And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. (Acts 12:7-10)
Angels have been dispatched to help you fulfill the call of God on your life. You might think angels were only assigned to Old Testament prophets or early church leaders, but God has assigned angels to every believer and every assignment. Angels are with you to help you fulfill whatever God has called you to do.
In Acts 12:7-10, Peter was so sure that his deliverance was coming that he fell into a deep sleep despite being imprisoned. That’s evidence of the peace of God surrounding his heart and mind in a chaotic moment. The angel had to poke Peter to wake him so he could do God's assignment. He would get Peter out of immediate danger.
The angel asked Peter to get dressed to prepare for his deliverance. Notice that it was only after Peter had dressed that he was led out. God’s deliverance is supernatural, but it still requires our active participation. God will give us practical things to do to walk in the freedom He has for us. As Peter followed, the final barrier - the iron gate - opened up and gave him access to the city streets. Peter could not pry open those gates with his own strength. One person could not do it easily, even if they had access to it. The angel could do something physical that men could not do easily. Angels are on assignment in your life to prepare the way for you to accomplish all that God has called you to.
Practical Application
Expect angelic help. The Word tells us that angels are called to be ministers for the heirs of salvation. That’s you and me. We don’t pray to our angels; we assign them and put them to work, helping us fulfill God’s call on our lives. Angels respond to God’s Word, so speak it and get your angels working on your behalf.