I first heard about warrior angels from Doug Mendenhall. I don’t recall if it was from reading his book, Conquering Spiritual Evil, or from his Jedi Workshop, where we talked about all kinds of things related to the spirit world. I think that was Doug’s favorite topic – the spirit world. It has long been one of mine.
Doug passed away in December of 2020. He and I were born the same year, so it was a shock to learn of his passing. I mourned from afar for the loss of my friend. I had visited with Doug outside his home as I was passing through Utah a few years earlier. We had a long heart-to-heart talk about his work for which I expressed my appreciation.
Guarding the Portal
I recently had a conversation with the Lord in which I asked Him why I was always being bothered by this one particular spirit. He said, “Because you’ve left the portal open.” Now maybe my definition of portal and yours are different. What I’m talking about is a place in my mind that is the seat of my creativity.
As I pondered this, I remembered that Doug had taught me about warrior angels along with placing shields around myself, my home, my family and my workplace. He also said that warrior angels are not the same as guardian angels. You can read this yourself in Doug’s books, which are now available free online. (pp. 94-95, vol 2)
The Third Eye
Okay, weirdness warning. Every time I talk about this stuff with others who have not heard about it before, they get all weirded out. Go do some research if you don’t know about the third eye. It’s real. We all have one. It’s a place of dreams and visions. It’s our connection to the spirit world. It’s where we go to create stuff.
It also happens to be a portal from the spirit world. It’s not needed by the Lord, but it is needed by us to communicate effectively with the Lord. It’s a place where we can be lifted up out of this world for a moment. It’s the place where we begin our ascent to the heavens. It also happens to be a place where spirits can reach us.
Guarding the Pass
You probably know where I’m going with this. If it is a portal to the spirit world, a doorway or a pass, then it is probably guarded. Or is it? Are there sentinels there? Is it partially guarded? Are there guardians at certain points or certain levels? If you’ve been through this portal, then you know. But I can tell you, it can be completely open.
It all depends on how you use it and who you let into your portal, to stand at your porch, so to speak. For Carol, who writes deep historical fiction stories, these characters seem to stand around night and day, ready to share their stories, and she is willing to tell them. For me, this portal is a gateway to the waiting world of spirits who have passed on.
Dreams and Visions
When I was a young man, I experienced several visions where I saw myself at some future point in my life, either teaching the gospel, standing at the podium conducting a meeting, or singing in an especially moving choir presentation. One of those is about to come to pass as Carol and I are singing in Rob Gardner’s Lamb of God this Easter.
Nowadays, I dream dreams, and boy, do I dream a lot of them. My journal is filled with these dreams. Sometimes I’ll record three in one night, each one different. I always ask for the Lord to help me interpret them. They are almost all symbolic. Some are nonsense, but many of them have a message to which I pay close attention.
Asking for a Warrior Angel
Anyway, back to the point of this post. There’s nothing really profound in this post other than a personal witness that what Doug taught about warrior angels is true. In response to my question to the Lord and his response back to me, I then pled with the Lord to close the gate. He said he couldn’t or wouldn’t do that, but offered this instead.
“You do what Doug taught you to do. I know you’ve never tried it before, perhaps because you didn’t feel you needed it, but because you asked for protection, I’m willing to place a warrior angel at the portal if you want.” In tears, I replied, “Would you do that for me, Lord? I haven’t asked because I thought it was just part of life to fight them off.”
The Mind’s Eye
And it was done. In my mind’s eye, I saw what appeared to me to be a seasoned Lamanite warrior, a son of one those who had been converted and swore to never lift a weapon of war again. We would call him one of the stripling warriors. This was and is a no-nonsense kind of angel. He does not say much. His assignment is to guard the way.
He is there. I can feel his presence. He is on my left side. When the Lord talks to me, he is on my right side. I don’t know the significance of the difference. I’m just stating what I have observed in my mind’s eye. At first the Lord stood with him. He wanted me to know he was there with full authority and represented the Lord.
Quoting Doug on Warrior Guardians
“We all have guardians assigned to us from the moment of conception onward. They are guardian angels and are assigned for our protection. Warriors are trained to confront and dispatch evil. As stated they operate under the authority, permission, and direction of our Savior Jesus Christ.
“If one thinks they have a warrior guardian and really don’t, I’d be concerned about two things. First, who told you that information or what was the source of it? Second, what are the demons going to do after you ask your non-warrior guardian to dispatch them to hell? Let’s add a third question. Just how fast can you run?”
Doug was a good Man. His concept of Warrior Angels are real, as you, I have many experiences with them also. I have Read all of Doug’s books, been part of many portal closings with him, went to dozens’ of his seminar’s. Lived close to him for years. Would have given my life to let him keep his. Through his many experiences and trials and doctrine’s, one that didn’t resonate well was his belief on Polygamy. He stated, Jesus had 3 wives as does the Father. Denver stated that was not true. Christ was not a Polygamist, nor the father. Our group that met weekly at Doug’s house for years,( along with K) was split about a year ago and about half of us decided that the teaching of Polygamy was not of God our Father or Christ. It seems (most) of those who stayed in the class, believed in Brighams teachings. most who left, felt Brigham was an Adulterer. Certain individuals did meet with Denver about the Polygamist view and was enlightened on the darkness of polygamy. Polygamy in Sanpete county is very strong, each to their own.
Some of my best friends are Polygamists which made it difficult to leave our weekly classes. I cannot accept the Adultery concept anymore than Joseph or Hyrum did. I have read your blog for years and I understand your views and love for our Lord. Thank you for helping us all come closer to Christ. Tim you have been a warrior for Christ. My input to you is knowledge for you to ponder, it only takes one square pool ball to mess the whole game up.
For some who were/are in the “classes”, it was understood Polygamy was never taught as a doctrine of God. It was Celestial Marriage. After speaking to friends on both sides it was discovered there is a lot of miscommunication and almost deliberate misconception such as what batman states. Jewish records and ancient records show Christ was married including having more than one wife. It is a required law to be a Rabbi they must have at least three wives in harmony. Christ did not live polygamy. There are very clear records Joseph lived Plural Celestial Marriage which too many point to and say it was polygamy. The two are not the same.
Celestial Marriage is only via revelation. Denver is correct, God, Christ, and Joseph Smith did not live Polygamy, but they did live Plural Celestial Marriage which is each woman is given by pure revelation and was verified by the church council. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Again, there are verified records Joseph Smith, Jr, did live Plural Celestial Marriage which is not nor ever was polygamy.
The fear of polygamy has caused untold amounts of harm wherein anything and every thing that even hints of more than one wife is instantly blocked as from evil. Some day people will learn to stop leaning on the arm of flesh and fully turn to Jesus Christ to be taught His truth, not what any mortal declares is doctrine.
What Tim has learned by the spirit of Christ is what he needs to ponder and keep. God bless him for the great blogging. It is very thought provoking.
I think it might be helpful for you to review some basics about celestial marriage, polygamy, and plural celestial marriage, which is misunderstood by so many people. Whitney Horning has written the definitive book on the subject. I review her book in this post: https://www.latterdaycommentary.com/2019/06/27/joseph-smith-and-polygamy/
From Denver’s ‘Restoration’s Shattered Promises and Great Hope’ Sunstone talk:
“It is important to realize the restoration was hijacked by polygamy and has never regained the momentum Joseph envisioned. That abomination has darkened men’s hearts and broken women’s hearts. It is used to justify looking upon women with lust in men’s hearts, contrary to the Lord’s command in the Sermon on the Mount.
I hold Joseph in some considerable esteem. On the lightening-rod issue of plural wives, I’ve decided the historical record does not convict Joseph of polygamy, lying, deception, sexual improprieties, or exploitation of women. If I thought of Joseph Smith capable of such things I would join his traitors in deriding him. I prefer to think him virtuous and noble. I think it is only possible for any person whose heart is pure, and who prizes virtue, wisdom and nobility to respect Joseph Smith by regarding him as pure, wise, noble and virtuous. To me, adultery, promiscuity and deceit are none of those things.
I reject adultery by any name or description. It is morally wrong if you call it plural wives, polygamy, “celestial marriage” or any other misnomer. Adultery is prohibited in the Ten Commandments, and remains an important prohibition for any moral society. Mormonism should never have been saddled with Brigham Young’s program of making adultery a sacrament.” https://restorationarchives.net/pdf/2018.07.28_Shattered-Promises_Sunstone-2018_paper.pdf
According to Denver Snuffer, “celestial marriage” and polygamy are one and the same – adultery. It is immoral and therefore a sin.
Denver also clearly stated that “God the Father obeys the same commandments He imposes upon His children”. https://restorationarchives.net/pdf/2018.03.25_Our-Divine-Parents_paper.pdf
The change reflected in Covenant of Christ, Jacob 2:8 is most telling as well: “For in My Wisdom I will have covenant people, says the Lord of Hosts, whom I’ll command and lead, and they will hearken to this commandment to have only one wife.” https://read.covenantofchrist.org/Chapter?book=jacob&chapter=2
Maybe we should ask ourselves why it was so very important to change that sentence as to make the meaning unambiguous and extremely clear for us to understand?
Could it be perhaps because some of us covenanted to “receive the scriptures approved by the Lord as a standard to govern [ourselves] in [our] daily walk in life, to accept the obligations established by the Covenant of Christ as a covenant, and to use the scriptures to correct [ourselves] and to guide [our] words, thoughts, and deeds”? https://restorationarchives.net/pdf/2024.10.27_Vote-and-Prayer_ZPR-UT_transcript.pdf
Is it possible that by accepting the false beliefs that God the Father, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith lived/live “celestial marriage” (in other words, practice adultery) we not only deride Joseph but adopt INCORRECT ideas of the character and the attributes of God? Does that even matter?
“Having shown in the third lecture that correct ideas of the character of God are necessary in order to the exercise of faith in him unto life and salvation, and that without correct ideas of his character, the minds of men could not have sufficient power with God to the exercise of faith necessary to the enjoyment of eternal life, and that correct ideas of his character lay a foundation, as far as his character is concerned, for the exercise of faith so as to enjoy the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, even that of Eternal glory, we shall now proceed to show the connection there is between correct ideas of the attributes of God and the exercise of faith in him unto eternal life.” https://scriptures.info/scriptures/tc/lecture/4.1#1
I too hope that someday people will stop relying on the false doctrines taught by mortal men and women and turn to Christ and His words to correct and guide themselves “whether by [His] voice or by the voice of [His] servants it is the same”.
“What I, the Lord, have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself. And though the heaven and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by my own voice or by the voice of my servants it is the same.”
This principle of equivalency does not apply to pretenders. They certainly apply to the man and woman of the Holy Order. They did apply to Joseph Smith in 1831. They would apply to Hyrum Smith in 1841 when he was given the assignment as Joseph’s older brother. When the Lord appoints such a servant to bless His people, then trust in that servant it is not trust in the arm of flesh, but trust in the arm of the Lord.” https://restorationarchives.net/pdf/2024.04.07_The-Holy-Order-Part-2_Denver-Snuffer_paper.pdf
I believe a much greater harm has been caused by few teaching and many, being persuaded, accepting this false hellish doctrine. And, as we know, “False spirits—in the form of ignorant, incomplete, or incorrect ideas—are easily conveyed from one person to another. People convey false spirits every time they teach a false idea and the student accepts the idea. So long as there is anything false or any error, a false spirit prevails.” https://restorationarchives.net/pdf/2019.03.03_Signs-Follow-Faith_transcript.pdf.