There are individuals today who have the capacity to see into the spiritual realm. They typically see both angels and demons from time to time. This is called the gift of spiritual discernment or distinguishing between spirits (1 Cor. 12:10). They often have the gift of prophecy as well but not always. Many of the Old Testament prophets had the capacity to see into the spirit realm and were called seers. Elisha demonstrated that capacity when he saw chariots of fire surrounding Dothan when enemy troops had come up during the night to capture him.

What is not clear is whether seers see angels and demons as they are or as symbolic representations of what they are and are doing. God shows his people many things that are related to the spiritual realm in dreams, visions, and open visions. He may open up the spiritual realm as we dream as he did with Jacob when he saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder or a stairway to heaven (Gen.28:10-17). God also reveals things through visions that come to individuals who are awake but slip into a trance-like state where they are unaware of anything else going on around them (see Acts 10:9-16).  Open visions come to individuals who are seeing things God wants to show them while they are still quite aware of their surroundings. Elisha at Dothan might be a good example of an open vision. Cornelius would be another example. “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius…One day about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to him…’ (Acts 10:1-3).

Jonathan Welton, in his book The School of the Seers, says the he sees angels superimposed over the natural realm. He doesn’t see them as clearly as a person in the flesh but he sees them with “spiritual eyes.” We have several individuals on our Free Indeed team at Mid-Cities that see angels and demons from time to time as we minister to people. In our setting (spiritual warfare), they are typically dressed in armor. Some are eight feet tall. Others are much taller. Some are on the floor. Others are close to the ceiling. Sometimes, as we read the Word of God, our seers will see angels kneel in reverence to the Word. On several occasions, as we have been doing deliverance with large groups of people, our seers have been aware of an angel close to the ceiling next to a whirlwind sucking up unclean spirits as they are cast out. Is that literal or is God showing them symbolically what is happening in the spirit realm? I don’t know. Our seers will also see demonic spirits on those days as smoke leaving individuals, as serpents crawling away, and so forth.

Many seers see angels in worship settings. Welton recounts one such experience. “As worship began, I saw two angels standing on the stage and they were unlike anything I had ever seen. They were about 15 feet tall and there was fire coming out of them – six feet in every direction. I was standing in the front row of the church with Randy, so I was closer to the stage than the rest of the crowd around me when the closest angel began to walk toward me. I wanted to run or get out of his way but I was unable to move. He came straight at me and reached out his hand. When he touched my chest, I collapsed to the floor on my side…The spiritual fire from his touch remained on me causing me to create my own puddle of sweat on the cement floor of the church…

Over each section (of the sanctuary) I saw another angel of fire about the size of a human man and fire only emanated out of them about six inches. As the worship intensified, I saw more of these smaller angels come down through the ceiling and join the crowd of worshippers. The worship grew so intense that at the height of worship, while the fire angels continued to join in, the crowd looked like a field of grass on fire, an extreme wild fire of worship” (Jonathan Welton, The School of the Seers, p. 29). At the end of the service, Welton asked another person, with the gift of spiritual discernment, what he had seen and he described exactly what Welton had perceived.

I was at a conference in south Texas once where an individual was taking digital photos of the dark ceiling of the sanctuary during worship when only the stage lights were on. Afterwards, he showed me the pictures and there were orbs of light all around the dark ceiling. He believed those orbs indicated the presence of angels. You will have to decide what you think.

Here is what we know. Angels were created as ministering spirits who minister not only to the Father but also to the children of the Father – that is you and I. They play a prominent role throughout scripture in the lives of God’s people and in the life of the nation of Israel (think Six Days War). Sometimes they are not seen, except by those whose spiritual eyes are activated to see into the spiritual realm. Sometimes they are seen as amazing creatures who often inspire awesome fear. They are seen in dreams, visions, and open visions. Sometimes they come to people and do not inspire fear such as when Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she would carry the Messiah. Sometimes they appear as humans and, according to Hebrews, many of us have entertained angels unaware of who they were. They are powerful. One angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrian troops in one night. They love to worship God as we do. Sometimes they work on our behalf for protection, provision, and direction and sometimes they are fellow servants serving alongside us to accomplish God’s purposes.

Perhaps, the major takeaway from this little study on angels is that God is “sooooo for us” and has provided for us in remarkable ways. His Son died for our sins and intercedes for us now. The Holy Spirit lives within us and leads us into all truth, equips us with spiritual gifts, and provides us with divine weapons. Magnificent angels watch over us and work beside us. He hears every prayer and knows even the number of hairs on our heads. And scripture declares, “If God is for us who can be (stand) against us?” So as the angels say, “Don’t be afraid.” Live with joy. Walk with confidence. Do not fear man or Satan because you are filled and surrounded by the immeasurable power of God who cares for you. Be blessed today and keep an eye out for angels.