I posted this a few weeks ago. I am posting it again, because I have added some more at the end.
Life on earth is enveloped in spiritual warfare. On one side are the Holy Spirit and the holy angels. They concentrate on doing good and advancing the purposes of God. Arrayed against them are the spiritual rulers and the dark forces of evil. They strive to obstruct Gods purposes and attempt to work as much evil as possible.
God’s authority prevails in the spiritual dimension. His authority was not affected by the fall, so this battle changes nothing in the heavenly places. In the spiritual dimension both sides must abide by God’s rules.
The outcome of the spiritual struggle is manifested on earth. When the light side wins the struggle, peace and plenty prevail on earth. When the dark side is on top, trouble and tribulation will be prevalent.
Authority
The outcome of the spiritual struggle is not determined by numbers. If it were, the light side would win, because good angels out number evil angels two to one. The outcome is not determined by force. If it were, the Holy Spirit would win hands down. The outcome of the spiritual struggle on earth is not determined by numbers or force, but by authority.
God has given authority on earth to humans. The outcome of the spiritual battle depends on which side is given the greatest authority by people on earth.
Authority on earth in spiritual realm is determined on earth by numbers of believers, faith and words declaring God’s purposes.
If enough people are following Jesus, praying in faith, and declaring God’s purposes, the Holy Spirit and the holy angels will have the authority they need to hold the dark side in check. It does not have to be the majority. In fact, the greater their faith, the smaller the number of faithful people can be. On the other hand, if too many people on earth are giving authority to the dark side, it will win the spiritual battle and the Holy Spirit and the holy angels will be constrained.
Two Questions
Understanding the nature of spiritual warfare settles two questions.
1. Why did God allow it?
When tragedy strikes, people always ask why God allowed it. The truth is that evil is initiated by the forces of evil active in our world. They are able to work because humans have given them permission to act. So the answer to the Why Question is always that we allowed it ourselves.
2. Isn’t God in control?
God has given authority on earth to humans, so he is in control where he is given authority to be in control. Christians have summited to God, so we have given him authority in our lives, so he is in control to work things for good.
Where humans have given authority to someone else, God is not in control. This means that the destiny of a city or nation is determined by the people with authority in that city or nation. Some people will have more authority than others. Political leaders usually have the greatest authority in a city or nation. If they are not fully submitted to God, they will be handing authority over to the spiritual principalities and powers that control the city or nation. Christians who live there will experience some of the consequences of their leader’s spiritual negligence (as did the people of Israel when David sinned). The only difference is that God can work the evil for good for his people, whereas other people will experience the consequences as evil. Fortunately, that makes a huge difference.