The world in which we live is not merely a physical world, but also and principally a spiritual world. Many cultures understand this more than those brought up with Westernised thinking.

The much quoted Scripture – Ephesians 6.12 – in the Amplified version, reads “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood – contending only with physical opponents – but against the despotisms, against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural sphere.”

Who are these spirit powers and if so how do we discern and disarm them?

Where are they located and how do they work in today's world?

Are they also natural physical entities and how do we see them at work?

Biblical reference points.

Before Jesus began his earthly ministry he was led by the Spirit into the desert to encounter Satan.   Satan's objective was to get Jesus to worship him.   Throughout time (from the garden of Eden onwards) he has sought to get man's attention away from worshipping the One true God to the worship of other gods and idols. And Paul reminds us that the worship of idols is actually the worship of demons (1 Corinthians 10.20-21), and not merely the worship of inanimate objects..

Jesus reminds us of the character of Satan (John 8.44). He tells Peter that Satan desired to sift him. In the Lord's prayer He prayed "deliver us from the evil one".

In the early church the presence of evil was seen (see Revelation 2 & 3). There was a synagogue of Satan in the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, a Jezebel figure in the Thyatira church.   Pergamum had a huge altar to Zeus, described as "where Satan has his seat (or throne)". Today that altar is located in the Pergamum museum in Berlin, Germany (along with the Ishtar gate from the ancient city of Babylon).

In the Old Testament we see the power of Satan reflected in a number of ways. As a serpent in Genesis 3, and directly responsible for the torrent of misfortune faced by Job in Job 1 & 2.   He expresses his power through the "principality" of firstly Persia and then Greece in attempting to prevent an angelic messenger from reaching Daniel who is praying and partially fasting (see Daniel 10.1-12.  

Are there therefore demonic principalities over both nations and cities today? Is there a territoriality about the influence of evil over tribes, people groups, villages, cities and nations?

We also know that in the history of the children of Israel repeatedly they turned from the worship of God to worship idols.   Sometimes (as in 2 Kings 17) they worshipped God and they also worshipped idols.   This is and always has been abhorrent to God. Babylonian and Assyrian empires were based on the worship of false gods.

Many influences from that period and from Greek & Egyptian culture and worship are to be found significantly in Western culture today. Mankind has always sought for something or someone to worship. It is no different today.

What is it like today?

Today who or what do we worship? Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Secular Humanism are all manifestations of the worship of false gods, thus holding millions of people in bondage.   Witchcraft, Satanism and the New Age movement are also manifestations of man's preoccupation with the para-normal, leading to evil practices and evil worship.   Baal worship in the Old Testament is seeing something of a renaissance today. Modern, sometimes secret societies, through their rituals enslave their adherents and seek to express their power and influence against others. The influence of Masonry is seen in many nations, particularly where colonialism thrived.   In some cases this influence was married (sometimes naively, sometimes intentionally) to the prevailing spirits of the land.

Unfortunately leaders of many nations have also aligned themselves with the powers behind these systems of worship or spiritual entities. Some African leaders consult witch doctors or visit the witchcraft valley (locally known as a "university") in Kwazu Natal in order to gain spiritual power for their office. Other national leaders have been known to employ warlocks or New Age gurus as their consultants. Some missiologists in South East Asia have described Buddhism as "demonic" and the Tibetan form of Buddhism as the most demonic of them all. When the Dalai Lama makes high profile visits to heads of State he has an entourage of priests that accompany him. They then repeat their mantras over rivers and high places in those nations.  

We know that at the cross Christ disarmed the power of Satan (Colossians 2.15) – but that has to be appropriated in every relevant situation – just as our salvation is not taken for granted but has to be appropriated by personal faith.   Satan still is at work in the world, and in the church (as in Revelation 2 & 3).   He didn't stop working after the Cross and Resurrection.  

Jesus knew who He was up against and what his character was like.   But do His servants today know the same? Or are most of those seeking to serve the Lord blissfully unaware of who and what they are up against?  

If we are seeking to advance the kingdom of God on this planet, then it is logical to consider that Satan will do his utmost to prevent that. He will work against us through our personal weaknesses and hindrances if he can, and through those who serve his purposes setting themselves against us where necessary.

In this brief paper, I have majored on biblical evidence. However there is also much anecdotal evidence. What all this means is that we as God's children have to be on guard more than ever, as the opponents of the Gospel and of Christ seek to gain more and more influence and increase the persecution of and discrimination against those who follow Him. We are in a spiritual battle. We are called to “put on God's whole armour and.....to stand up against all the strategies and the deceits of the devil” (Ephesians 6.11 – Amplified).

Brian Mills, Sr Advisor to IPC