How to Connect with Angels

A Sermon by Rich Tafel
October 24, 2021

Today I want to talk about angels.

Each week, I ask the angels what I should preach on. Often the suggestions come from you. This week, I received a musical idea from Beth, thank you. So, I heard, there’s your topic. As soon as I chose the topic, I learned from Jimmy that his mother had transitioned. This seemed a perfect timing to speak about angels, who they are and how we attract them.

While the secular culture might not be into angels, our faith tradition is. Simply look around our church and you’ll find angels everywhere. Instead of a crucifix in the altar, you’ll see angels. Our tiffany window is an angel. And there are angels on every day of the creation window on 16th Street. Angels are an important in our tradition.

And despite angels not being understood by the secular culture, angels are experiencing a new popularity. Go on amazon books and you’ll find literally hundreds of books on the topic of angels. I’ll occasionally notice angel lapel pins or angels hanging from car mirrors.

What exactly are angels? How are they relevant to our life? How can we connect with them?

We believe that every single angle was once a person who lived here on earth. Simply put angels are people who transitioned to the other side. After transitioning we grow spiritually and in the afterlife, there are levels of growth for angels. As on earth, all angels are giving a specific task or purpose.

Each of us always has two angels with us one connected to our thoughts and one to our emotions. They are constantly seeking to guide us toward the good, the right decision, more kindness, and more love.

These guardian angels as they are often called are not alone. There are hellish forces near us as well and we live in the middle of it. One of the greatest challenges spiritually is to know which voice is coming from were.

Angels are as close as our thoughts and feelings.

Angelic voices offer guidance, encouragement, and truth. They are more subdued and calming. They see the bigger picture and offer us perspective.

Ever have a great idea that brings you peace? That would be an angel trying to get through.

But angelic voices are not all we hear.

Hellish voices, on the other hand, seek to torment us. They encourage acts that are not loving or kind, then double down on reminding us how depraved we are. Their goal is to get us into a loop of negative thoughts where we spin out fearful narratives.

How do we connect to our angels? How do we avoid hellish voices of negativity?

We can best connect to angels is by seeking to do good and love our neighbor. When we seek to do good from pure motivations, we are engaging our angels in our life. We are told when we decide to work from selfish motives, the angels literally step back and allow us to do what we want.

To engage our angels, we need to seek to do good.

How do we know which voice is which? Who is heaven and who is hell?

I published a chart in the newsletter that I saw on “Off the Left Eye” a Swedenborgian Foundation website that noted the how to know the voices you connect with are heavenly or hellish.

Angelic voices…

Communicate with our deeper feelings

They rarely give direct advice, but instead give impressions and broad guidance.

They respect our freedom and pull back if they sense fear on our part.

They rarely speak, but more often use symbol and metaphors.

They are always supportive and give clear guidance.

They make it clear the choice is ours.

They never tell us what to believe or what to do.

If that’s heavenly guidance, what should we be aware of when the voices are not angels.

Hellish voices…
are constantly chattering.
tell us what to believe.
tell us what do.
Offer logic that is not consistent.
They focus on our outward appearances.

One powerful question you can ask yourself to break hellish chatter is simply asking this when you are getting a powerful negative voice:

Is this true?
Am I sure this is true?
What is it is not true?
Could I be telling myself a story?

In the gospel today, Jesus engages with two angels, Moses and Elijah at time in his life when he needed support.

In our own life, the angels around us are experts in spiritual guidance. They are waiting for us to ask for help.

People always ask me if our angel guides are family members who passed. As best I can tell, that’s not usually the case. Our guides have skills unique to us. Also, these angels switch out as we a grow in our own life. We get new angels with new skills set in our own evolution.

People who have died and transitioned to the next world can relate to, but the norm seems to be that they are quite busy in their next world. I think of someone graduating from high school. They might come back to visit but they are also engaged in new challenges as well.

When we don’t feel their presence, we shouldn’t feel they’ve forgotten us, but instead realize they are about their own growth, and they will greet us when we transition.

Angels are around you at this very moment. They come close when the Scripture is read and when prayers are offered. They want to help you and relieve you of negative thoughts and worry. I often say that coming to church isn’t about simply hearing a sermon it is a chance to draw your guides closer to you each week.

I’m often asked if I have any practices for engaging with angels. Here’s a practice I’ve used:

Find a quiet time when you are alone and won’t be interrupted.

Start with a prayer of protection, such as, the Lord’s prayer.

Pray and ask for guidance out loud. Ask the questions you are struggling with. You can record this if you like.

Wait a minute or two before responding. Say out loud what you are hearing. The first response you will get might be your ego giving the answer you already know. As you wait, and pray, answers will come that you never imagined or planned. They will be in love and kindness, and you’ll know in your heart what you are getting is true. Write down what you hear.

If you are getting negative, pushy, critical feedback, pray for safety you’re not tapping into angels who would never use these tactics. Use the Lord’s Prayer or read from Scripture. This will keep away negative voices.

The most powerful way to tap into angelic guidance is to live in love toward others. When you do this your intuition will guide you as angelic wisdom will flow into you. You’ll feel God’s love and you will enter into the Flow of divine providence.

Also, when you refuse to follow your better angels, they’ll pull themselves back away from you giving you freedom to do what you want to do.

Another great way to engage your meditation with angels is to check your motivations. Why, why, do you want this? Why are you seeking this? If your aim is pure, angels will support you. If you are obsessed with only status or materialistic goals, you’ll attract evil spirits. You might be hiding what looks like an important request based in fear. Try to let go of the fear.

Finally, to attract angels engage in good thoughts, good people, good energy. Read good books, listen to good sermons, and read Scripture. These are magnetic for angelic support.

Angels are around you and waiting to work with you and support you. Engage them and experience greater peace and more flow.

Amen.