For centuries the church world, scholars, and theologians have debated the functions and availability of angels towards the needs of the saints of God.
Historically, angels are “heavenly beings” created specifically by and for God and are known to be both “messengers” and “ministers” for the kingdom’s purpose. Early Roman history, highly influential to Christian culture, inspired angel worship throughout antiquity, and many books, even in modern times often encourage believers to pray to angels for guidance, healing, cleansing, protection, and more.
As the highest-ranking biblical angelic being, the Archangel Michael has been perhaps the most popular among angels historically to be worshiped, and due to his warrior status, the most sought after to fight the spiritual battles of God’s chosen people. But does Scripture allow us as Christ-followers to pray directly to angels, and more specifically to Michael whose name means “who is like the Lord?” Furthermore, what type of prayer would need to be prayed in order to have St. Michael archangel himself intervene with cleansing and protection?
Archangel Michael prayer for cleansing and protection (St. Michael’s prayer of protection):
Within a prophetic vision found in the Old Testament book of Daniel, the prophet is aided by an angel sent directly by God himself at a time of fasting, morning, and prayer. The Scripture reveals that the angelic assistance was appointed according to the words of Daniel immediately after he had set his heart to understand and humbled himself before God (Dan 10:12). The higher-ranking archangel Michael came to help after the enemy, in this case, the prince of the kingdom of Persia, had withstood an attempt by the angel to defeat him. The story indicates that God himself responded to the words that Daniel prayed by sending His heavenly help, but it was not necessarily due to the specific wording of the prayer. The angel was sent to Daniel because of the heart of the prayer in which he prayed, and thus is the reason that we can pray differently worded prayers and still have the same positive results. Although Scripture does not provide any example that our prayers be directed towards any angel, it does allow for us to petition God for assistance from His heavenly host. One such prayer, lifted to God with the right heart, that can attract the aide of the archangel Michael for cleansing and protection should be lifted directly to God in this way:
Prayer –
Heavenly Father, mighty God and creator of all that exist in heaven and Earth. I offer to you this day a sacrifice of praise. I come before your very presence with a humble heart in a spirit of worship. You alone are righteous and holy, and you alone never sleep, always watching over your chosen people, making a way of escape for every temptation and for every sin that so easily besets us. In our confession, Oh Lord, you are faithful and just to forgive us of our every sin, and you have also given the promise to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Your name is a strong tower Father God, and your righteous will run into that tower and be safe. Let those who take refuge in you Lord rejoice, let them sing for joy while your protection spreads over them. Then will those who love you exalt you, and then will your glory radiate from the heavens throughout all the earth. In our day of trouble, you are our present help, cleansing what needs to be cleansed, protecting your children from every snare of the enemy, whether by the miracle touch of your hands, the power of your servants both carnal and spiritual, or by the hand of legions of angels directed straight from the throne room of heaven. Father, you have declared that those who run into the secret place of the Most High shall be covered by your shadow, they shall rest in your habitation and no evil will befall them. You will give your angels charge over them to keep and protect them in all their ways. Is not your heavenly host appointed and sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation in your name? Therefore, Father in heaven, today I ask that you grant authority to your angelic army to serve your purpose to cleanse and purify your servant of all unrighteousness and evil intent as you set an angelic hedge of protection around me to keep me from evil and from the destructive intent of the evil one. Grant charge to the highest of all angels, even the archangel Michael to lead this spiritual battle and to secure its outcome for your glory. You, Oh Lord, are the lover of my soul, and I entrust to you my every purpose according to your will. Grant to me this petition of the support of heaven and of its angelic armies led by the archangel Michael according to the name of your son, my savior, my redeemer, my Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen!
Ricky Faircloth is a pastor and Christian writer with more than twenty years of ministry experience including 15 years as a Senior Pastor. Ricky holds an AA in Religion, a BA in Religion, a Christian Counseling with a minor in Christian Ministries, and a MA in Theology. He was called to ministry in 1996 and spent almost four years traveling as an evangelist, and serving in multiple church ministries. He also worked as a bi-vocational pastor at The River's Edge Church, Oregon for almost 13 years. Ricky Faircloth loves pastoral work, church planting and is dedicated to evangelism.