24 May 2026
CONFRONTING THE SPIRITUAL POWERS
(Spiritual Warfare: SW 05)
Notice the four kinds of demonic hierarchy we are battling with in Eph.6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities (rulers), against powers (authorities), against the rulers (powers) of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness (spiritual forces of evil) in the heavenly places (realms)”. We dealt with the first category in our last Bulletin. Let us now look at the second: “against the powers or authorities”.
This word, “powers” is “exousia” in Greek, which means “authorities”. An “authority” is someone in a high office who is able to make important decisions and execute them either by himself or through others under him. Politically, this could be the Prime Minister, the governor or the mayor, etc. In the commercial world, it could be the General Manager, the Director or the Chief Executive, etc. They all have people under them to carry out their decisions.
The spiritual authorities mentioned above would be those who give earthly powers to the people in positions of authority. We know that God also appoints such authorities over us for our good, as Romans 13 teaches that. But the evil spiritual “powers” control such earthly authorities to bring harm rather than good. Hence corruption in high places takes place and this destroys a society, causes harm and misery to the people. In the worse scenario, injustice and unjust laws may be passed to persecute or destroy people not in their favor. Religious persecutions, ethnic cleansing and racial segregation like Apartheid are examples of such evil.
Because our struggle “is not against flesh and blood”, we cannot use worldly weapons and ways to overcome such evil. Political vote and social reform may take too long and may not likely to succeed, because of corrupt leadership already in control, and likely evil “succession” will also take place continually. Satan controls the evil systems in the world and he will not let go of it without a fight. 1 John 5:19: “The whole world is under the control of the evil one”.
The only alternative left to us is prayer and intercession. God is greater than Satan and all worldly or earthly powers. We call on God persistently, knocking on Heaven’s door and cry out to Him for His intervention. In the Parable of the Poor Widow in Luke 18, our Lord teaches that. Because the widow continually bombarded the evil mayor with her pleas, he decided to grant her request in order to “get rid” of her. Listen to what Jesus said, “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:7-8).
Israel were slaves in Egypt for 430 years – a most hopeless and helpless case, humanly speaking. But then they decided to plead with God for their cause: “Then the children of Israel groaned because of their bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God…And God heard their groaning…” (Exodus 2:23-24). He sent Moses the Deliverer to them, and the rest is history! God still hears the cry of His People who cry to Him day and night!
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