Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
Last Friday evening we discussed “Military Heroes in the Bible and Our Spiritual Battle”.
I mentioned that you and I are not fighting physical armies today. We do however fight spiritual armies and a spiritual battle. We don’t respond with physical sword and spears, or the modern equivalent. Paul tells us: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).
That’s frankly, a powerful statement! The BBE translation renders the final words as “against the spirits of evil in the heavens.” These spirit entities travel around the earth through the air. Ephesians 2:2 refers to “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” It appears that Satan and the other demon spirit entities are confined to the earth at this time.
The cherub Heylel (Hebrew), “Lucifer” which is actually the Latin equivalent, became corrupted and filled with pride. He somehow deceived one third of the angelic beings to follow him in his rebellion. (Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28; Rev. 12:4) Oh what a story he must have discussed and probably also whispered with others! How long that took, we simply do not know. He and his corrupted followers were eventually cast down from the third heaven to the earth. (Ezekiel 28:16) Notice it says “cast” not simply asked to leave.
Christ said “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18) As an interesting side note, this is just one of many Scriptures that prove the pre-existence of Christ as the Word of God in the God realm.
Jude, the brother of James, both half-brothers of Jesus, makes an interesting comment. “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (v.6) Some commentators and teachers erroneously try to claim that “angels took on human bodies and cohabited with human women and produced a race of giants”. This is nonsense! Christ compared those in the resurrection of the faithful to angels. “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30)
Jude was referring to the angels who were led by the Adversary and left their assigned positions following Satan in his quest to occupy a position of power and control in the third heaven. They were cast out of heaven and confined to the earth.
These spirit entities resist the work of the righteous angels. “Are they [obedient angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
There also appear to be various ranks of the fallen angels. The Greek word translated “principalities” in Ephesians 6:12 is arche, referring to chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank).
Daniel 9 records the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Daniel in a vision and the famous 70 weeks prophecy is revealed. It is likely that Gabriel also appeared to Daniel in the vision recorded in chapter 10. The angelic messenger reveals that his appearance to Daniel was delayed. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.” (Dan 10:13)
It’s interesting to note that so much of what we see going on today in this world directly relates to the spiritual influence and battles going in the spirit world.
The angelic messenger went on to say, “And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.” (Dan 10:20-21)
Again, this gives us an insightful glimpse of battles in the spirit realm taking place unnoticed by humans but seen in the effects upon humans under the influence or assistance of these powerful spirit beings.
We must all be continuously careful to not fall under such influence and sway, and draw close to God in a humble, teachable attitude. When we drift from God we become an easy target.
We’ll continue this subject next time, as we examine that you and I are indeed needing the whole Armor of God to spiritually protect us in this ever present spiritually declining age we live in. We must look to God to fight our battles and give us the victory in the struggles we all face.
Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.
