Many years ago I was ministering in a small community church. It was a Tuesday night, and the sanctuary was packed. They were a pretty starchy group who were taught not to believe anything too “charismatic.”
As the praise and worship ended, I got up to the pulpit, opened my Bible and began to share what the Lord had been stirring in my spirit. The anointing began to flow, and like I usually do, I got excited! Man, every point was flying out of my mouth like a speeding train! I was shouting and sweating.
Suddenly the Words coming from my spirit just shook me to my shoes! I closed my eyes, clenched my fists tight and spun around, turning my back to the people and shouting, “Well, all right!” My fists were still clenched tight when I opened my eyes. What I saw made my jaw hit the floor.
There, sitting in the choir loft, was a host of angels! They were huge! They filled the choir loft, and shafts of white light literally beamed from their forms in every direction. And to top it off, each one was staring at me! I could hardly believe it—angels were kickin’ back in the choir loft, just listening to the sermon! They were watching me preach!
For a minute or so, I stood with my back to the people in silence, staring into that choir loft in amazement. The congregation sat silent too, wondering what was going on and why I was looking at the back wall instead of preaching to them.
Finally I muttered, “Whoa!” When I did, a lady sitting in the back of the church jumped to her feet and screamed, “I see them too!” I turned back towards the congregation to see the lady staring with wide eyes and pointing her finger at the angels in the choir loft.
Suddenly, in one motion, the angels all stood to their feet and walked through the choir loft. The sight of it was so incredible and majestic that I could only stare in awe. As I watched these huge, gleaming angels walk towards the congregation, one of them turned towards me. He looked at me and then smiled. I watched him walk past, and then I looked into the face of the one behind him.
It was then that I began to notice what was happening in the congregation. The angels were walking through the people sitting in the pews. And as they did, whole pews full of people began falling out in the Spirit all at once!
As the angels continued to walk, going straight through the sanctuary towards the back doors, I saw people bite the dust! Pew after pew, the angels continued to walk, until eventually they disappeared out the back doors of the church.
I looked at the congregation. Except for me, everyone in the building had fallen down under the power of the Spirit! Some had been knocked to the ground, others were sprawled out all over the pews and others had fallen sideways into the aisles. Even the sinners had fallen under the power. In fact, it looked like a bomb had hit the place!
With everybody knocked out, I didn’t have anyone to talk to, so I just sat down. And from where I was sitting on the platform, I could see some people trying to get up and drag themselves down the aisles towards the back doors. They were trying to get out of the church!
Later, someone told me that they’d found a man who had been in the foyer, crawling around on his knees and trying to find the door. He kept saying, “I’m not into this stuff—just let me out!”
The funny part is that the pastor of the church didn’t believe in “falling out” in the Spirit. He pastored a church that taught against it! And there he and his wife were, laid out right on the front pew. They’d bit the dust along with the rest of their congregation!
Finally, people began to get up from the floor and the pews. And because hardly any of them had ever experienced the power of God in that way, they all began sharing what they had felt. Everyone testified to just about the same feeling. As one farmer put it, “I suddenly lost all my strength. I couldn’t even stand up!”
It was a miracle and a breakthrough for that church concerning supernatural things. However, I found it interesting that only two people in the church actually saw the angels, yet all felt the power of them. God was trying to get something over to that church. He gave them two witnesses, but ultimately, He was trying to say, Look people! I’m here in your midst whether you see Me or not!
The Lord is in your midst everyday, whether you see Him or not. He is real. And His angels are His servants. There are things happening in the spirit realm that you may never see. You may not understand it all. And that’s okay. You don’t have to understand everything God does.
The important thing is that you recognize that He’s God—that He’s here night and day. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5.). You are not alone. And sometimes—if He wants to—He’ll send angels to let you know just how close He is!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”