Blessed Assurance


Click here to hear music for this hymn:  Blessed Assurance


1.   Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, 


Born of His Spirit, 
washed in His blood.


Chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.


2.   Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
 


3.   Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.



(Click pause symbol,  "  ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)

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Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

v. 2  Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Work of Angels: Bible examples

Angels come down from heaven as commanded by God to do various works of God according to the will of God.

* An angel of the Lord told Zacharias that his wife Elisabeth would bear a son and they were to call his name John.

Luke 1:11-15    And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.  

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 

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Luke 1:39-44    Mary, who is carrying Jesus in her womb, visits her cousin, Elizabeth, who is carrying John the Baptist in her womb  ...  The baby, John the Baptist, is filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb as soon as Mary with the baby Jesus enter the room ...

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:  


And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

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Luke 1:16-17  ... concerning John the Baptist ...

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.


And he shall go before HIM (before Jesus) in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.


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* The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to tell her she would have a son and to call His name Jesus.

Luke 1:26-38    And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her, and said
, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David:

And HE shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of HIS kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.  

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word

And the angel departed from her.


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* An angel told Joseph not to fear to take Mary for his wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  

Matthew 1:18-25  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
 

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for HE shall save His people from their sins. 

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called His name Jesus. 


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* An angel of the Lord told the shepherds that the Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born and they could find Him in a manger in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:8-15    And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

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* An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him to take Mary and Jesus and flee into Egypt and to remain in Egypt until the angel gave him word to return. 

Matthew 2:13-14  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.

When he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt

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* Later an angel told Joseph to return into the land of Israel for the ruler who wanted to kill the baby Jesus was now dead. 

Matthew 2:19-21  But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

And he arose, and took the young child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 

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* When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan 40-days, angels ministered to Him.

Mark 1:12-13  And immediately the spirit driveth Him (Jesus) into the wilderness. 

And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto Him.

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* An angel of God moved the great stone which sealed the tomb of Jesus.

Matthew 28:2   And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

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* An angel of God came down from heaven to free Peter from prison.

Acts 12:1-11  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
 

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 

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.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

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* An angel delivered a message to the apostle Paul, telling Paul no harm would come to him and those on the ship.

Acts 27:18-25    And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.


But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.   

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. 

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Genesis 28:10-12    And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Angels descend, carrying messages from God and doing works of God.

Then angels go back to heaven where God assigns them as He wills.

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Psalm 103:20   Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.

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(Comments by Joan Boney ...) The night of January 10, 1980, I was asleep and awakened by a very loud trumpet-like voice which blew 3 words into my ear as follows: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS" ... I believe this to have been an angel of God speaking to me. By this and through prayer, I came to believe God was leading me to go on radio. Within about 5 days of this word, I was broadcasting exhortations week-days on KWJS radio. Within a year I was on radio stations from NYC (Hartford) to Seattle.

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Psalm 104:4   Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire:

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Exodus 23:20-25    God says:    Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for MY name (the Word) is in him.

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

For Mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and HE shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

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Notice how angels deliver messages from God to individuals.

Angels also do great works.  It was an angel who moved the large stone from the front of the tomb of Jesus.

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It is not so much delighting in the fact that an angel appeared to you but rather delighting and following that word which the angel of God delivered to you.

Share the Word.

Focus on the Word.


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