Spiritual Shift (2) Principalities

Paul reminded the Ephesians that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in the spiritual realm. A principality is a spiritual being that controls the ruler/leader of a nation or city. These principalities do not work on their own. They control a hierarchy of evil spirits that work to influence the kings courtiers and the political leaders advisers and deputies. This is not demon possession. These spirits achieve their subtle influence by stirring up emotions and putting ideas into the minds of their victims. They achieve control by creating mental strongholds that the person things are their own.

The greater the authority of the political leader, the greater the power of the principality. The principality that controls an emperor has enormous power. When an empire collapses into hundreds of smaller entities, the power of the principality is diffused because the spiritual forces have to spread out in an attempt to control each one. This why the enemy loves empires. The greater the empire, the more he can concentrate and leverage his power.

An example of a principality is the Prince of Persia, a spiritual being who fought against the archangel Michael, preventing him from coming to speak to Daniel (Dan 10:13). The principality did not work on his own. He had a hierarchy of spirits working under him that influenced or controlled the powerful people in Persia.

The kingdom of darkness is a divided kingdom, so the spiritual powers are always falling out with each other and shifting allegiances. When a principality attains immense power, other spirits may try to undermine it, and seize some of the power. This contributes to the waxing and waning of nations and empires.

Principalities and powers do not remain with the same nation for ever. They move around with the rising and falling of nations. Wars and military invasions provide them with an opportunity to move from one area to another.