But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? ~ Hebrews 1:13-14

Do Christians have the authority to command angels?

In scripture, we have many examples of individuals having encounters with angels in both the Old and New Testament, and there is not a single text anywhere in all of scripture where anyone, other than God, gave directives to angels. 

I recently listened as one minister claimed that angels serve us like waiters, but this simply is not true. Angels are God’s messengers, and only God has the authority to give them directives.

You can command angels all you desire, but they are only following your orders in your imagination. Not in reality.

The belief that Christians have the authority to give directives to angels became popular under the teachings of Kenneth E. Hagin, who claimed that Jesus taught him this in a vision.

According to Hagin, Jesus pointed out to him that Hebrews 1:14 doesn’t say angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, but rather, angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation.

Hagin’s revelation is based on the word for, rather than to, as found in the KJV.  Thus, according to Hagin, we have authority to direct angels with commands. For instance, if you are in need of financial help, you can give the command for angels to go forth and cause the necessary money you need to come in.

As a young many years ago, I was caught up in this nonsense, I am thankful to God for his grace and patience.

I want to share with you why Hagin is wrong. First of all, the Greek for the word, for, also means to, and that is why most all other translations use the word to, and not for. Literally, angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for, to, or on behalf of those who will be the heirs of salvation. 

Now, think with me, even if the Greek word meant only for, you would still have to read into the text something that isn’t there to claim that believers have authority over angels to command them.

The truth is, angels are sent forth by God to minister to people on behalf of God. In Hebrews 1:7 we read, And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Take note that the angels are His (God’s) angels, and His (God’s) ministers. No ours. Angels that obey the directives of anyone other than God himself, are all fallen angels. In every account in scripture in which angels appeared to God’s people, the angels were always the ones in charge and held the authority, not the people.

For example, when Zacharias (the Father of John the Baptist), was visited by Gaberial and informed by him about John’s birth, Zacharias asked, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is well stricken in years. ~ Luke 1 18

In response, Gabriel said the following, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. ~ Luke 1:19-20

Now, let me ask you, who was the one in charge, who had the authority in this encounter? Was it Zacharias or Gabriel? Do you really think that you, as a Christian, have the authority to give an angel like Gabriel a command or order? Absolutely not!

Angels are ministers from God and they minister on behalf of God’s people. We can see this clearly in the resurrection of Jesus. Angels were seen at the empty tomb and directives were given to the followers of Jesus by the angels.

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. ~ Matthew 28:1-8

Notice that the women obey the command of the angel, not the other way around. When you just look at the texts that speak of angels, you find out very quickly how arrogant it is to think that we can command angels.

All throughout the Bible, angels from God are reverenced because they are God’s servants and messengers. In Acts 5, we see that even the apostles who walked with Jesus in the flesh, obeyed an angel’s directive.

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. ~ Acts 5:17-20

When the apostles were arrested again, and questioned about their preaching in the temple, their response was, We ought to obey God rather than men (see Acts 5:21-29). Following the command of the angel who told them to go speak in the temple all the words of this life, was obedience to God.

This is why it is insane to think that we as believers are the ones in charge over the angels. Never was such ideology held by the people of God in scripture. Angels who were truly sent from God were reverenced, feared, and obeyed. In fact, immediately after telling his audience that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who are to be heirs of salvation, the writer of Hebrews says the following.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. ~ Hebrews 2:1-3

The point of the writer of Hebrews in saying that angels are ministering spirits is not that we have authority to give them orders, but that they serve God’s redemptive purposes. We can see this in the story of Cornelius.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. ~ Acts 10:1-8

Notice that the angel was sent from God, to minister on behalf of Cornelius by delivering to him God’s directive concerning salvation. Cornelius obeyed and when Peter arrived, Cornelius had this to say: Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. ~ Acts 10:30-33 

I could go on, but one only has to look into the scriptures and they will quickly find that angels never take orders from people. They are God’s messengers and they are his servants. 

The sad thing about prophetic culture such as we see within the Word of Faith, the New Apostolic Reformation, and New Thought ideology is that the extra biblical revelation of those who claim to have visions, often  becomes the filter through which those within the movements view the Word of God. Regardless of Hagin’s claims, there is no scriptural support for Christians having the authority to give directives to angels. There are some who would argue that Psalm 103:20 supports the believer’s authority over angels, because it says, Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Those who cite this text will claim that angels will obey God’s word when we speak it, but that is not what the Psalmist is saying.

The Psalmist is saying that the angels obey the voice of God when He speaks, not believers quoting scripture.