The fallen angels are the servants of Satan with an equal devotion to him as found in the holy angels and their devotion to the Father and to the Son. These unclean angels will always be very religious and will masquerade as Holy angels. In exactly the same way that Satan imitates God the Father or God the Son the unclean angels imitate the holy angels of God. Unclean angels are also manifest in many different ranks from Satan himself to principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Apostle Paul warned us clearly to put on the whole armor of God that we might be able to stand against this horde of "spiritual" powers. He stated, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12).

Nothing you will learn about unholy angels is more important than the spiritual nature of their activities and character. The Apostle Paul clearly called their activity, "spiritual wickedness." The unholy angels are an enemy to every holy person, to every truth of the Holy Bible, and to every activity of the Holy Spirit of God; but do not look for unholy angels to reveal their unholy nature or purpose. They convince many people to honor and follow their deception by hiding behind a false form of spirituality. We will try to detail the deceptive methods of these angels as we reach that aspect of this article.

Holy Angels: Messengers of God
The angels of God occupy a tremendous place in Holy Scripture and are extremely important to the performance of God's business and kingdom. It is clear in Scripture that they were created before the earth and before God created men and women. Angels do not procreate after their kind; therefore, the holy angels are said to neither marry nor give in marriage. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." (Matthew 22:30). The creation of woman was a unique event to provide a helpmate for man. While man was incomplete without woman, no such fact existed with the angels. They were perfectly created for their heavenly role in glorifying God and acting as His messengers.

This reveals a sharp distinction between the angels of God and the human family. Angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them (us) who shall be heirs of salvation." (Hebrews 1:14). We are being prepared to be the Bride of Christ. The Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus was given a name above every name and ". . . is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Peter 3:22). The angels are presently in complete subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ and appear to uniquely serve Him and His kingdom on earth during the church dispensation.

Angels Played a Beautiful Role in Christ's First Coming
From the announcement of His incarnation until He ascended back to the Father, angels appeared to have been given a kind of supervision and strengthening role to the Son of man. While it was the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost that conceived Jesus in Mary's womb, it was the angels' business to make the announcement to her, to satisfy Joseph's fear, and to even provide the name of Jesus to Joseph. Angels supervised the birth of John the Baptist and His role as the harbinger or forerunner of the Son of man. When Jesus was in danger of being slain with all the children of Bethlehem, an angel appeared to Joseph to warn him to flee to Egypt with the young child.

It was angels that came to minister and strengthen Him after fasting forty days and nights and suffering an intense attack by the devil against Himself. "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:11). Jesus Himself testified to Phillip and Nathaniel that angels would regularly appear to Him during His ministry. "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:51).

While the Scripture does not document this happening to any great frequency, there can be no doubt that it did, and His disciples apparently witnessed it, but were so accustomed to believing in angels that most of these events were not recounted in their Gospels. Luke did recount his witnessing of an angel appearing in the Garden of Gethsemane. He stated, "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." (Luke 22:43). All four of the Gospel writers shared the appearance of angels at His tomb following His resurrection from the dead. John told this event as following, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." (John 20:11-13).

As Jesus concluded His earthly sojourn and returned to Heaven by a miraculous ascension, angels appeared to give instruction to the 500 people that were present. The angels' message was a powerful encouragement and indication of what these disciples had witnessed. "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11). It would be impossible not to give a paramount role to angels in God's kingdom after viewing the closeness of angel activity to the Son of God.

Angels Served As Messengers In Both Testaments
There are several beautiful accounts of angels bearing messages to servants of God in Holy Scripture. Even Nebuchadnezzar, who certainly did not know God until late in his reign, received a dream in which he heard angels bearing a message to himself. He called one angel a "watcher" and another angel a "holy one", which indicates his language was as that of a pagan. Yet, he was troubled and sought an interpretation from his wise men. Not one of them, being sorcerers and false prophets, could interpret the message from the true God. When the king finally brought the message to Daniel, the message from his God was immediately recognized. Even though Daniel was troubled by the content, he recognized the judgment involved and warned the king of his pride and sin.

Zechariah received a message from angels over 2000 years ago that is presently in its early stages of fulfillment. This message was a prophecy of the future of Jerusalem and a coming day of glory for the nation of Israel. This particular message has a double fulfillment. One when Israel returned from Babylon and the last when God Himself should yet choose Jerusalem and cast out the horns (governments and their rulers) from the chosen city of the Lord. Here are the angel's concluding words, "Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it." (Zechariah 1:21).

Watching the governments of the world in their effort to scatter the Jewish nation surely adds a divine dimension to this ancient angelic message. There are considerable messages from angels in the First (Old) Testament, but also in the Second or New Testament. Angels did not cease their activities in the New Testament. We might even consider that it reflects an increase in the presence of angels.

In the Book of Acts there are several beautiful accounts of angels speaking and acting in behalf of the church. When several of the apostles were put in prison for preaching Jesus, the angel of the Lord appeared and took charge. Look at the story, "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." (Acts 5:17-20). Apparently, no one saw this angel except the apostles.

When Phillip had conducted a successful revival at Samaria an angel of the Lord appeared to him. "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." (Acts 8:26).

An angel appeared to Cornelius telling him to send for Peter, who would tell him "what thou oughtest to do." (Acts 10:6). An angel appeared to Peter in prison and performed miracle after miracle leading him to safety outside the locked iron gate, which opened of its own accord. (Acts 12:10). The Lord sent His angel when Paul was on board a doomed ship sailing in a stormy sea. Paul stated to his shipmates, "For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." (Acts 27:23-25).

Angels are Busy with Matters of Holiness and Justice
Sometimes men tend to forget that God's judgment is not just a future matter. It is a present reality. We quote Scriptures out of context like the beautiful passage that states, "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13:30). We then concur that judgment of wickedness is to all be reserved for the final hour. The passage above is certainly a warning for us not to take matters into our own hands that cannot be distinguished by mortals, but says nothing about what God does when His cup of wrath is full. The First and Second Testament both reflect some incredible acts of judgment performed or noted by His angels.

In Genesis, two angels appeared at the gates of Sodom. Three angels had appeared to Abraham some distance away, one of those angels apparently being the preincarnate Christ. The other two, after leaving Abraham, continued to complete the mission. Here is the Biblical account of their arrival at the gate. "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it." (Genesis 19:1, 13).

When David sinned by numbering Israel, God sent his destroying angels to judge this unbelief. "And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house." (2 Samuel 24:16-17).

The Assyrian got an excellent lesson of the power of one of the Lord's angels. "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." (2 Kings 19:35).

In the New Testament an angel of the Lord judged Herod because of his arrogance and neglect to demand justice for Apostle Peter. "And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied." (Acts 12:21-24)

The writer of the Book of Jude adds beautifully to this idea. He said, "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." (Jude 8-11).

There is no question but that angels are involved in the defense of the saints of God. How many stories have I heard in my short 46 years of serving the lord. Men and women that fight against truth and godliness always meet their judgment. Apostle Paul said, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Corinthians 5:11). Apostle Peter spoke of false prophets among people that bring in damnable doctrines. Concerning them, he said, "by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." Then he said, "whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." (2 Peter 2:1-3). Our present world needs to open their eyes to the evidence of God's growing judgment of our filth and wickedness. His angels are busy right now searching out and defending the helpless and the holy.

You can believe that the angels of the Lord will fight for the right. Why is it that right always prevails if we will just be faithful and wait on the Lord? It's simple. "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (Psalm 34:7). Again, the Psalmist said, "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." (Psalm 91:11).

There is so much more than we could say about "Holy Angels". They have not changed nor have they been retired from service. Let's learn again to believe and expect the messengers of the Lord to be about the Master's business.

Unholy Angels: Messengers of Satan
The unholy angels are busy about the unclean business of their unclean master. Demons, unclean spirits, spirits of wickedness, spirits of disease, and every spirit that is not of God is a fallen angel. The Bible records absolutely no other source for the origin of unclean spirits or demons. These unclean spirits or fallen angels are strong, just as strong as holy angels. If a holy angel is fighting with an unholy angel of the same rank, it will be a draw until one of the other gets help.

This was seen in the case of Daniel when he had prayed and an angel had been dispatched. Daniel explained it as follows, "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." (Daniel 10:12-13).

This helps us understand why Jude spoke of the angel Gabriel struggling with Satan. Jude said, "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." (Jude 1:9).

The angels of the Lord in the New Testament do not fight by their own powers, but in the triumph of the cross. No wonder Apostle Paul said, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:10). Again, I remind you of the fact that Jesus is in command of all the holy angels and they are subject to Him. "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Peter 3:22).

This puts the unholy angels in the proper spiritual perspective of the New Testament. Yes, they are unclean and evil and they do great damage, but only because men do not surrender to and depend wholly upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and His bloody death and victorious resurrection.

The New Testament is full of the activity of these unclean angels. They made men dumb, they crippled children, deformed the bodies of the elderly, and did numerous dark things to their subjects. A dumb man was brought to Jesus. The Word of God describes the following victory. "As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel." (Matthew 9:32-33).

How did these unholy angels come to the place of such possession of these souls? When you study the religious atmosphere that had possessed the nation of Israel prior to the birth of Jesus, you have your answer. These angels or spirits masquerade in religious darkness until they capture the souls of the people. Then, the true picture of their nature is manifest.

How To Recognize Unholy Angels
Nothing is more important for a believer after they have been truly born again than to become aware of their enemies. If you cannot recognize the devil and his minions, then you cannot resist them or use the shield of faith to quench their fiery darts. (Ephesians 6:16). Remember, that Satan was an angel before he fell and all his spirits or demons were angels, also. They have the same abilities as a holy angel and can transform themselves into angels of light. Apostle Paul made this clear to the Corinthians. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

If they have the same power as holy angels and can transform themselves into angels of light, then something besides their appearance is required for us to discern. Unholy angels were created as spirits of religious devotion. They act, talk, and promote religious ideas, but their religion is a perverted form that ultimately gives glory to Lucifer. We do not judge an angel by whether or not they are religious, but whether or not every iota of their ideas is absolutely true to Holy Scripture. The angels of God will give total respect to truth, but the unholy angel will use Scripture to pervert the right way of the Lord.

The character and conduct of an unholy angel will eventually convey their impure source. They will likely receive your honor to themselves, while the holy angels glorify the Father and the Son with total abandonment. Unholy angels may appear dazzling and flamboyant to arrest you with their glory. Holy angels will certainly be glorious, but not in a giddy and unreal sense. They will express purity, instead of giddiness, sweetness instead of lightness, and character above appearance. While an angel of the Lord may appear in a human form, they will certainly manifest a spotless holy life.

Every word from the lips of a holy angel will bring honor to God and the character of pure religion. The unholy angels will conceal truth with religious talk. Satan's angels have proven themselves as trained strategists and can beguile unstable souls with witty revelations and dreams. Our present religious world is much taken with revelational knowledge and mystical dreams with practically no effort to discern the source. The dark angels of destruction love such mindless acceptance.

The New Age world has produced an invasion of angels in female form. These angel statues, pictures, figurines, dolls, etc. are really nothing but forms of goddesses. Usually, they are extremely attractive, feminine, sensual and worldly. There is no sense in which they show the purity of a divinely created angel. There is no such holy angel as a female one. Angels were each created to minister before God and for Him and they reflect the masculine nature of their Creator. To suggest that there are female angels is to attack the Fatherhood of God. We must discern the difference between a holy angel and a goddess figure. The Trinity Broadcast Network headquarters is loaded with goddess figures. These goddesses appear to be the major motif of the entire architecture.

A distorted view of angels is a sure sign that other theological issues are also suffering. The Bible is a grand book, an infallible revelation, and its total message must be protected as a "composite whole." You must understand that unholy angels are the exact same as the unclean spirits and that Satan himself is nothing but a fallen angel. Satan and his angels have been defeated by Jesus Christ and they will soon be disposed totally from their present kingdom. There are at least two holy angels for every one unclean angel. There are probably more than two for one because some of the unholy angels are bound in preparation for the final judgment. (Read Jude and Revelation 9:1-21.)

Unholy angels are not free to do anything they please, but are subject to the Father's ultimate will. Satan is on a kind of leash because the Father is Sovereign over His total universe. There are perimeters in which Satan's kingdom can function and that perimeter is much determined by the failure of men to live under the protection provided in the Holy Scriptures. Satan cannot violate God's sovereign Word or anyone living in His perfect will.

The Father actually uses evil angels to send judgment upon rebellious and disobedient men. David spoke of this, "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." (Psalm 78:49).

If you will listen to some of the revelations that the modern Charismatics are telling, you will hear ideas and doctrines that are coming from these evil angels. As the Great Tribulation approaches, there will be an incredible increase in these kinds of deceptions.

Angels: Clean & Unclean
The world between Heaven above, the earth, and beneath the earth is expanding, opening, and quickly becoming one. The spirit world and the natural world are quickly merging. No person in today's church can afford to be ignorant of these truths. Peter said on the Day of Pentecost, "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come." (Acts 2:19-20).

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are being reported worldwide. Religious apparitions of a spirit, calling herself Mary or calling himself Jesus, are occurring everywhere. There are beautiful Biblical signs and deceiving religious signs and you must learn to judge which is which.

There will be an incredible increase in angel activities as we approach the Rapture and judgments to follow. Anytime unholy angels begin to manifest themselves, you can trust that God's holy angels will respond to the challenge. The last great battle of angels is seen in Revelation when Satan's horde will be cast out of the mid-heaven and down to the earth. This is future and will not occur until after the Rapture. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:7-10). Almost everything is over but the shouting!