Question
Gramps,
How can I be sure that the angel I saw in my dream is really an angel of the Lord and not from Satan? I’ve experienced a couple of different dreams about different angels. They are very vivid and I remember every detail. However, one who says he has been with me since I was born has never shown me his real face. He’s always speaking through someone I know. The other one I saw during a trying time appeared in my dreams. He didn’t say anything, just stood there in armor.
Meri
Answer
Meri,
The word “angel” derives from the Greek ‘angeloi’, meaning “messenger,” and this definition sits at the heart of the Church’s understanding. Angels are indeed messengers, but their nature and role are far richer within the context of Church doctrine than simple intermediaries between God and mortals.
The Church teaches that there are various classes of angels, each fulfilling different roles in the grand tapestry of God’s interaction with His children. President Joseph F. Smith clarified that when “messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from among our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants.” This means that those who visit and minister as angels are often those who have “belonged to” the earth. In other words, they are frequently departed family members or friends, people who loved us in mortality and may have been granted by God the privilege to visit or assist us as part of their continued service to Him.
Scripture and prophetic teaching elaborate on this doctrine. Doctrine and Covenants 130, quoting the Prophet Joseph Smith, states: “… there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.” This position sets the Church apart from some traditional Christian interpretations of angels as an entirely separate, never mortal order of beings.
Furthermore, the Church recognizes multiple types or classes of angels, including:
Mortal Angels: Sometimes, living mortals serve as “angels” when they deliver inspired messages or minister to others.
Unembodied Spirits: Spirits of those not yet born or who have not taken physical bodies.
Resurrected Beings: Those who have lived and been resurrected now possess perfected, immortal bodies.
Disembodied Spirits: Spirits of deceased mortals, awaiting resurrection.
Angels of Light versus Ministers of Deception: Both heavenly and fallen beings may be referred to as “angels” depending on their mission.
The scriptures provide guidance on distinguishing these categories. For example, Doctrine and Covenants 129 instructs that when an angelic messenger comes, offering to shake hands can help discern their nature—resurrected beings can physically shake hands, spirits of just men made perfect will not move to deceive, and the devil, as an “angel of light” can offer a hand, but it will be without substance.
Stories of guardian angels are woven into the fabric of many families and cultures—a mother’s reassuring presence in a dream, an unexplained warning that averts disaster, or an uncanny sense of comfort during grief. However, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brings thoughtful nuance to this idea.
While the Church acknowledges that loved ones who have passed on can, in some instances, be permitted by God to visit and minister to mortals, the idea of a singular, ever-present guardian angel is not doctrinally emphasized. President Joseph Fielding Smith and Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that while ministering angels may aid us at critical moments, the true constant guardianship for every individual comes through the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost. This means that, rather than a specific person always assigned to watch over us, we are promised the persistent companionship and guidance of the Spirit when we live in accordance with God’s will.
Angelic influence is evident throughout church and scriptural history:
Angels heralded Christ’s birth and ministered throughout His mortal ministry.
Prophets received strength, warning, or comfort from angelic visitations.
Ordinary members occasionally receive dreams or impressions that can be interpreted as inspired guidance.
However, caution is advised: while dreams and spiritual impressions can be genuinely inspired, they can also stem from personal feelings, misunderstandings, or—though less common—deceptive influences. The Church teaches that the safest reliance is on the Holy Ghost. The Spirit’s fruit, as described in scripture, is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). This peace is not merely a mortal feeling—it is the powerful, confirming communication from God to one’s mind and heart (see Doctrine & Covenants 8:2).
The scriptures recount that for every heavenly influence, an imitation or deception often arises. This is nowhere more dramatically illustrated than in the experiences of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Moses, who both encountered adversarial darkness directly after powerful encounters with God.
Satan’s imitations can be remarkably subtle. As one thoughtful analogy puts it: If you’ve only ever tasted margarine, you may not recognize real butter when you try it, and it would take effort and experience to discern the superior flavor. So, too, with spiritual feelings: It can be difficult, especially in the beginning, to distinguish between the genuine peace of the Spirit and lesser imitations or even personal emotions.
How, then, can one discern? The Church teaches several principles:
Know the Fruits: True inspiration from God always entices and invites to do good, to love God, and to serve Him. “All things which are good come of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil” (Moroni 7:12-13).
Examine the Results: Feelings from God, even if initially challenging, ultimately produce growth, peace, and increased love. Those from deceptive sources may begin pleasantly but lead to pride, confusion, or sin.
Listen for the Still Small Voice: The voice of the Spirit is not always loud or dramatic, but it can “pierce… to the very soul” and confirm truth in unmistakable ways (see 3 Nephi 11:3-5).
Test Over Time: If uncertain about a prompting, wait and observe the long-term outcome. True inspiration ultimately brings more light.
Satan often seeks to “have the last word,” sowing doubt or discouragement after genuine spiritual experiences. But promptings from the Holy Ghost are usually correct, and as Elder Ronald A. Rasband quoted Joseph Smith, “if you will listen to the first promptings, you will get it right nine times out of ten.” Spiritual confidence grows as we act in faith and recognize the peace, love, and positive direction the Holy Ghost brings.
Gramps
