Principalities And Powers

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm..” Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV

The passage above is the first part of Paul's narrative that supports the idea of cosmic powers or the divine council worldview as presented in scripture. It's important to understand that the elohim (gods), also referred to as principalities or authorities, were appointed by the God of heaven to govern nations that had rebelled against Him following the Tower of Babel incident. This event, also known as the Deuteronomy 32 worldview, marked a significant shift in the divine order. God temporarily assigned rulers (sons of God) over the nations, with the understanding that when Shilo (Jesus) would eventually come, He would assume ultimate authority over all nations. However, a problem arose when these temporary rulers rebelled against God's plan. Instead of guiding the people towards Yahweh as originally mandated, they maintained their status as objects of worship and adoration, being venerated as gods by the people.

These authorities were anti-Christ and were standing in the place originally intended to be filled by none other than the Messiah (or Jesus), who would usher in a new kingdom of peace on the earth. Until that prophecy is fulfilled and He returns, we continue to deal with these rebellious figures who are holding onto power illegitimately. The ultimate cosmic battle will take place when Jesus returns to remove these offenders and cast them into Tartarus, also known as the Lake of Fire, the place designated for eternal torment as punishment for their rebellion against Yahweh.

As in any battle, understanding your opponent's weaknesses is crucial to gaining the advantage. This principle holds true in spiritual warfare. However, we must always remember that we are no match for the ancient gods, elohim, who were created long before our conception. The battle, therefore, belongs to the Lord, not us. Our knowledge of our opponent's schemes allows us to stand firm in Christ. In this spiritual warfare, the goal is not to kill the enemy, as Paul never instructed us to engage the elohim in the flesh with that intention. Instead, he teaches us that our struggle or wrestling with them is how we overcome. It's not a fight to the death, but a contest against our opponent to gain the upper hand or advantage.

So, how do we gain the advantage? The answer lies in the empowering strength of Christ. Paul plainly states in verse 10 above, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might." This strength is not a mystery; it is not your own struggling or wrestling out of the flesh, but it is the power of the Lord residing within you and His might (power or faculty) to overcome the gods of this world. It isn't about delivering the death blow; it's about allowing Christ to be your strength. In the new kingdom, our role is not that of a warrior; that role is reserved for Jesus and His angels to do what needs to be done to round up these rebellious gods, imprison them, or annihilate them. Our role as a kingdom of priests unto our God is significant. A priest doesn't directly engage in battle but waits for the direction of the Lord, to be a conduit for His voice, and to serve Him with inspired diligence. This role is a testament to our value and significance in the eyes of God.

Paul's message in the above passage is clear: we are to take up the whole armor of God. But what does this entail? It's not a mystery; it's about being transformed in Christ and embracing all that Jesus sacrificed to bestow upon us. To understand the attributes of the armor of God, consider this: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24 NET. This is what the armor of God represents, and this is what a priest of God embodies; we are the living manifestation of Christ because we have put to death our earthly desires to allow Christ to flourish within us.

We are never called to take an offensive posture with God’s armor; it is always defensive and transformative in how it is communicated. When confronted by the enemy, we can only speak the truth in love to confound the lies so that we may be blameless and victorious. Vindication for speaking the truth may not be immediate, but it will come in due time. Even Joseph, being completely innocent, was put in prison for many years and refused to speak against God or his brothers. Yet, his perseverance led to eventual triumph, as he was raised to save an entire nation, including his brothers, who betrayed him.

Stephen Barnett