Spiritual Authority (8) Spiritual to Physical

The battle in the spiritual sphere has a strong influence on events on earth. Paul explained this in his letter to the Ephesians.

Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:11-12).

Paul reminds us that when we are dealing with people and events on earth, they are being manipulated by spiritual forces that we cannot see.

The spiritual powers of evil are attracted to authority and people with authority. If they can influence a person with authority, they can amplify their power on earth. When Daniel was praying about the situation of the exiles in Persia, God revealed that the power driving the situation was a spiritual being called the Prince of Persia.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia (Dan 10:13).

The spiritual power had to be defeated in the spiritual realms, before the situation would change in Persia.

Changes in government, whether by military coup or election, often change nothing. The reason is that nothing has changed in the spiritual realms.

Influences from the spiritual realms explain why economic crises occur, when economist’s thing the situation is improving.

Spiritual influences explain why war breaks out when peace looks permanent, as in 1914.