1147. Angels are simply instrumental means, and God Alone lives in them, but good and truly heavenly angels, who live the true order, draw their life from the Messiah Alone. I have had this made plain to me and even proven in various ways so often while in their company, that not one of them would call it into doubt. But evil angels deny it, and are even almost ignorant of it, for they wish to be governed by themselves and so think of themselves as the masters. This is how good and evil angels and spirits, as well as people on earth, are recognized; there are general distinguishing characteristics. For the children of the Messiah do not want to govern themselves, as do other spirits in various ways depending on the character of the spirits.* Over a period of eight months, not the least particle of thought, feeling, conviction, came to me, as I was able to feel very clearly - not even the least bit - that did not originate from an outside source. Yet in the company of people on earth, I was like anyone else. I was so sensitive to this inflow that I was aware of the smallest details through my own senses. mThe Messiah guides people on earth directly, as well as indirectly by means of heavenly spirits. This is plain from the human soul itself, which is guided by the Messiah alone, for no one is given the power to guide the human soul itself but the Messiah alone. And because the soul is the all in everything of its body, therefore He guides the whole person also indirectly by means of spirits, in accordance with His Will. But there is this difference, that in His own children He is the life of love flowing in through the soul; in all others is His higher than heavenly Divine Light without love, as very often said above [WE 851, 941]. The reason why angels stream in is because of their energy, which makes them active forces. Such also will those on earth become, after death; but while they live in the body, their powers are bound up by tissues and vessels, which is not the case in spirits.n [Feeling (Affection); Angel; Think, Thought; Inflow; Spirit] * In the original, there is a marginal notation beside this paragraph that reads, "See above on this page, where it is marked 'obs. obs.'" [WE 1144, see footnote].