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Perry Stone - Offending Your Angel

(these are notes taken by David Lowe on the teaching by Perry Stone, and is not an attempt to copyright any material)

 

I. Opening Questions:

  1. Is it possible to offend the Holy Spirit?

    2. Eph 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

  2. Is it possible to offend God the Father?

    3. Psa 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

  3. Is it possible to offend the heart of Jesus?

Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.

Joh 11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Joh 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Joh 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

Jesus was offended, groaned in his Spirit, and wept not because of the death of Lazarus, but because of the UNBELIEF of the people around him.

FOUNDATION: If it is possible to offend God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, then it is also possible to offend the angel of the Lord. This study not only show that it is possible to offend the angel, but also how the angel is offended, and how to deal with it.

Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!

The word "offense" is the Greek word "skandalon", from which we get the word scandal. It means a something that offends or is a stumblingblock.

 

II. Overview of Angels

  1. Angels are called ministering spirits:

Psa 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Their purpose is to minister.

  1. John 5 - the angel who ministered at the pool of Bethesda

  2. Acts 10 - the angel who set up the meeting between Peter and Cornelius

  3. Revelation - the angels who continually worship and praise God

  1. Angels are sent forth to minister to those who "shall be" heirs of salvation

    2. Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

    "Shall be" is future tense, which could imply that angels go forth and try to minister, or get them connected to a church or a person who can minister to them.

    TRUE STORY: Perry related a story where 5 ladies in a church with unsaved husbands came to Perry during a revival and asked them what to do. Perry told them to pray at the root of what is keeping them away from God. The ladies prayed for 8 hours a day for 3 days, and the next Sunday, 4 of the 5 husbands were converted to the Lord. Is it possible, that because of their prayers, the Lord commissioned angels to minister to these men and get them to come to the revival?

  2. Angels are innumerable:

    3. Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

    Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

    One Roman legion was 6,000 angels, so this is 72,000 angels. In I Kings 19, we see what just ONE angel did:

    2Ki 19:35 And it happened that night, the Angel of Jehovah went out and struck a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. And they arose early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead bodies.

  3. Angels are assigned to children:

TRUE STORY: Perry's newborn son Jonathan used to wake up every morning at 12:30am sharp, letting Perry and Pam know he was hungry. Pam was feeding him when he was around 5-6 months old, and all the sudden, Pam felt a presence in the room. She couldn't see anything, except out of the corner of her eye, she could sense a brilliance or a light in the corner of the room. A peace came over her and the baby stopped crying. Pam then began weeping and praising God. Perry believes that could have been his son's protective angel.

Then, when Jonathan was about three years old, he remembers seeing a man in the laundry room. He described the man perfectly, but Perry could not see anyone. Jonathan said "Daddy, who's the man? Who's the man in there"? His son said he could see the man right out of the corner of his eye, and later he saw the man out on the porch. Perry believes this was an angel of the Lord.

Mat 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Mat 18:10 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.

Apparently, from this verse, we see that there are angels assigned to children. It says "their angels", which is possessive, meaning those angels belong to the "little ones". Does this angel stay with them all their life? Yes, if they serve the Lord all their life. If a person, however, willfully turns their back on God, this would limit the ministering ability of the angel.

Even though these angels are always in heaven before the Father, it seems they can be commissioned by the Father to help us in a split second, whenever we are in need:

Psa 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

We should claim this promise for our children in our prayers!

 

III.Angels Involvement in Birth's of Children of Destiny

  1. The birthing Ishmael, Abraham's son through Hagar.

    2. Gen 16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

    Gen 16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

    Gen 16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

    Gen 16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

    Gen 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

  2. The birthing of Samson.

    3. Jdg 13:3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

    Jdg 13:4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

    Jdg 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

  3. The birthing of John the Baptist.

    4. Luk 1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

    Luk 1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

    Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

    Luk 1:14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

    Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

    Luk 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.

  4. The birthing of Jesus - to Mary.

    5. Luk 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

    Luk 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

    Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.

    Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

    Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

    Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

  5. The birthing of Jesus - to Joseph.

Mat 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Mat 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

 

IV. Offending the Little Ones

Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

The implication from this verse is that if you purposely and willfully offend a little one, then you have also offended the angel of the Lord. That angel can turn on you.

Examples of Crossing the Line with Children:

  1. Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew male babies be thrown into the Nile and killed, but in the end, Pharaoh's life was taken in the same manner - drowning in the Red Sea.

  2. TRUE STORY: When Perry was in Jericho several years ago, he was looking at ancient excavations of the fall of the walls of Jericho in Canaanite times. Perry's guide Gideon Shore showed Perry a small clay jar. They found in the clay jar the tiny bones of a fetus. Centuries ago, the Canaanites were superstitious, and thought it they bought fetuses in the walls of the city that it would keep away intruders and dangers. Interestingly, of all the cities Joshua and the Israelites conquered, Jericho was the only one in which the walls fell down. This is an example of where they mistreated the little ones, and God judged them by bringing down the walls where they placed them.

  3. One of the Herod's gave a decree to go out in the areas surrounding Bethlemen to kill all children under the age of 2. This was an effort to kill Jesus, but he escaped to Egypt thanks to the angel who appeared in a dream. According to the historical works of Flavius Josephus, this Herod died an horribly excruciating death.

  4. TRUE STORY: (Warning - this one is AMAZING!) There was a man who's small, young children were attending church, but the father wasn't there. The father heard about it, and went up to the church at the end of the service when the people, including his two young children, were praying at the altar. The pastor confronted him and asked him what he wanted. The man said he came to get his kids out of this <cursing> altar, and that he wasn't having his kids praying in the church. The pastor said that he should be careful how he reacts to the things of God relating to his children, because God could get offended. The man went into a rage, lifted up his car keys and said: "The day I let me kids back in this church is the day this keys will melt in hell". He took the kids, while they cried that they didn't want to go and that they loved the church. He took them anyway. The very next day, this man was out working in his yard in the afternoon, when the weather was nice. A bolt of lightning came out of the sky, hit him and killed him instantly. Later, they found car keys in his pockets and, you guessed it: they were TOTALLY MELTED.

We must be careful not offend God the Father and the Holy Spirit, because as we see from these examples, they can become offended and pronounce judgment.

 

V. Offending an Angel by Breaking a Vow

  1. Key Passage

    2. Ecc 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

    Ecc 5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

    Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

    Ecc 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

    Ecc 5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

    This passage says that you can vow to do something for God, or vow to pay something to God, it is better to NOT have vowed at all than to not pay according to your vow. According to verse 6, if one says before an angel, "the vow was an error", God could get angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands.

    Another example of this concept:

    Num 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

  2. Annanias and Sapphira in the early church:

    3. Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

    Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

    Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

    Act 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

    Act 5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

    Act 5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

    Act 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

    Act 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

    Here we see that, according to Peter, Ananias and Sapphira tempted the Spirit of the Lord, and lied to the Holy Ghost in their dishonest dealings. The end result was their immediate deaths.

  3. David offending God in Numbering the Israelites

The law of Moses stated that you were to pay half a shekel of redemption when you number the people. David numbered them, but did not pay the half of a shekel. God became very angry and sent a plague which resulted in the death of 70,000 men. We pick up the story in II Samuel:

2Sa 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

2Sa 24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

2Sa 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

2Sa 24:17 And David spoke unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

2Sa 24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

2Sa 24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

2Sa 24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

2Sa 24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

2Sa 24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

2Sa 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2Sa 24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

This story shows that the Lord was offended, and sent an angel to execute judgment because David did not follow the law of Moses in numbering the people. But when David paid the price of redemption on Mount Moriah, the plague stopped.

 

VI. The Angel of the Lord - Theophanies

  1. Key Passage

    2. Exo 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

    Exo 23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

    Exo 23:22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

    Exo 23:23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

    Due to the power of this angel to pardon transgressions, it is believed that this angel was actually the preincarnate Jesus Christ. This is a theophany, or an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament prior to his birth.

  2. Another possible theophany is found in the following passage of Daniel:

    3. Dan 10:5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

    Dan 10:6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

    Compare this to Revelation, which definitely makes it clear that this is Jesus Christ:

    Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

    Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

    Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

    Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

    From this, we know that JESUS CHRIST preincarnate gave Daniel the amazing prophetic visions of Daniel chapter 11.

  3. Manoah, father of Samson, speaks with an angel:

    4. Jdg 13:17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor?

    Jdg 13:18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

    Jdg 13:20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

     

    The word "secret" in verse 18 is the same root word in Hebrew, "pele", used in Isaiah 9:6 as the word "Wonderful" in a prophecy describing Jesus Christ:

    Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

    Therefore, it is not a stretch to conclude that this angel was also the preincarnate Jesus Christ.

  4. Joshua and the Captain of the Lord's Host

Jos 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

Jos 5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

Jos 5:15 And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

The word "host" in verse 14 means "armies", so this angel was the captain of God's angelic army. Notice in verse 15, this angel says the same thing to Joshua that God said to Moses at the burning bush. This angel came out of the cloud and was ready to lead Joshua and the Israelites into battle to take the Promised Land! It is very likely that this angel was also the preincarnate Jesus Christ.

 

VII. Complaining of Israelites that Grieved God

Before the five ways are revealed, we should touch on the Israelites based on the passage from Exodus 23:20-23. The Israelites, over and over again, provoked and grieved the Lord. The word "provoke" means to grieve or vex. God told the Israelites not to provoke the angel he was sending before them. The Israelites complained about several things, including food, and the Lord's anger was kindled:

  1. General complaining

Num 11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Num 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

Num 11:3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

  1. Complaining about eating manna

    2. Num 11:4 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

    Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:

    Num 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

  2. Complaining about Moses' wife

    3. Num 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

    Num 12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

    Num 12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

    Num 12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

  3. Complaining about there being giants in the land

    4. Num 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

    Num 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

    Num 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

    Num 14:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?

    Num 14:12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

  4. Complaining about Moses being too powerful

Num 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

We see from these passages that the Israelites fell into unbelief, grieved God, provoked the angel and God's hedge of protection and blessing was removed. In Numbers 14, we read the Israelites went in to battle anyway, presumptuously, and God was not with them. They were defeated and were told they would not enter the Promised Land and would wander in the wilderness for forty years.

Conclusion: GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO HIS COVENANT WHEN WE WILLFULLY BREAK THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COVENANT. This covenant is NOT unconditional. It is conditional "if-then" statements, such as "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, then�.".

 

VIII. Five Things that can Offend Your Angel

    A. Your negative words can offend your angel

Psa 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

Angels are commissioned, according to this verse, to do the voice of God's word. The word of God moves these angels into action, and angels love God's word:

1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

What happened when the Israelites spoke negative words, offending the angel of Exodus 23:20-23?

  1. Num 11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

  2. Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

  3. Num 12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

  4. Num 14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

  5. Num 14:29 Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

  6. Num 16:45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. Num 16:49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

  7. Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

  8. Num 25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. Num 25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

From these verses, we see that BY OUR WORDS, we can offend the angel and stop the blessing from coming to us.

TRUE STORY: Perry's father, Fred Stone, was in the early part of his ministry. Fred had taken a small church with 10 members to 125 members, but he still had to work a side job, as well as his wife, to support themselves. The church grew, and they soon could afford to pay Fred enough so that he could work at the church full time. A man on the board of the church disagreed with this decision, and caused a huge uprising and contention against the idea of paying Fred Stone more money. One day, this man was alone with his wife in the house. His wife was sewing in the sewing room, and he was in another room by himself. All the sudden, the man felt two hands touch in on the back of his shoulder blades, and he fell forward into a radiator and smashed his mouth up very badly. He lost two teeth and has to get several stitches. It scared him very badly.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, we read that the rich man was tormented in the flame, and wanted to have his tongue touched with water. Before, he went to hell, though, the rich man refused to give Lazarus food off of his table. In hell, he got the same treatment he dished out on earth. Could this man who caused contention in Fred Stone's church have offended his angel who dealt out the judgment?

Perry is NOT saying that everytime someone trips or hurts themselves that it is an angel pushing them over. But in this case, since the man felt two hands push him forward (he did not trip), and no one else was in the room with him before or after it happened, there isn't much doubt that this was supernatural, and quite possibly a result of the contention he had caused with his mouth and his words.

TRUE STORY (Absolutely AMAZING story!): Again in Perry's father's church, Fred Stone, was a woman who was a constant troublemaker. One day, the church was having a board meeting, and all the sudden, this woman stood up and started shouting "Get out of him, you devil!! Get out of him, you devil!!". Fred at first thought it was a CB radio bleeding into the PA speaker system, but then turned around and saw her shouting. Fred asked, "Sister, who are you talking to?". She answered, "I'm talking to you, preacher. Come out of him, you devil!". Fred answered, "Who are you calling a devil?", and she said, "I'm calling you a devil, preacher". Just then, Fred's left hand came under the power of God, he began to pray and speak in tongues, and his left hand shot out toward the woman. He was rebuking this woman by the Holy Spirit, and the woman got up and left the church.

The next day, this woman could not speak AT ALL. It went on for several months, and the doctors couldn't explain it. Finally, the Lord spoke to Fred and told him "The woman is proud and arrogant and will not repent. But her children need her, and I will heal her if you will publicly forgive her". At a revival, in which Perry was present, Fred invited her up to the front and spoke to her privately, forgiving her and telling her God would forgive if he forgave her what she said. The next morning, the woman was totally healed! She never repented, believe it or not, in spite of the miracle. Later, her house burned down and they had marital problems. Very recently, Fred found out this woman was killed in a horrific, grotesque and violent car accident that completely mangled her body beyond recognition. She was alone in the car. This woman OFFENDED the angel of God and the Holy Spirit, and her angel was not obligated to protect her.

 

    B. Your unbelief can offend your angel

  1. The story of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, when confronted by the angel Gabriel:

    2. Luk 1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

    Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

    Luk 1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years.

    Luk 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.

    Luk 1:20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

    Luk 1:21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.

    Luk 1:22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

    The angel was totally offended because of Zacharias's unbelief, similar to the woman in the story who offended by her words.

  2. TRUE STORY (Mind-blowing stuff): Years ago in an Oral Roberts crusade, he was conducting a healing service. A woman with a horrible cancer on her face was present, with her sister. The cancer was very advanced and had pus all over it. Oral Roberts told the people, if they wanted to be healed, to place their hand on what they wanted healed, then put the other hand on the chair in front of them. The woman did this, and when she brought her hand down from her face, the cancer was in her hand! Her sister said that her face looked like baby skin, it was so clear. The woman looked at her hand in amazement, and said, "I can't believe it, I can't believe it�this can't be true, this just can't be happening." She then put her hand, with the cancer in it, back up to her face, and the cancer melded back into her skin! Then she said, "Oh God, what my faith has taken off my unbelief has put back on". What a profound statement and an amazing story.

  3. Other examples of unbelief by the Israelites, as recorded in Psalms

  1. Psa 78:10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; Psa 78:11 And forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.

  2. Psa 78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. Psa 78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Psa 78:19 Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Psa 78:20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Psa 78:21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Psa 78:22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

  3. Psa 78:32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

  4. Psa 78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Psa 78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. Psa 78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

  5. Psa 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

  6. Psa 78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

 

    C. Sin can offend your angel

1. The story of the pool of Bethesda

Joh 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

Joh 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

Joh 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

Joh 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Joh 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Joh 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Joh 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

We see from this story, that the man was sinning (since Jesus said "sin no more"), and that is the reason he had an infirmity for thirty years. The angel that visited the pool of Bethesda would not heal him because of this sin.

  1. TRUE STORY (a quite SHOCKING story): Perry was preaching a revival a few years back in a church out of state he was visiting. After one of the services, a man came up to him, who Perry noticed sat on the front row each service. The man asked Perry if he would pray for his healing, and he started quoting all kinds of scriptures. Perry thought to himself that this man was probably an pillar of the church and on fire for God. The man asked for healing, because he was losing his hearing. Perry asked if the doctor's knew why, and he said they didn't, but that he was losing hearing in both of his ears. Perry then started to pray for him, and put his fingers in his ears. Just then, Perry heard in his spirit "Get your hands out of his ears�he has offended me." Perry was shocked, and said to himself "What in the world?!" He decided to try it again, to test whether the word was from God, and he got the same message. Perry then asked what he had done to offend him, and he said "This man has complained about the music ministry of this church publicly, and about the chorus' they are singing, and he has offended me with his words. I will make him go deaf if he doesn't like the music, and that way he will not be able to hear it anymore"

    2. Perry then told the man what the Lord had told him, but the man said "Well, I don't know about that." Perry said "Don't you lie to the Holy Spirit. I know when the Lord has spoken to me, and he said you have spoken against the music at this church." He got mad, sat back down and folded his arms. After the service, Perry told the regular pastor of the church what he told the man, and the pastor was in shock. He said "I haven't told you any of that! I can't believe it." The pastor then told Perry that he was correct�that man complained about the type of music the new music minister was singing, because it was new music instead of old-time hymns from the hymnal. The man would stand up in the middle of the song service, on the front row, turn and face the crowd, fold his arms, and placed long strings of cotton in his ears that came down to his shoulders. Perry told him that God was offended, but gave him a chance to repent or to remain deaf. The man NEVER came back and repented because of his spiritual pride.

  2. TRUE STORY: A man at a church in Alabama where Perry was preaching about worshipping God by dancing before him stood up and rebuked Perry. He said that dancing before the Lord is of the devil, and shouting and worshipping as well. This man, immediately after making these statements, started to get pain in his feet. He eventually had to go to the doctor and get some toes and part of his foot amputated to the point where he could not walk. So, even if he wanted to dance and jump around in praising the Lord, he couldn't because of his state. He offended God and he struck him with this judgment.

    D. Not giving God the glory can offend your angel

    Act 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

    Act 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

    Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

    Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

    We see here that the angel of the Lord smote Herod because he didn't give God the glory. It follows, then, that if we do not give God the glory, the same thing could happen to us, though not necessarily in the same manner or severity as it happened to Herod

    E. Disobeying God's specific word can offend your angel

  1. Balaam was a man that had great power. He was a prophet who could see the future and make things come to pass. Israel was camped in the area where Balaam was, and the king of Moab sent messengers to Balaam and told him to come to him and place a curse on the Israelites for a sum of money. God gave Balaam a word to speak to the king of Moab, but on the third occasion, Balaam did not obey God. We pick up the story in Numbers 22:

    2. Num 22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

    Num 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

    Num 22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

    Num 22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

    Num 22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

    Num 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

    Num 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

    Num 22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

    Num 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

    Num 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

  2. Moses was told by God that he would not enter the promised land because he did not obey God's word regarding the 2nd time God provided water in the desert for the Israelites. The 1st time, God told him to lift up his rod and the water would come forth: Moses obeyed. The 2nd time at Kadesh-Barnea, God told him to speak to the rock and water would come forth. Instead, Moses took the rod and struck the rock twice and water came forth. Later God told Moses:

Num 20:12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

God told him what to do, but Moses did it a different way. This offended the Lord greatly. In addition, Moses did not sanctify the Lord before the children of Israel. This is because of what Moses said in the following verse:

Num 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

Moses mocked them, asking whether HE and AARON had to fetch them the water, instead of saying, "We can't provide the water, but the Lord will provide it."

 

IX. Closing Story

TRUE STORY (the most amazing story of all): Perry's father Fred has a half-brother named Morgan. Both Fred and Morgan came to the Lord during the revivals in the coal fields of West Virginia. They were attending a local church a few years later. One night during service, the pastor's son came barging into the church drunk, and was carrying a weapon. He said, "Well, it looks like you all want to go to heaven�let's just see who wants to be first." Morgan was a strong man, and he stood up and challenged him. To make a long story short, one of the board members of the church stood up and pushed Morgan backed, telling him he didn't need to do that. He told Morgan to sit down and shut up in front of the congregation, greatly embarrassing and offending Morgan. He was so hurt and offended that he quit going to church in the late 1940's. For several decades, Morgan never once went to church, despite his brother Fred's asking him to come and telling him to forget about that incident and not let it rob him of the kingdom of God. But Morgan continued to hold a bitterness and unforgiveness for all those years.

A few years back, Morgan was eating in a restaurant, and he saw the preacher's kid who he challenged in the church about 50 years prior. He thought to himself that if that guy comes over, he would knock his teeth out for ruining his life. The preacher's son (now much older) came over to him and said "Morgan!! I've been needing to see you all these years. I've been going through such torment for so many years and I have wanted to ask your forgiveness for what happened." Morgan was absolutely stunned.

Sometime after that, Fred his brother saw a vision of his brother getting in a terrible accident in which Morgan would lose his head. Fred tried to contact Morgan, but he couldn't because he was already on the road. Fred then began intercessory, vigorous prayer for Morgan for several hours. Fred finally got a word from the Lord: "Morgan is not in a covenant relationship with me, but because you have asked, I will send your angel, the angel that I told you would be there when you need him, to Morgan to help him." Fred was relieved, but still anxious.

Morgan and a friend were traveling down a road in Virginia when Morgan all of a sudden got an urge to stop and go into a gas station on the side of the road. He told the driver to get off and go to the gas station. Some friends in a car following them were behind them, and they continued on down the road. After they got to the gas station, Morgan asked why they had stopped there. His friend said he didn't know but that Morgan had told him to get off the road and turn. So, they got back in their truck and continued down the road. A mile or two ahead, the friends that were following them were found in a horrific accident with a large coal truck coming down a hill. All the passengers were killed, and a woman was beheaded! Later that night, Morgan called Fred, and Fred said "Finally, you called me". Fred then described to Morgan what he saw in his vision, and what the Lord said to him. Morgan confirmed what Fred had seen in the vision, and finally came back to the Lord!

From this story, we see that since a man was not in a covenant relationship with God, his angel was NOT obligated to protect him. The Lord was merciful to commission Fred's angel to protect Morgan so that he would avoid the wreck and live, to give him another chance to come back to the Lord.

X. Three Things To Do If You Feel You Have Offended Your Angel

  1. Confess your sin

  2. Repent and turn from those actions, asking the Lord to help you not to do those things

  3. Ask God to help you to be able to forgive others - write a letter, call them, whatever is needed in order to forgive them and not hold grudges

 

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