Daily Devotional • September 29
Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
A Reading from Daniel 12:1-3
1 “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Meditation
Today is the feast of St. Michael and All Angels. I have been participating in the School of Healing Prayer offered through Christian Healing Ministries in Jacksonville, Florida. The founders of this ministry are Francis and Judith MacNutt. Among the many books Francis wrote is Deliverance from Evil Spirits. Judith has written two books about angels: Angels Are for Real and Encountering Angels.
The supernatural realm is difficult for many Episcopalians and those of European ancestry whose worldview has been shaped by the Enlightenment which focuses almost exclusively on reason and the realm of the natural. And yet, the first renunciation we make at baptism is against “Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God” (BCP 302.)
When our children were growing up, we had a rule that no Ouija Boards or occult games were to be in our house. Years later, one of our middle school aged grandsons brought a Ouija Board to our basement when we were away to play with his friends. When I found out about it, I confronted him and asked him why he brought it to my house. He said, “Well, since you are a bishop, we thought if anything bad happened, you’d know what to do about it.” True enough, but I am not looking for a battle with demons.
At the School of Healing Prayer, we are taught that actual demonic possessions, requiring the ministry of an exorcist, are extremely rare. However, oppression or infestation of demons are quite common in the lives of people, even Christians, and require prayers for deliverance.
There is an interpretation of the book of Revelation that one third of the angels rebelled against God and that St. Michael and his angels fought against them (Revelation 12:3-4,7-9). Therefore, I offer this prayer from Compline today:
Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (BCP 133).
Michael G. Smith served as bishop of North Dakota for 15 years and is currently the Assistant Bishop of Dallas. He works with the Navajoland Iona Collaborative and is a Benedictine Oblate and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
♱
Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Longwood, Florida
The Diocese of Otukpo – The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
