Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing angels in our series. We have looked at revealed types along with their general function in relation to serving God and the heirs of salvation. I shared with you that there are two groups: Fallen and Unfallen.

Today, we are going to start a two-part message looking at those who fell. Just as the loyal angels of God serve God’s purposes, fallen angels serve the purposes of Satan, and similarly, as we feel the effect of the spiritual realm concerning the work of unfallen angels, we also feel in the natural realm the effect of fallen angels.

A simple question as we begin: How did they fall? It began with Lucifer.

There are two passages of scripture that speak about Lucifer’s fall. Isaiah 14:12-15. Ezekiel 28:12-17.

Why did they fall?
Root cause: Pride. He exalted his own beauty and desired to be worshipped as God. This caused him to become corrupted. The result was expulsion from heaven.

Satan’s corrupting influence deceived about a third of the angels, causing them to also rebel against God.

What do they do now?
Fallen angels are active participants in Satan’s kingdom. Scripturally, we refer to them as demons, and they are characterized by wickedness and perversity.

Let’s look at some of their function.

1. Servants of Satan’s Hierarchy
• Fallen angels occupy positions of authority under Satan in his organized kingdom. Jesus in Matthew 12:24-26 describes Satan’s kingdom as structured and not divided against itself.
• Ephesians 6:11–12 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
• These beings oversee regions, torment souls, and carry out demonic assignments. The kingdom of darkness is strategic, organized, and aimed at opposing God’s purposes.

2. Tormentors of the Damned
• One of their primary roles in hell is to inflict punishment upon lost souls.
• In Luke 16:23–28 the rich man Lazarus was being torment in hell. “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’”
• They too will share the fullness of the same torment at the time of final judgement.
• Revelation 20:10 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

3. Agents of Deception on Earth
• Deception is the chief strategy of the fallen, disguising evil as light and truth.
• Romans 1:21–32 “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
• Does this sound familiar? It is the same deception Satan peddled previously. The exchange of truth and righteousness was rooted in the desire to reign as God and be worshipped.
• When man sits enthroned in life, self-worship produces vileness, perversion, and evil.
• Romans 1:26-32, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
• Fallen angels actively work on earth to influence people toward sin. They inspire false doctrines, idolatry, and immoral behavior, working to draw souls away from God.
• 1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,”
• They seek to operate in areas of spiritual blindness keeping people trapped in unbelief or rebellion.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4 “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
• A goal of deception is to thwart spiritual awakening through spiritual rebirth (being born again-salvation).
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
• I feel that Proverbs 14:12 sums up deception most accurately. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

4. Opponents of Prayer and Holiness
• This area is part of spiritual warfare. There is often an unseen resistance in the spiritual realm. I previously shared the story of Daniel 10:12–13. (Paul) 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18.
• Daniel 10:12-13 “Then he said to me, “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. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”
• In 1 Thessalonians 2:17–18 Paul says to the Thessalonian church, “But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.”
• The aim of the demonic realm concerning spiritual resistance is to stir up doubt, confusion, and fear in believers. If they can accomplish these things, it will weaken faith, discourage repentance, and hinder moves of God.

5. Enforcers of Bondage and Addiction
• Jesus told us in Luke 11:24–26 what unclean spirits look to do to humanity.
• Luke 11:24-26 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
• The ultimate goal of unclean spirits is to completely control man, up to and including physical possession. They look to exploit weaknesses and bind people up through sin.
• John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”
• Romans 6:16 “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
• I do want you to understand that there is a difference between demonic oppression and demonic possession. Demonic oppression is external torment with things like harassment, negative thoughts, or burdens. Demonic possession is internal domination where a spirit or demon actually dwells within the person’s body and takes control of their mind and actions.
• An example of external torment is King Saul. Saul’s disobedience to God resulted in a spirit tormenting him. 1 Samuel 16:14 “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.”
• An example of internal torment is found in Mark’s gospel with the man having a legion of demons in him.
• Mark 5:2-9 “And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
• Falling prey to sin does not mean one is physically possessed, but it can lead to bondage as personal sin opens the door to demonic influence. Things like anger, bitterness, and hatred, unforgiveness, sexual wrongdoing, deceiving, lying, drug and alcohol abuse can open the door to demonic influence.
• There are also generational curses that can come as a result of unrepentant sin in previous generations. For example, I have heard many times things like, alcoholism runs in my family, or divorce and dysfunction run in my family, or chronic violence or abuse. These types of generational issues in families can persist due to open doors spiritually. The good news is we don’t have to let them continue.
• Doors can open to physical possession when a person begins to connect themselves to satanic or occult worship/involvement. Things like Horoscopes, fortune tellers, Ouija boards, extra-sensory perception (ESP), telepathy, and Eastern religion are incorporated into things like Yoga. Also, through the abuse of things like narcotics and alcohol.
• I don’t think the enemy cares if he oppresses or possesses as long as he can keep you away from Christ. Both simply need correction from a spiritual standpoint. Sin gives the enemy access, but repentance and truth break his chains of bondage.

6. Awaiting Final Judgment
• Fallen angels are awaiting final judgment. Their fate is sealed. They know their time is short and tremble at their coming judgment in the Lake of Fire. Jude 6 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”
• This reality causes them to work with great fervor and intensity. In our counter response, we must be all the more ready.

Our response must be to live ready. We are to be watchful in all things, knowing that 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

In my final message on Angel’s next week, we will take a final look at how we combat the enemy and position ourselves for victory.

I think what I have loved most about this study on angels is the reminder that heaven is active in the affairs of earth. We are not alone in this life. We have been given the Holy Spirit, and also the ministry of angels to assist us in this life.

Next week in our final message on angels. We are going to take a look at fallen angels, and their current function.