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The Roman Catholic Church has historically taught that God assigns guardian angels to human beings to assist and protect them throughout their lives.
That's a teaching that Pope Francis repeated recently when he said this: "Do not rebel: follow his (the angel's) advice...no one walks alone and none of us can think he is alone."
Francis wasn't speaking figuratively. He believes that people can actually talk to their "angels" to receive advice on all sorts of matters from relationships, love, financial matters, the stock market etc.
The pope didn't uncover a long lost teaching that was buried deep in the bowels of some ancient monastery. In 2011, his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI said this: "From the beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their constant protection."
If that was true, then there wouldn't be any victims of crime because the guardian angels would protect everyone from harm. After all, angels are much more powerful than human beings and cannot be harmed by human weapons such as knives or bullets.
Does the Bible speak of guardian angels? It does in the context that God will rescue those who fall into imminent danger that's no fault of their own: "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:11-12)
Certainly, there are those who will mock that scripture and point to all the Christians that are being persecuted throughout the world. But there's a distinct difference between a situation where a Christian is threatened with physical harm or death because of an extenuating circumstance (plane crash, weather disaster, building collapse etc.) and a situation where one's faith is being tested.
Sadly, many professing Christians become cowards when they are threatened with death for their faith. To that God says: "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." (Hebrews 10:38)
Thus, Christians who are martyred for their faith will go immediately to heaven to be with the Lord. Jesus Christ stated: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One (God) who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)
The Bible never reveals that people have guardian angels who protect and advise them. However, there are in fact "angels" that do keep watch over people.
They are demons under the authority of Satan that are assigned to prevent folks from coming to the revelatory knowledge that Jesus Christ died for their sins on the cross and was raised from the dead.
These unclean spirits will do everything in their power to deceive, threaten and obstruct people from coming to Christ. Their main objective is to prevent the salvation of every human being on the planet. They accomplish that primarily through false religions (Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Rabbinic Judaism, Shintoism, Taoism, Buddhism etc.) existentialism and pseudo-science (evolution).
And if they fail to prevent someone's salvation, they will attempt to destroy a new Christian's faith by persecuting them through unbelievers. That's why it's critical for new Christians to join a strong fellowship and get discipleship. Without that, they are like sheep surrounded by wolves.
And so, when Pope Francis encourages you to talk to your guardian angel, don't listen to him. Speak rather to God through prayer. He's the one you are to talk to. He can hear you--He isn't deaf. And He'll give you the right answers. Every time.
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