Collapse of Human Government (6) - Principalities and Powers Deposed

Human political power and spiritual warfare are closely related. The concentration of human political power shifst spiritual power towards the “principalities and powers” that fight against us. Without human rulers, their power on earth would be much weaker. When human rulers and empires disappear, their power will totally broken.

Spiritual power and political power go together (Eph 6:12). The leaders of nation have authority to enforce their will on any citizen of their domain. Everyone living in a nation must accept their authority their political rulers. The mayor, the council and the council officers have authority to act on behalf of anyone resident in their town or city. This power and authority creates a distortion of spiritual, because these political leaders are vulnerable to spiritual attack. When they succumb to attack, everyone under their authority is affected.

Spiritual evil follows political authority. When demonic forces attach themselves to a king or president, they become “principalities and powers”, because they have authority over everyone in the nation. Whenever, a political leader is influenced by evil spiritual powers, the people under his authority are vulnerable to the same attack. When we submit to political leaders, we open ourselves up to spiritual forces at work in their lives. Political leaders come under spiritual pressure, because they hold authority over an entire nation. The enemy forces concentrate against them, to expand their power.

Once a principalities or power gains control over a political leader, it has easy access to all everyone submitted to that leader. As the political leader accumulates more authority, the principality that controls him gains greater power over more people (Dan 10:13). If an evil spirit gains control over one person, he can make that person’s life miserable. If the same spirit were to gain control over a king or president, he can control a nation.

Many Christians have an overinflated view of the enemy’s power. Many believe that spiritual forces of evil are almost as powerful as the Holy Spirit. The truth is that Satan’s power is an illusion. By concentrating their attacks on a few powerful people, the forces of evil have leveraged their limited power. Political power has magnified the authority of spiritual evil.

Wherever emperors, kings and presidents have gained authority, evil spiritual forces have united to get control of that authority. When political power evaporates, principalities and powers will be reduced to common evil spirits defeated by the cross. The collapse of political power and authority will leave evil spirits with no place to stand. They will be diffused through society where they are fragmented, powerless and easily defeated. When political leaders lose their power, the spiritual forces that dominate them will be powerless too.

Jesus’ death on the cross was a massive defeat for powers and authorities.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col 2:15).

Paul described this victory in his letter to the Ephesians.

He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come (Eph 1:20).

This is a completed action. Jesus has already ascended into heaven far above all human power and authority—in this present age, so the principalities and powers have already been destroyed.