Angels & Demons: Who or what are they?

            Some of what I share here will be my opinion based on personal experience and interrogation of both angels and demons and not necessarily from the Bible.  However, if you discover ANYTHING I share to be CONTRARY to scripture, PLEASE contact me immediately with Biblical evidence of my error and I will make corrections.

            When talking about angels and demons, to me, the only logical place to start is with angels, since that also is where demons started.  Let’s begin with “what” they are.  Different from human beings, who are born to parents, angels are uniquely created spiritual beings; meaning each one was uniquely created by God.  People do not become angels when they die anymore than a dog becomes human.  There are different kinds of created spiritual beings (even beyond humans and angels) but never does one become another.

            One of the most revealing texts in the Bible about angels says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Heb 1:14  Notice they are ALL ministering spirits; they have jobs to do, functions and purposes to fulfill.  They are sent; so they travel from where they were to where “those who will inherit salvation” are.  They are sent to serve, work in the best interest of, salvation recipients.  It is very important to note at this point that holy angels are completely submissive to God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  While they are sent to serve the saved they are not submissive to us, but rather work in our best interest as God sees fit.  Quite frankly, we are too stupid to command such holy, intelligent, supernatural beings. We can certainly make requests of them, expressing our preferences, but they know far better than we what is actually in our best interest.  It is similar to a childcare provider who is hired to watch over or serve as a child’s protector.  They would be considered irresponsible if they were to cater to the whims of the child, even if the child had the best of intentions.

            As far a “who” they are; they are individuals.  They have unique personalities just as we do.  While they were all created at the same time (not an ongoing process) they were created with varying qualities. Having very different experiences, interactions, and jobs to do forms and molds them into infinitely differing beings.  They have unique names in their native language which we could not pronounce.  Those who are sent to interact with humans choose or receive names we can use.  In the Bible we only read of two proper names of angels: Michael and Gabriel, but that is enough to Biblically show they have them.  While they do not “grow up” they do mature through their experiences which give them the appearance of aging differently one from another. 

            I occasionally work with one angel who is VERY MUCH like a teenager, while two others are much more reserved, wise, and patient.  While they may not readily admit it, they are very emotional.  They get very excited (especially during Godly worship), they get very angry (at times during warfare), they get violent (oh my, when a demon pretends to be an angel 2Co11:14&15), frustrated, impatient, very loving, protective, and completely loyal.  Some even have a great sense of humor.  I was once frustrated with an angel co-worker and had to go away to pray about it.  When I returned I told him, “I talked to Jesus about you...”  He said, “Let me guess; HE told you we are not perfect, but perfected.”  He was correct, that was the essence of what Jesus told me in private.  They can be wrong, but they cannot deceive.  They do not know all, but they know much more than any of us.  While ministry is the work of God Himself and cannot happen apart from Him, as one of few humans who happen to be so privileged, I can tell you angels definitely make the best ministry partners.

            So then, “what” are demons?  “Demon” is the term that is generally applied to evil spirits.  Technically, demons are only one type of evil spirit.  The Bible tells of many levels of demons in this world and the heavenly realms; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph 6:12  I believe much of this is describing their various ranks, but some is undoubtedly their types as well.  I have personally run off too many demons to guess a number, but also those who like to be referred to with titles of “prince” and “lord”, which other demons acknowledge as appropriate among their ranks.  There are the “Jinn” which are primarily middle-eastern spirits, which are more fluid-like, similar to oil.  Jesus gave me the idea one day to catch a jinn in a container like a jar, which proved very affective.  I later learned that the jinn inspired the stories of a “Jeanie in a bottle”.  All of these are still types or positions of demons, but then there are also devils.

            Devils are MUCH stronger than demons.  They generally seem to be smarter and more in control of themselves as well.  They are rooted more deeply, usually through ritual or dedication of some type, and much harder to dislodge.  I am told that their make-up is different as well.  That they cannot be injured or harmed in the same way demons and at least most angels can.  Devils can deceive very powerfully.  While in the midst of a raging battle, they can speak calmly, seductively, something your everyday demon cannot do.  I have no doubt that many “familiar spirits” (spirits or voices that are known) are in fact devils.  They convince their victims that they are their friends, protectors, their guiding angels, spirit-guides; call them what you will they are our enemy out to kill, steal, and destroy with a soft tone and a friendly voice.

            Be it a demon, a prince, a lord, the jinn, or even a devil, they are all EVIL spirits and our enemy.  They are all fallen angels. That’s right, every evil spirit was at one time an angel of God.  Speaking of Satan, the Bible says, “He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Rev 12:9  Therefore, the answer to what they are and where they came from is the same as the angels.  So what happened, what changed?

            In Ezekiel 28 God seems to have had an ADD moment.  While speaking of the king of Tyre, He appears to distract to lamenting Satan’s fall.  Here are just a few lines extracted;  “‘You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; You were anointed as a guardian cherub. You were on the holy mount of God; You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. You were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.”  It is said that because of his splendor and deception a third of the angels fell with him, which is what accounts for his army of evil spirits. Rev 12:4.

            I believe it is reasonable to assume that when a Master’s servants rebel and become His enemy by choice, He is NOT going to empower them with additional powers or abilities that they did not have before.  Therefore, I conclude ANYTHING an evil spirit can do, a holy angel of God can certainly do.  What IS different is their character, why and how they do the things they do.  Evil spirits will cheat, lie, deceive, and force anything they are able to in order to accomplish their will.  Holy angels will only do what is allowed by God, reflective of His character.  When it comes to interacting with humans, evil spirits look for opportunities of legal rights to  take advantage of; while angels work within permissive rights.  So what kinds of things do they do?

            There are approximately 200 references to angels in the Bible; so they are busy.  Much of what they do is to serve as messengers and warriors, but that is like saying people work as salesmen and teachers.  Yes, this is true, but there is so much more as well.  Suffice it to say, they are all working in loyal service to God, however He decides how that is to look for each of them, but what about demons?

            Demons on the other hand are doing just the opposite.  They are constantly working against us to kill, steal, and destroy.  They are constantly attacking us in many areas of our lives, but given even a small opportunity they will move into our bodies and attack us from within as well.  This concept of indwelling demons is extremely common throughout the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Jesus dealt with it quite often and instructs us to do so as well. “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Lk 10:19  (As this pamphlet is about Angels & Demons, I’m not going to get into the battling of them here.  Look for the post WARFARE in this series for that discussion.)  Just as demons are able to enter human bodies, under the right conditions and permissions so too can angels.

            If we are doing the things God calls us to be doing, we will absolutely encounter evil spiritual beings.  Mt 10:8  This should be normal, just as it was for Jesus, but we need to be careful.  They will try to deceive us as often as they can.  Apparently, God also expects us to encounter His holy servants.  “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” 1Jn 4:1a  Notice this verse does not say, “Do not believe any spirit; they are not from God” rather, the Bible goes on to tell us how to test them; “Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” 1Jn 4:2b&3a  If you are a Christian you have no reason to be afraid of angels or demons.  Angels are sent to work on your behalf, and you have been given authority to command demons.  Test them to know what you are dealing with.  The only danger is if you refuse to acknowledge they are at work; without resistance, their success is much easier.  If you are not a Christian, well, that is a bigger problem for many reasons, but definitely do not try to engage evil spirits with your authority; you don’t have any.  Call a Christian to help.