Gabriel's Story - 1 January 2020

“After today’s service I’d like to meet with the prayer team in my office, please.” Gabriel watched as Pastor Sean closed out the morning service. “Gabriel, would you join us?” He nodded.

After the payer and the usual hand shaking, Gabriel found his way into the pastor’s office at the rear of the sanctuary. He knew that some pastors liked their office connected to the sanctuary so they could pray right up to the start of the service. Sean liked the office’s location because it allowed him to corral church leadership before they left for the day, or for the week in many cases. It surprised Gabriel how few of the elected leaders came more than just on Sunday morning. “I wonder why that is,” he thought. He respected most of them, but he disagreed with their choice to put other interests above church.

As Gabriel worked his way into the small office, he found himself wondering about the composition of Sean’s prayer team. A few, like Nancy and Ben who had been Christians attending the Ten Cities Church of the Nazarene together for more than forty years, were no brainers. They represented the “old school Nazarenes.” Others, like Sara whose last name Gabriel couldn’t recall, had just recently joined the church after having a significant life event. In Sara’s case, she was finally free of the demon that tormented her for years. Gabriel supposed that event awakened the Spirit inside her, a fire that Sean could use and mold for perhaps a great impact for the church. Still, he wasn’t sure he agreed with including some of the “younger” Christians in the prayer group. Theirs was a trusted group with a responsibility to protect both people and information they were given to pray over. Gabriel wasn’t sure it was wise to expose “new” Christians to that much influence.

Gabriel turned his attention to Sean as he addressed the group.

“Team,” he started softly, “we are being faced with a challenge that might scare some of you, but I know in my heart of hearts that you are up for it.” Sean paused, looked at each member of his prayer team individually, finishing with a long look into Gabriel’s eyes, and then set the stage for what he felt was the spiritual battle of his generation.

“I don’t know how to say this without sounding alarmist, but we’re headed for a tough year.” Pastor Sean continued describing the events of the past few weeks, the sudden, tragic loss of Miss. Cathy, the tidal shift in attendance despite – or possibly because of – his fiery sermons, and his belief that the people of the church were already either under attack by or under the influence of demonic forces wholly bent on destroying their unity as believers. That last part caused a few murmurs, but nobody broke ranks.

Nobody but Gabriel, that is. When Sean began exposing his and Gabriel’s supernatural interactions of the last year, Gabriel objected sternly in a manner so out of character he shocked even himself. “Hold up, Pastor Sean.”

The room erupted with light as if the church itself had been struck by lightning. Gabriel’s eyes adjusted quickly and he recognized first the shape, then the smell of the Angel Gabriel standing behind Sean’s desk, sword drawn, anger on his face. Unable to control himself, the man Gabriel collapsed onto the floor, unable to stand in the presence of the Angel until he felt the tip of the holy sword pressed against his spine.

“Stand.”

Gabriel felt his control return to his limbs and he stood, still unable to look directly at the Angel’s bright visage. He noticed everyone else in the room stood frozen in time, an interesting fact Gabriel confirmed by seeing the pendulum of Pastor Sean’s grandfather clock stopped while still on its upswing.

“Listen carefully and answer wisely, Gabriel.” The Angel touches the tip of his sword to Gabriel’s ears and lips. “What purpose do you have in rebelling against Sean’s plan?”

Scrambling for an answer he didn’t have, Gabriel argued as honestly and as simply as he knew how. “Good Angel Gabriel, I’m not rebelling. I’m worried that if we tell everyone what we’ve seen that they won’t believe us – we’ll lose their trust.”

“You are afraid.”

“Yes.” Gabriel admitted to the Angel what he wouldn’t admit openly to himself.

The Angel softened his tone, dimmed his righteous light, and walked over, placing his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. When he did, Gabriel no longer felt unworthy in the Angel’s presence, but he still felt afraid of what the congregation would think. “Your fear does not make you unworthy, Gabriel, but it does complicate the coming choice.”

The man looked at the Angel and sighed, “Choice?”

“Yes?” Sean’s face revealed his puzzlement as he asked Gabriel to defend his interjection.

Gabriel realized the angel was gone and the conversation with Pastor Sean and the prayer team continued uninterrupted. It was Gabriel’s turn to look everyone in the eye, and then stare intently into his pastor’s. “Are you sure you want to get into those details?”

Sean sighed and his shoulders slumped just slightly in resignation most of those in the room missed, but Gabriel caught, and it tore into him like a knife. He had doubted Sean’s leadership in the presence of the flock. Without realizing it, Gabriel laid the first stone in what would become the wall that would separate him from his pastor, the church he’d grown to love, and the food and protection provided by a group of believing saints united for one goal. The laying of the stone caused ripples neither Gabriel nor Sean could imagine.

---***---

“Good choice.” Lucifer smiled, having watched the whole event from a distance. He turned to find Legion, Asmodeus and Agares awaiting his order.

“Gloves off. We end this now.”