you What a beautiful song. How thankful we are for the great music of the church and God's good. We invite you to turn in your Bibles again to the book of Daniel, chapter number 10, where we were last week. And we want to continue in the second lesson on Daniel's prayer out of Daniel chapter 10 and verse number 12. But we'll begin reading with verse number 1. We are seeking to show you the difference between your prayer life under the Holy Spirit since the atonement of Jesus Christ and Daniel's prayer life that was aided by the angels. We need to be thankful to God that we live in this day and age that the Bible calls the end times. Daniel chapter 10 and verse number one. In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a thing was revealed to Daniel. Isn't that interesting? This man was a great king of Persia, but God didn't talk to him. He talked to his prophet Daniel. Just use the name of the king to give you an understanding of what time it was and when Daniel lived, whose Babylonian name was Belteshazzar. And the thing was true, but the time appointed was long. And he understood the thing and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks, twenty-one days. And I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Drop down to verse number 10. And behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright. For unto thee am I sent, am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. This is an interesting verse, verse number 12. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before the Lord, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Dear friend, don't ever mistake that as soon as you pray, God hears it. But in Daniel's day, there was such a powerful work of Satan in the world. He's even called the God of the world. He stole the scepter from Adam and took dominion of the world himself. And so he had his demonic forces. Paul calls them spiritual wickedness in high places. He had these various demons set over nations and so forth. And so the answer to Daniel's prayer was delayed. Not the hearing of Daniel's prayer, but the being able to bring it about in Providence. And he says, And I am come to thee. Verse 13, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia, that is, the demon that Satan had set over the nation of Persia, withstood me one and 20 days. How long had it been since Daniel prayed? One and 20 days, three weeks, 21 days. He was still waiting for an answer, but it wasn't because he wasn't heard. It was because the wheels of providence moved slow and God had to move upon wicked kings and demons and so forth to bring an answer to his prayer. So we look at verse number 13, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days. But lo, Michael one of the chief princes, and we understand him to be one of the seven angels that stand in the presence of God in the book of the Revelation. We call him an archangel. He came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. So he said I had to stay there and wait, and Michael came and helped me, and he said in verse 14, now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days, for yet the vision is for many days." While we're here, let's drop down to verse 19 of Daniel chapter 10. And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not, peace be unto thee. Be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened and said, let my Lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me. Then said he, Knowest thou that wherefore I come unto thee? And now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. I had to quit fighting with the prince of Persia. I couldn't have went over him until Michael came and helped me. And now we set in motion the things in Providence to answer your prayer, although it was immediately heard when you prayed it. I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. And when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grisha shall come." The Babylonians ruled, then the Persians came and ruled, and then Alexander the Great of Greece came to rule. So he says there's going to be a demon over the realm of Greece. But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth. And there is none that holdeth, helpeth with me in these things, but Michael your Prince. So, dear soul, we have shown you two verses. Look in Acts chapter 7 and verse number 53, how that God used angels in times past to bring forth the things that He would have to be done, and even the giving of the law. This is Stephen preaching just before he is stoned to death. Acts 7, 53. who have received the law by the dispensation of angels, and have not kept it. Galatians chapter 3 and verse number 19. Galatians chapter 3 and verse number 19. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions till the seed shall come to whom the promise was made. And it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." I read you those two verses to give you an understanding the difference between the mediation and the intercession in the Old Testament and that which we are blessed with in the new economy under Jesus Christ. So let's go immediately to Hebrews chapter number one. and verse number one. Hebrews chapter number one and verse number one. God who at sundry various times and in diverse, diverse, different manners spake in time past. That's talking about the Old Testament. God spake in the Old Testament in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. It did not pleased God to immediately cast Satan down once he stole the scepter from Adam. Once Eve led Adam into sin, they were cast out of the garden, and Satan became the god of this world. He said, I will be like the Most High. Read your Bible. Hebrews chapter 14. I will mount myself above the stars, the angels of God. I'm going to be God, since there's no manifestation of God. All right, physical manifestation. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse number 2. In times past he spoke by the prophets. That's in the Old Testament. Hath in these last days, that's the New Testament. spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Who, being the brightness of his glory, the Son is the brightness of the Father's glory, and he is the expressed image of God's person, and he upholds all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Once the atonement had been accomplished, Jesus Christ sat down. No other high priest has ever done that. There wasn't a chair in the Holy of Holies. He never got through because those sacrifices did not take away one single sin. But Jesus Christ's sacrifice took away every single sin and pleased and satisfied the Father. So He sat down at the right hand on high. Now go right straight into verse 4. We've been talking in three verses in Hebrews chapter 1 about how God used to speak differently in times past in the Old Testament than what He does now. What was the mark that cut that off and changed it? He hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son. So what does it say in verse 4? The Son being so much better than the angels. The Apostle Paul is going to take two chapters in the book of Hebrews to explain to you the difference between how God dealt with His people in the old days by the angels And we're going to see how Satan even tempted Jesus to try to depend upon angels. Stay with me, we'll see it. But, dear soul, he goes on and said, Once Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he had by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he, did God say this to the angels at any time? Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? No, he didn't. So the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came up out of the water, God said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. He never said that about an angel. This is a change in the entirety of the revelation and manifestation of God. In times past, spoke by the prophets. these last days exclusively, speaks by His Son. Somebody stand up in some kind of Holy Ghost meeting and say, an angel appeared to me last night and gave me a revelation. He's out of order. God don't speak through angels no more. And by the way, the end of this book, the Bible, He said anybody that adds anything to this Bible, all the curses of the Bible will be added to them. Anybody that takes anything away from this Bible, all the curses of this Bible shall be added unto them. You need to be careful and understand that we have all that God would have us to know concerning Himself and concerning our salvation and concerning the Holy Spirit and concerning the atonement. is exclusively given to us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Say Amen. All right. Under which of the angels did he at any time say, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, did he ever say to an angel, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son? And again, when he bringeth the first begotten into the world, He saith, let all the angels of God worship him. Now that's just six verses into the book of Hebrews. You need to read that whole chapter, the first two chapters of Hebrews. Drop on down to Hebrews chapter one and verse 13. But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool? None of them. God didn't tell any angel, OK, you can sit on my right hand and I'll make all the enemies of the world to be your footstool. He didn't say that to the angels. He said that to his son. But what is the responsibility of angels in our day? That's a good question. And you need to listen to this. Hebrews chapter one and verse 14. What is your relationship? What is my relationship as a Christian to the realm of angels? We want to answer that in this second lesson today. Hebrews 1.14, Are they the angels, not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? The angels are to minister to the heirs of salvation. Dear soul, listen. Do you remember the mercy seat? It sat on top of the Ark of God. Well, what sat on top of the mercy seat? Angels spreading out their wings. It was supposed to be the anointed cherub that covereth. And he said, I'm not going to do that. As soon as he said, I'm not going to serve man, and I will be like the Most High, that glorious angel became the devil. And now we had to contend with him throughout the entirety of the Old Testament until Jesus came and destroyed him. Do we need to read those verses again? Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. For as much then as the children are equal takers of flesh and blood, he, the incarnate Son of God, the eternal Son of God, also himself likewise took part of the same. The same what? The same flesh and blood. great is the mystery of godliness. God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, believed on in the world, preached unto the Gentiles, and received up into glory. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. That through death, I'm still reading Hebrews 2.14, that through death he, Christ, might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. The devil said, I got him. I killed him. But the Corinthian writer said in 2nd chapter verses 7 and 8, if the princes of this world had known this, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Because Jesus began to live through death. He began to reign through death. He overcame his enemy through death. That is a very important verse. Hebrews 2.14. or as much then as the children, the elect of God, are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, in case you're wondering who that is, that is the devil. Verse 15, not only destroy him but deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. So the Lord Jesus Christ came sitting at the right hand of the majesty on high. God never said anything to any angel like he did his son. You need to read that entire first chapter and understand the difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and angels. And again, we're going to go on and continue in our question. What is our relationship to angels? All right. Hebrews chapter number eight. Verses six through eight. But now hath he, Christ, obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." More excellent ministry, better covenant, better promises. So you're not losing out anything by not being under angels the way they were in the Old Testament. In fact, they're the ones that lost out. We are under Christ, the eternal Son of God. Verse 7 of Hebrews chapter 8. For if that first covenant, the Old Testament under Moses' law, had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. You say, well, this thing is perfect. Then we don't need to do that second one. Why? Because this first thing is perfect. But the first thing wasn't perfect, so God had to seek the second covenant. Verse number 8 of Hebrews chapter 8. For finding fault to them, He said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, in the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continue not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. But the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I'll put my law in their minds, write them in their hearts. I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people. And they're not going to have to be taught by their neighbor. They shall all be taught of God. And dear friend, I want you to understand that Israel here is not just talking about national Israel. It does not exclude national Israel. It is included. But it's included as born-again believers in the true Israel. Galatians 5 and verse 6 or 6 and verse 5. I always get that wrong. Look it up. The Israel of God. It is the born-again believers. It is the spiritual, mystical, invisible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is all the ransomed church of God. The Israel of God is the church Christ's bride. All right, let's go to chapter 10 of Hebrews and verse number 6. Hebrews chapter 10. All right, now what we're saying is in Hebrews 1, 1 through 4, God used to speak to us in one way in the Old Testament by the prophets. But now, He exclusively speaks to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That causes the angels to have a different responsibility and a different relationship to the Church of God. That's what we're talking about. Hebrews chapter 10, verse number 6. This is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking. Verse 5. Wherefore, when he Christ cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me." He's talking and says God did not want sacrifices and offerings. He wanted me to have one body, not thousands of bodies of bulls and goats and pigeons and so forth that they sacrificed, but one body, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, when he, when Christ cometh into the world, he saith, this is what was on Christ's mind as the Holy Spirit breathed him into the womb of the Virgin Mary. How does that work? I have no idea and you don't either. Listen. Sacrifice, first word on his mind. When he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. There was an understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ immediately when He came into the world that the Old Testament economy was not in any way pleasing to God as far as eternal satisfaction goes. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Verse 6 of Hebrews chapter 10. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins, Thou hast had no pleasure." This is the son speaking for the father. He said, my father never had any pleasure in the sacrifices of bulls and goats for sin. Then said I, all right, now that I know that and I told y'all that, I want you to understand what I know. Then said I, behold, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me. The whole thing speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement. He says, I come to do thy will, O God. Isn't that good? Above, when He saith, sacrifice and offerings and burnt offerings and offerings for sin, thou wouldest not, neither has pleasure therein which are offered by the law. Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. I've always envisioned the eternal Son of God stepping into the virgin's womb when He says, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first covenant of the law, that He may establish the second. And friend, there ain't gonna be no third. because the second covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ satisfied God, fulfilled the law, redeemed every born again believer, and destroyed Satan. It is finished, he said in John 19 and 30, and that means it's over and done with. He did a good job. I understand that a lot of these car makers are having to recall thousands of automobiles in this day. God never ever had to recall anything because everything he did was perfect. There will be no recall. There will be no third covenant. Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be white as snow. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift, even our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For He, God the Father, hath seen the travail of His God the Son, soul, and shall be satisfied. Isaiah 53. God is satisfied with what Jesus did. Then you should be too. Not angels. Yes, He used angels for thousands of years. We read that to you in Acts 7, 53 and Galatians 3, 19. But now, it's not angels. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless His holy, holy name. Go with me to Luke chapter 4 and see that the devil who is still trying to tempt people in our day and age to put too much emphasis on and too much glory in angels, tried it with the Lord Jesus Christ at His temptation. Luke chapter 4 and verse number 1, And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, where He was baptized, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil, And in those days, just like Daniel, he did eat nothing. And when they were ended, he afterward hungered. Forty days he did without food. Some of us can't go forty minutes. But the Lord Jesus Christ brought his holy humanity down to its lowest level so that it was the Spirit that did it. When I am weak in the flesh, then I'm strong in the Spirit, the Apostle Paul said. So the devil takes him to, let's drop on down to Luke chapter four and verse number nine. And he, the devil, brought him, Jesus, to Jerusalem and set him on a pinnacle of the temple and said unto him, now listen, this is the devil trying to exalt angels in a day when God has changed the relationship of angels to his church. And he says, if thou be the Son of God, cast thou self down. And he quotes Psalm 91 verses 11 and 12. For it is written, he shall give a charge to his angels over thee to keep thee. He's trying to get the Lord Jesus to submit himself unto angels. And remember, the devil is an angel. He is a fallen angel, but he's an angel. He is one of the angels that God created to begin with. Let me quit stuttering around here. And he said, since angels had not seen God until they crowded around that first angel, and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill towards men. They crowded around to see the holy humanity under thee is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, And all the angels said, we want to get our first look at God. And so the devil says, if you will cast yourself down, you can prove you're the son of God and we'll take you back under the authority of angels and reverse this thing and stop God's progress as far as the Holy Spirit is concerned in taking care of God's people in the new covenant. He shall give his, and he's quoting Psalm 91, verses 11 and 12. The devil is. He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Well, if you have a preacher that stands in a pulpit and says, reads that Psalm 91, verse 11 and 12, and says, don't worry about it. God's got angels ready to take care of you. Get up and walk out. I understand angels shall be ministered to them who shall be heirs of salvation." We read that, Hebrews 1.14. But dear soul, it's not the responsibility of angels now to look after you. It is the responsibility of the Holy Ghost. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. We will go on and see some more Scriptures to give you an understanding of what is your responsibility to angels. But one thing we know, Angels do not continue on in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit takes their place. He supersedes and overcomes the relationship of angels to the elect people of God. All right. What did Jesus say to the devil trying to tempt him to submit himself under the authority of angels? You should be very curious about this. You should be in great wonderment about it. What did he say? Because when he tempts me to try to put myself under the angelic forces, then I want to know what to say. Here's what your master said. Luke chapter four And verse number 12, And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, he quotes the Bible in Deuteronomy 6, 16, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Jesus said, the devil trying to get you to submit yourself under some superficial, oh, warm and fuzzy feeling, oh, the angels came and looked after me. Here's what he said. You're tempting the Lord your God. God has in these last days exclusively spoken to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what Jesus said. We should follow His example. Oh, my soul. So we see that Jesus said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Dear soul, to get the devil to leave you alone, stay out of your inordinate affections. The devil is an angel of light. He can give you warm, fuzzy feelings. Oh, an angel, I just felt an angel's wings brush my face. You better be careful, God said, that's over and done with. Not doing that anymore. And then it says in verse 14 of Luke chapter 4, and Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. How did He start out in Luke chapter 4 and verse 1? Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost. How did he wind up after he resisted the devil and rebuked the devil for trying to get him to revert back under the old economy of being submissive to angels? He became again in the power of the Holy Spirit. If you want to not quench the Spirit, if you want to not grieve the Spirit, you need to stay rightly related to the Holy Spirit first and foremost, and to His Son, Jesus Christ, and then the angels will fall in their natural place. Last week, if some of you will remember, I hemmed and hobbed around and looked through the Bible and couldn't find a verse. And our dear engineer, who runs the video and the audio recordings, sent me a text and said, brother, look at Colossians chapter 2 and verse 18. And I did. Listen, if a preacher won't listen to his people, why should they listen to him? Amen. Say amen. Listen, Colossians chapter 2 and verse 18. Listen, folks, I don't think I'm the only person that God speaks through. God speaks through his people. God speaks by the Holy Spirit and do me good to listen. I got two ears on the side of my head, but only one mouth. I should do twice as much hearing as I do speaking. Listen, I know you said amen on that, didn't you? Colossians chapter two and verse 18. Let no man beguile you, that's the words that were used by the devil and what he did to Eve, the serpent who beguiled Eve. Ephesians, excuse me, Colossians chapter 2 and verse number 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels. You can go into what they call a Christian bookstore, whatever that is. And I guarantee you, they will have little figurines of angels and want you to buy them. And a lot of people do. And they set them up on their shelf or set them up on the headboard of their bed and say, these angels are watching over me. Blasphemy! Stay away from that. God said don't make any image of anything in heaven or on the earth. Get out of all that mess. That's just inordinate affections, warm fuzzy feelings. Colossians 2 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels. What is a worshiping of angels? It is an intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up in his fleshly mind and not holding on to the head. That word head is capitalized. That means Christ. Christ is the head. You should be holding on to Christ and Christ alone. Hath in these last days spoken exclusively to us by his Son. Are angels still around? Of course they are. Do angels still have to minister to us? Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14, yes they do. Some have entertained angels unawares. But that ain't none of your business or my business. Those are the invisible things of God, and he will take care of you, but it's done by the Holy Spirit. Listen, not holding the head, I'm reading Colossians 2, 19, and not holding the head from which all the body, nobody's left out, every born again believer, believer, Believer is joined on to Christ, which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered and knit together, increase with the increase of God. If you want to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God, you need to be holding on to the head Christ. The brain tells the finger to move. The brain tells the mouth to speak. The brain tells the ears to hear. Every part of your body is controlled by the brain. and the brain is in the head. Why did God make the body like he did? Because the head is like Christ and the body is like the church. And so the Bible said you need to hold on to and embrace and stay in adherence to the person of Jesus Christ and not angels. Because if you do that, you'll be vainly puffed up and you will lose your reward in a voluntary humility in a worship of angels. That's what the book said. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Now, 2 Corinthians chapter 11 is all about structure. It's all about rank. Who ranks where in the church? In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, what verse do I want? I want to get down to verse number 14, but it says that Christ is under the authority of God and the man is under the authority of Christ and the woman is under the authority of the man. That's the structure and the rank that God has brought forth. Very unpopular in these days, but I'm not going to deny it. It's the truth of God's Word. 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse number 14. Listen. Well, here we go. Verse 13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves God transforms the true believer, but these guys transform themselves into the apostles of Christ. And he said, and it's no wonder and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into what? An angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works." You need to be careful, dear friend. In the book of Revelation chapter 9, when the great illuminary falls, when light goes out, the sun goes down and the light goes out, the pit is opened up, and the locusts come pouring out and they do away, dispel the illumination of the sun. Dear friend, that's the false preachers. Jezebel had 850 prophets of Baal and there was one prophet of God, Elijah. You need to be careful, dear friend, because a lot of these people, these preachers, have great attraction because of their fancy manifestation of their great cathedrals and all of their artwork and their beautiful flowers and all of that that they have. And they allure through much, through much, I get it right in a minute, falsity and hypocrisy through the through the flesh. And it's brought through a flesh. But you need to follow the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ did not come in fanciful dress and have huge cathedrals and all that stuff. If he had, the scribes and Pharisees would not have crucified him. They knew that he was Christ. No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. But They didn't like the package that he came in and they didn't want themselves to have to be demeaned by such a lowly person born in a barn. Didn't even have his own horse to ride on. Had to borrow a mule to ride into Jerusalem. Didn't even have a grave to be buried in. Had to borrow a tomb. Isn't that something? So they didn't like the way he was packaged. So this luring through the flesh gets a lot of people sucked into it, but just know there's 850 of them to one prophet of God. You need to stick to the one that's telling you the truth and stick to the spiritual realm and word of God and watch out for these who try to be angels to titillate your flesh. First, Timothy. Chapter 5. 1 Timothy. Chapter 5. Verse 20. Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear. I charge thee, the apostle Paul said to the pastor Timothy, I charge thee before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." What is our relationship to angels? We need to do right before whatever angels are viewing us. Peter says in 1 Peter 1.12, which things the angels desire to look into. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse number 12, unto whom it is revealed that not unto themselves the Old Testament prophets, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported to 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 unto. The angels desire to hear the gospel because they don't know Redemption. The Bible said in Jude, what is it, verse six? That these left their first estate and immediately were put in chains of darkness. They don't have any forgiveness. They don't know anything about forgiving grace. So they have to come to the church, to people who are forgiven, and people who do receive grace, and look at them. Look at Ephesians, chapter three. This is another verse that I was stumbling around trying to remember last week, and I couldn't. I was looking at Ephesians chapter 1, but it's Ephesians chapter 3 and verse number 10. Here I go, Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9, "...and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." God hid the gospel for 4,000 years until Jesus Christ came. Ephesians 3.10, "...to the intent that now unto the principalities That is, spiritual entities, principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God. How are the principalities and powers in heavenly places going to know the mystery of God? By the church. Angels desire to look under these things. They attend the gospel meetings. They attend the gospel services. They attend the things of the rank of the church so that the woman is to cover her head that the angels not be offended. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Now some people believe that this means literal head coverings. Put a scarf on before you come into church. If that's what you believe, I'm not going to bother you. Fine with me. But that's not what it actually means. It means having the authority of God over you. Putting on a scarf doesn't make you holy. There can be some of the meanest women in the world with a headscarf on. But those who have the authority of God over their hearts, if they put a headscarf on, that's well and good. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse number 10. Let's back up a little bit. This is what I wanted to see a minute ago in 2 Corinthians, but it's not, it's in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 3. I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ. The head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. This is about rank. how God has established it. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head. Her head is Christ. So if she does it with her head uncovered, that is, she doesn't have any submission to the authority and the rank of the Lord Jesus Christ or her husband or the man. then she dishonors her head, which is Christ. For that is even all one, as if she were shaven." She might as well be bald-headed. Listen. Drop on down. Verse number 10. Let me read verse number 9. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman was created for the man. Verse 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power, have authority, be in her rank on her head because of the angels. What is your relationship to angels? Give proper submission to the authorities of God according to the rank that God has established so that the angels who come to the churches to hear the gospel being preached will see that we are acting it out. The man is under authority of the Christ. The woman is under the authority and rank of the man. Children obey your parents, how? In the Lord. So they see this order and they also hear the gospel and they begin to understand. Because we read you in Ephesians 3.10 that I couldn't find last week. that the principalities and powers in heavenly places, these things are known by the church. We read it to you. That's what our relationship should be to angels. It's according to that which God has established. We should be submissive in the way God has established it. Men, it doesn't mean that the women don't have the gift of the Spirit. It doesn't mean that they don't have wisdom. It doesn't mean that you're not supposed to listen to them. These two shall be one flesh. He said, whether bond or free, Jew or Greek, male or female, all are one in Jesus Christ. Just talking about rank. But remember, that when God would make woman, He didn't take woman out of man's head. to rule over her. He took her out from under his arm, near his heart, for him to love her. Husbands, love your wives. How? As Christ loved the church and gave himself. You can't love without giving. So there are times when God gives the understanding and the knowledge of those things He would have you do in your life and in your marriage to your wife, not to you. Listen to her. Because you need to listen and follow the Holy Spirit. It's right to follow the Holy Spirit whoever He speaks through. That's the way it ought to be. 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse number 9. For I think that God has set forth us the apostles last. Paul said, I'm just an apostle. I think He's set forth us last. as if it were appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men." What is he talking about? Whatever humility, whatever humiliation God puts in your life, bow under it and let the angels see the working of grace in your soul. not just hear the gospel, Ephesians 3.10, but to see the gospel in its action and in its activity as we yield ourselves under the authority that God has placed us under. That's what he's talking about. I'd like to finish out with the 12th chapter of the book of the Revelation. We go to this quite often because it's continuously being opened unto us more and more. The twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation. The Apostle John says, there appeared, verse one, a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. and upon her head a crown of 12 stars. This is the church. She's clothed with the sun. She doesn't have her own light. She reflects the light because she stands on the moon. That's her identity. Reflecting the light into the world of darkness. And on her head, a crown of stars. Those are the ministers of the gospel. The tiara of the church is the gospel ministers. And she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, in pain to be delivered. And, second character, there appeared another wonder in heaven, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. When the crowns are on his head, he's trying to imitate Christ. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven." That's the devil tricking and deceiving one-third of the angelic forces when he said, I will be made like the Most High. And he'd cast them to the earth. He brought down one-third of the angelic power and they became demons. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as he was born. And she brought forth a man-child. This is talking about the church, that is, speaking of Mary, the Virgin, as representing the church. Brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations, that's Christ, with a rod of iron. And her child was brought up to God and to His throne. We read you that. When He had it by Himself purged our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1.3. And the woman fled into the wilderness. That's the church's place where she is to dwell throughout the evangelical age. He said, go into all the world and preach the gospel of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth. That's the wilderness. Up to that time, she was exclusively kept in the nation of Israel. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God. Satan got thrown out of his place. Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. John chapter one, excuse me, 14. And I go to prepare a place. Where was he going? To the cross. I'm going to prepare a place for you. You're going to be all right. No matter where you are, whatever the times before appointed or the bounds of your habitation, when you are to live and where you are to live, you'll be all right, for I have prepared it for you." And they shall feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days. That's the endurance of the evangelical age. As long as God will have the gospel preached, that's what that symbolizes. Here's what I want to get to. And there was war in heaven, in the heavenly places. Michael, you remember him? The angel told Daniel, I couldn't get to you. With the answer to your prayer, I had to get Michael, your prince, to come and help me. So here is Michael fighting and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels. See, there are God's good angels, God's elect angels, and then there are 1 Timothy 5, 20, and 21, the elect angels, and there are the demonic forces that were angels. They are now the demons. And prevail not. The dragon fought in his angels and prevail not. Neither was there a place found anymore in heaven. He lost his place as God formed the church her place. It's changed, dear friend, at Pentecost. And the great dragon was cast out. Well, who is that? The old serpent. Who is that? The devil. Who is that? And Satan. Who is that? The one which deceiveth the whole world, and was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Now, listen at verse 10. When did that happen? When was that war in heaven? You've got to hear this. Revelation 12, 10. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, a powerful, effectual voice God said, listen, don't miss this. Now has come salvation. When the devil was cast out and when Michael, representing Christ, won superiority over the angelical world that God had used, as we read you in Acts 7.53 and Galatians 3.19 at the beginning of this lesson. When all of that changed, dear soul, it happened at Calvary. because that's when salvation was come. Now has come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God. When did the kingdom of Christ start? At Pentecost. And the power of His Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb. How could it be any clearer that this war in heaven that we read you in Hebrews 2, 14 and 15 took place at Calvary. It couldn't be any clearer. Time is almost gone. You need to read this. You need to ask God to help you. Read this, dear soul, as it were, on your knees, in your heart at least, and ask God to open this up to you and show you. When did salvation come? When the war in heaven came. What did the war in heaven do? It throwed out the devil and his angels. And we understand and see the serpent in verse 15 cast out of his mouth water as a flood. That's the false gospel. Paul talks about another gospel, another Jesus, another preacher. And this is Satan flooding the world with his false gospel. But how in the world does it get handled? The harlot church Those who are over the earth open up her mouth and swallow it down. And the multitude of your neighbors and friends that are in any way religious, they swallow down the false gospel and justification by works and not salvation by grace. Our time is gone. I try to get so much in. I hope that I don't confuse you and leave you without understanding. But dear soul, that's the difference in Daniel's prayer and your prayer. That's the difference between the age when God would have the church attended by angels. But there were evil angels that hindered Not hearing his prayer, God heard his prayer. God monitors your mind. He hears what you think. How can you pray without ceasing unless it is done through your mind? So God listens, and immediately that you pray, it is heard. And you need to read, and I've already closed my Bible, but Matthew 18 and verse 19, you need to read that. It's very important. If any two of you agree touching anything on earth, it shall be given you. Christ said that, not me, not just your Bible, but Jesus Christ said that. So, dear soul, pray without ceasing. Understand you have an authority over the devil and the powers of darkness that they didn't have under the angels. May God help you. I need to hush. Thank God for the Word of God and keep praying for me and I pray for you. Amen.