37. And every eye shall see Him, signifies that all will acknowledge Him who are in truths from good. This is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand, to perceive, and to acknowledge (See Arcana Coelestia 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 4723, 10705); and from the signification of "eye," as being understanding and faith (See Arcana Coelestia 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, 10569); thus such as are in truths from good, for these are in faith and thence in understanding. That the "eye" signifies understanding and faith, is from correspondence; for understanding is internal sight, and it is internal sight that sees by means of the eye, for that sight determines the eye to objects and disposes its interior parts, which are many, for reception. It is in consequence of this that the iris and pupil seem now dilated, now contracted, now obscure, now bright and sometimes sparkling, altogether in agreement with the desire and want of the understanding. Therefore, to some extent, the affection of the thought can be seen from the eyes. It is from this correspondence that the eye signifies the understanding. The eye also signifies faith, because truths of faith have no other abode than the understanding; truths that do not abide there are not in the man (See Doctrine of the New Jerusalem,n. 28-36). The "eye" is, in the spiritual sense, faith, also because of the angels looking to the Lord; for angels turn their faces continually to the Lord, and see Him by faith and understanding. (On which turning, see the work on Heaven and Hell 123, 142, 143, 145, 151, 153, 255, 272, 510)

228. The Power of Heaven's Angels

People who do not know anything about the spiritual world and its inflow into the natural world cannot grasp the fact that angels have power. They think that angels cannot have power because they are spiritual and so pure and insubstantial that they cannot even be seen by our eyes. People who probe more deeply into the causes of things, though, feel otherwise about it. They are aware that all the power we ourselves have comes from our intellect and volition, since without these we cannot move the slightest part of our bodies. Intellect and volition are our spiritual person. This person is what animates the body and its members at will, for the mouth and tongue say what it thinks and the body does what it intends. It even bestows energy at will. Our intention and discernment are governed by the Lord through angels and spirits; and since this is true of our intention and discernment, it is true of all aspects of our bodies because these latter come from the former. Believe it or not, we cannot move a step without the inflow of heaven.

I have been shown that this is true by a great deal of experience. Angels have been allowed to activate my walking, my actions, my tongue, and my conversation as they wished, by flowing into my intention and thinking, and I learned at first hand that I could do nothing on my own. They told me later that everyone is governed in this way, and that we might learn this from the doctrine of the church and from the Word. We actually pray that God will send his angels who may lead us, guide our steps, teach us, and inspire us as to what we should think and say, and so on - this even though we talk and believe quite differently in our private thoughts apart from doctrine.

These things have been mentioned to illustrate the kind of power angels have with us.