do you believe God gave His angels charge over Jesus to keep Him in all of His ways as a human being?  I would like to tell you what I think.  I think the two angels in our above narrative were two of Jesus’ personal guardian angels.  I believe they stayed with Him over the course of His entire life on Earth and are still with Him today. 

I also believe these were the same two angels that were with Jesus when He appeared to me in an open vision in 1981 and another time in a dream.  

However, I believe Jesus' angels were not allowed to go into Hell with Him for those three days.  I believe this was something Jesus had to do alone.  Over that three day period, it is my belief that these two angels stayed in the tomb waiting for Him to come back from the bowels of Hell once the penalty for humanity's sins had been paid.  

I also believe it was as difficult for them to let Him go and do that alone as it was for the Father to let Him go and do it alone.  

I believe those two angels and many more are still with Him to this very day and always will be.  I believe their assignment is to never leave Him nor forsake Him with the exception of those three fateful days when they were not allowed to protect Him - for your eternal benefit and mine.  I believe they experienced the greatest relief and joy of their existence when Jesus returned from Hell.   

There are many times throughout Scripture when just one angel appeared to an individual.  But that does not mean that only one angel was present.  I have had multiple individual visitations of angels.  I have also had multiple plural visitations of angels.  I do not believe that I am limited only to the ones I have seen.  The Bible says He gives His angels (plural) charge over me to keep me in all my ways.  

I do not believe when one of my angels laid his giant hand on me in the Spring of 1981, causing me to fall under the power of God for three days, that he was alone because the Bible says otherwise.   

God calls Himself El Shaddai, meaning "the God of more than enough."  He does not limit Himself to the bare necessities when it comes to providing for His family.  He has a reputation for sending more than we need.  Jehovah-Jireh is your angel Provider and He always provides more than what is necessary to get a job done.  

One evening after having conducted a service in Massachusetts, a gentleman approached me.  He told me that while I was preaching he saw no less than thirty angels standing behind and beside me in a half-circle during the service.  Through an operation of the Discerning of Spirits, the Holy Spirit had opened this man's eyes to see just some of the angels that are assigned to me in the Ministry Offices in which I stand.

On the night of His betrayal Jesus said, “I could call for 72,000 angels right now and God would send them,” when one alone could have flattened the whole bunch who came against Jesus. (Matthew 26:53)

As a matter of fact, Second Kings chapter 19 reveals that one angel alone killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night and sent King Sennacherib running for cover. 

Now, if you believe that there is only one angel with you always, I am not trying to discourage you.  I am trying to encourage you.  I am endeavoring to convince you from the Word of God that there is more than one angel with you always and that angelic protection and intervention is even better than you think.  

The Bible says in Psalm 91:11, “For He shall give His angels (plural) charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

The Scripture reveals that there is a plurality, a multiplicity of God's powerful angels available to all Believers at all times.  

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Be Blessed ... John and Barbara Hamel

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