There is a sound coming from Heaven—the noise of the chariots of God! For His mighty army of angels is on the move. It was a sound heard in the prophet Elisha's time, when God caused Israel's enemies to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army. They fled in fear, leaving a bounty of food behind (2 Kings 7:6).
I believe the Lord is saying to many, "I am setting you free from fear of your enemy on the ground. I am giving you ears to hear the sound of marching from Heaven." As God said to David, "When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, advance against the Philistines. For you will know that I have gone before you" (2 Samuel 5:24, emphasis mine).
Below are 9 lessons for us on angels (and chariots):
1. Understanding Angels Is a Key to Knowing God
"...The LORD makes the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind, who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire." (Psalm 104:3-4, emphasis mine)
How much do we desire God, and desire to know Him?
One of the names of God is "Lord of Hosts." That word "hosts" in the Hebrew comes from a word (tsaba) that means "a mass of persons especially organized for war" (Strong's 6635)! Or as Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message Bible, He is "GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies."
This is a significant revelation of God in Scripture. It is a gift He is releasing right now, for He wants us to know Him in all His fullness.
2. Angels Give Us Overcoming Power
The Aramean army surrounded the city of Dothan. They were after one person—the prophet Elisha. It was "a great army" with chariots, horses and armed men. When his servant became fearful, Elisha prayed, "Lord, open his eyes." At this, the servant saw a heavenly army. Fiery, angelic hosts, chariots and horses surrounded them. Not only were the angels more numerous than the enemy army, they were positioned higher—upon the mountain! (Photo via Piqsels)
What "chariot" is coming against you today? The Holy Spirit is releasing faith so you can know, as Elisha did, that those who are with you are more than those who are with them (2 Kings 6:16).
3. Angels Appeared with Chariots
Sometimes, angels appear or are mentioned in the Bible along with horses and chariots. And it is most often in the context of battle.
Why chariots? Chariots are symbolic in the Bible of strength, power and might. In ancient times, chariots were not only used for battle, but kings, as well as their leaders and kingdom representatives, rode in chariots (Genesis 41:43). (Perhaps this is a reason why God chose to bring His faithful servant Elijah to Heaven in a chariot of fire!) They were also used as a military weapon. An army that had many chariots was considered powerful, so earthly chariots were synonymous with human might! And chariots of fire—angelic "vehicles"—carry the might of Heaven. These were a constant military presence surrounding God's people.
4. Angels Should Be Held in Our Peripheral Vision
Elisha was aware of the angelic armies and fiery chariots in the hillside, but they weren't his point of focus. His confidence was in God. These stories of Scripture remind us that angels are to stay in our peripheral vision. In other words, we know they are there; we may even perceive them, and those of us who are discerners know that angels have a distinct, identifiable presence. But they are not our main point of focus, for our eyes are fixed on Jesus.
5. Knowing Angels Are Near Banishes Fear
Being aware of the "chariots of God" was an antidote to fear that was so effective; Elisha prayed for God to open his servant's eyes!
God is releasing courage to someone today! You can be confident that God has angels waiting and working on your behalf. We do not need to fear the chariots of the world. Instead, we can trust in the Lord's power to deliver us. As David wrote, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7 KJV; see also Deuteronomy 20:1).
Trust in God is a powerful magnet that pulls on the resources of Heaven.
6. Angels Are Messengers with a Purpose
The Hebrew word for "angel," mal'ak, comes from a word meaning "to dispatch as a deputy" (Strong's H4397). And the word used for "angel" in the New Testament Greek, angelos, means "a messenger or envoy" (Strong's G32).
As messengers, angels are sent by God on assignment, coming with power to act in a certain way for a specific purpose: "Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure" (Psalm 103:20-21 NKJV).
God will dispatch angels for your protection and to aid in breakthrough (Psalm 91:11).
7. God Is Releasing Angelic Orders on Your Behalf
"...Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words." (Daniel 10:12 NKJV)
Daniel's example is a reminder that we don't direct angels ourselves—it is our Father who sends them forth from His throne (Matthew 26:53, Psalm 103:20).
From the moment you prayed and called upon God, He set angelic orders in motion, to break open the way before you. Even your ineloquent groaning has moved Him to act (Exodus 2:24, 1 Samuel 1:13-15). So today, no matter how many enemies are stacked against you, your Father wants you to know that He has heard your prayer and angels are present in response to your words! (Photo via Pexels)
8. Angels Are Abundant!
King David wrote, "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place" (Psalm 68:17 NKJV). This is speaking of a heavenly reality! We don't need to have a scarcity mindset when it comes to the angelic. The power of God and the messengers of God are numerous. And you can be assured of this: When pressure comes against you, God's power is working for you. Angels are not limited in potential; they are great in power. They are freely available, awaiting your Father's command—in answer to your prayer.
9. It's Time to Discern the Chariots
I believe this is a significant word for this time: Discern the sources of power you see, and ask: "Am I dependent upon the chariots of the Lord for victory, or is this a chariot of the world?"
For those of us who hunger to see God's power at work, there is a lesson we can learn from King Solomon, who gathered thousands of chariots into chariot cities (1 Kings 9:19). He achieved a remarkable feat—but in doing so, there were 3 "flags" Solomon ignored:
1) History's Example:
Generations earlier, God commanded Joshua to burn the chariots of armies they conquered—not keep them (Joshua 11:6)! Why? Because God wanted His people to be dependent upon Him.
2) Prophetic Words Spoken to Him:
God told King David that his son Solomon would have rest from his enemies (1 Chronicles 22:9). The name "Solomon" means "peace, or peaceful" (Strong's H8010). According to God's word over his life, he would not need to stockpile chariots.
3) The Command of the LORD:
God specifically commanded kings not to accumulate horses (Deuteronomy 17:16). This means Solomon was in ignorance of God's commands; at worst, he was in outright disobedience to God's word.
Solomon Neglected His Greatest Power
The chariot cities were military power held in reserve; but Solomon neglected his greatest power—having right standing with God.
Oh, how our Father longs to unleash His power on our behalf! Which chariots are we relying on? When we obey God only to the extent of our human capacity, we limit Him!
Angelic Hosts Are on the Way
The most powerful weapon you have is free of cost, yet it is pivotal to everything! It's the gift of right standing with God. It is His presence with you. Through this favor, you have power, you have angels at work on your behalf that can sweep aside opposition and overcome obstacles...against all odds.
Hear the sound from Heaven. The chariots of God, His angel hosts, are on the way!
Whatever you do, don't miss another ELIJAH LIST email! Subscribe at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Helen Calder
Enliven Ministries
Email:Â helen@enlivenpublishing.com
Website:Â www.enlivenpublishing.com
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries, in the David McCracken Ministries family. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in the areas of prophetic ministry, discernment and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog, an online prophetic training and mentoring resource that reaches thousands of people globally. Helen and Malcolm have been married for 37 years and are at home in Planetshakers Church, Melbourne, Australia.
To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Find us on:
* Facebook click here
* XAPiT click here
