My Angelic Encounters Series (Part 1)

My First Angelic Encounter

My first angelic encounter was in a Holy Spirit-inspired dream. How did I know it was God-inspired? Because the content was something I hadn’t been exposed to yet at the time and because it was something grounded in the Word, it couldn’t have come from my soul.

It happened in 2003 when I was still in university and when I was still a baby Christian. Since it happened so long ago, details are a little fuzzy to me. So please bear with me; I will try to recall to the best of my ability.

In the dream, a slightly dark-skinned woman in a white full bodysuit appeared. She had me go through a few stages (maybe 2-3) of testing. I don’t remember the specifics of the first few tests but they definitely involved the supernatural. Although she never once uttered a single word, she was always within eyesight.

In my last testing, I can recall running away from dark forces. I shouted out for her to come help me but she just stood where she was, seemingly unmoved by my plea. I gave up soon after and began praying to God for help. As soon as I called out to God, she zoomed to my rescue.

I replayed this entire dream to my pastor who told me that the woman was an angel. I argued that she did nothing to help me, only to be told that angels don’t react to our demands or orders; they only respond solely to God’s voice and God’s will. Angels are God’s obedient miracle workers who perform God’s miracles for us all for the purpose of bringing God glory. So what happened was, God, upon hearing my prayer instructed the angel to come to my aid.

Having been a non-believer most of my life, I had the wrong impression (influenced by new-age beliefs) that as we worship angels, they respond to our requests. Calling out to the angel in the dream meant that I was completely relying on her to save me, and not God; I had taken God out of the picture! It was meant to teach me that I should only be reliant on God.

I think it was such a cool dream-lesson, don't you?!

My Job Insecurity... Made Calm

Many people have the misconception that a bank treasury is the place to be; it’s prestigious and money is good. You don’t know how I wish I had somewhere else to be. I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side, eh?

In the past five years, I have seen a number of colleagues getting the boot and heard of even more such cases outside my bank. These days, I’m hearing pays are getting cut. Whilst I am thankful to God I still have my job, I long so deeply to be doing something else.

My head of sales and I just came out from a dressing down by our treasurer. Not because we didn’t bring in money last year, in fact, it was a good year, but because we weren’t “visible” enough visiting clients. There is definitely an impending danger that our sales desk might be closed down by the end of the year. In the meanwhile, I have to bring my A-game and start shadowing corporate banking just in case I might need to be transferred.

My job is so specialised that it is difficult to find another line of work. I have tried looking out for other opportunities for the past four years but to no avail. It’s either I do not have the proper set of skills or they cannot match my required compensation package. Having a distinction in MBA from a good school couldn’t get me anywhere else either.

Middle management is really the worst place to be – you’re too senior to take a junior position and you’re too junior to take a senior position. Even if I am okay to take a pay cut or to start in a more junior position, no one dares to take up my offer. They think I’ll just make them a temporary stop in my career.

I was so demoralised after the talk. Every beginning of the year I get this talk; it’s a lot more intense in the past two years. That’s why I never like the new year. And I had already sensed this foreboding doom since last November.  

In the past, I would have hailed accusatory questions at God. “Why?”, “Why am I so unlucky in my career?”, “Do you not love me?” But today, I feel a sense of calm, that God is in charge of my life; that I can draw strength, strategy, favour and wisdom from Him; that He has my back.

My first reaction was to run to people for comfort and encouragement. My mind was so clouded with anxiety and frustration that I’d rather ask my fellow brothers and sisters to do the work of tuning in to what God has to say to me. But God reminded me of a testimony I had just read before being called into the room – this woman shared that when her son laid brain dead in the hospital, she ran to people for comfort rather than running to God and God had to remind her that Jesus is there for her. So, I did the only thing I knew best when communicating with God – I prophesied over myself, speaking God’s words over my situation.

In my own prophecy, I could feel that God shared in my sorrows but He reminded me that I am made of tough stuff, and that I am stronger and more talented than I think I am. He told me that He has blessed my hands with glory dust and because He has blessed them, whatever I do shall prosper. But I still have to put in that hard work. I do feel a sense of peace in the midst of the storm that I can still see. I feel like I am being engulfed by His calm by force. I say by force because in my natural self, I somehow like to dwell in negativity longer than necessary. So yes, I think God is forcing His peace on me and I am thankful for that.

All I can do now is pray that God will lead me through this situation; that His hand will be upon my career. If I am to leave this job, I pray that He will open up the correct doors for me but if I am to stay, I really pray for patience and favour. A lot of favour…..

May Your will be done, My Lord.

Bringing My Goliaths to God

Before David could fully step into his kingship over Israel, he had to first face Goliath. Now, he had already been anointed by Samuel at that time, but before he could step foot into his destiny and into the next level of authority, he had to face Goliath.  

This applies to us today as well. Before we can move into the next level God has called us to, we will have to first face our Goliaths and take them down. Those goliaths in our life will inevitably try to intimidate us, limit and constrain us from possessing what is ours in God. We will have to win the war to move forward.

Matt Sorger aptly says in his blog:

Those that will move to a higher realm of authority need to understand that a sustainable anointing and mantle is not possible without testing and trial. Anointing without testing is not sustainable. God doesn’t want to just give us a temporary anointing or a monetary breakthrough. He wants us to be able to sustain it. The sustainability factor is crucial in this hour. We must contend for increase and sustain it.

Before promotion, you must walk through a place of contention. You must contend with your giant and gain victory over it before the anointing is released to manifest in a greater measure of authority. God anointed what was tested in David’s life.

Promotion will come out of your testings and battles. Smaller battles will make you skilful in winning larger battles. Get happy! Because the areas of your greatest testings are about to become the areas of your greatest anointing!

My goliaths in life are pride and self-righteousness. Of course, if you have read previous posts you would know I have an issue with pride. But God convicted me of my self-righteousness just last week. I know they aren’t very different but aren’t the same either.

 So, I was at a prophetic workshop over the weekend, hosted by my church, and during a session where we had to carry out prophetic acts to remove the giants hindering us from moving forward into our God-intended destinies, God instructed me to place them at his mouth.

If you look at the picture below, you will see a prophetic banner of the Lion of Judah (prophetic banners have different purposes and significance – some are used for spiritual warfare, some for healing, some for deliverance, etc.). Now, the Lion of Judah banner was for made for warfare. The first time round I walked past the Lion of Judah, I felt the prompting to just touch it. And as we marched another round around the room, I came to a halt where the banner was and heard God asking me to bring my goliaths to Him to devour. And that I did. My church mate quietly snapped a picture of me carrying out that action.

I believe by the above action, I am casting the strongholds in my life unto the Lord. By doing that, I am asking God to anoint my testing in life just like the time He anointed David’s testing when He anointed his sling shot. I am going to enter war but not without God’s help! He will deliver me because I have committed my enemies into His hands, in this case mouth! And He has devoured those giants in my life!

You know what? I look forward to that fight and I know I will be victorious because God is on my side! I am aiming for a greater anointing, higher level of authority in God and greater breakthroughs! Woohoo!

Hypocrisy

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

I know a great gal who openly declares that she loves God so much that she wishes her life to just end quickly so that she can immediately start spending eternity with Him; that she would rather be alone in this world so that she can stay devoted to God and only God. And she did; she did devote like 5/7^th of her time to bible studies, bible school, church and ministering to His people. I wanted that kind of zeal for God too! 

Well, a week ago she told me she found her soul mate – a non-believer whose religion persecutes Christianity. Sure, he is not the religious sort – willing to allow his partners to freely practice whatever faith they wish. However, he himself is a staunch believer in his own.

After dating only for a couple of weeks and they are already talking about marriage – what religious practice he would allow or disallow her. And hey, nothing is out of bounds as long as he is not required to convert!

Just in case you are wondering about her eligibility, she is highly eligible – intellectual, has a high flying job, attractive, sociable and has a line of suitors waiting at her doorstep. Before this man, she was deeply upset she had so many lining up for her and, argued for and defended her belief that she had the gift of singlehood. Of course we didn’t agree.

She is now desperately rationalising their relationship to herself, friends and I’m sure to God too. Her conclusion - nothing else matters as long as she is sure of her own salvation. Can one truly be satisfied with his/her own salvation knowing that he/she will never see their life partner in heaven when all things fade away? Is that true love, then?

You know, I was so angry and disappointed in her hypocrisy and actions to the point that I became judgmental, condemning even. And true to God’s nature, he convicted me of my own hypocrisy – my anger and disappointment outweighed my sadness over her actions; and all I did was judge her when I was supposed to be pray and war for her. I was so focused on the speck in her eye that I didn’t see the plank that was forming in my eye (Matthew 7:3)!

I do have her best interest at heart. So, I suppose the next question is: how do I rebuke her in love? She is not one who will listen. Whatever rebuke you can think of, she probably has already thought of a rebuttal. My pastor is right; prayer is the greatest weapon we have right now.

We have to be aware of the devil’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11) so that he does not succeed in leading us away from God. He manipulates our emotions. Once our own desires start to demand priority, our zeal for God starts to quickly dissipate. Emotions are so powerful that if we do not control them, they control us (Jeremiah 17:9).

We must understand that God’s Word is given to us so as to restrict us from committing actions that will keep us from being our best. When we obey His given Word, we avoid paths that lead to destruction! I encourage all of you (including myself) to obey God’s every commandment. Only good can come out of it!

I pray and hope that I will have good news to share with regards to my friend in subsequent posts.