Be Strong in the Lord
ICS Daily Devotions
John 12:31 (NKJV) Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
God gave Adam and Eve the authority to tend the Garden of Eden and have dominion over His creation. However, when Adam and Even fell to Satan’s temptation, they handed over the authority to him, making him the ruler of this world. Since God is just and righteous, Satan has the right to stay until the day of judgement, when he and all his fallen angels will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This Scripture reveals that there is a hierarchy among the demons. These spirits in the spiritual realm play different roles and functions, but their intent is the same: to kill, steal, and destroy. They are evil, and nothing good will be found in them. Therefore, we should attribute all kinds of evil—whether sickness, illness, suffering, manmade or natural calamity, slavery, human trafficking, incest, money laundering, self-harm, divorce, physical or emotional abuse, war, and all kinds of inhumane treatment like genocide—to the devil’s work.
They will possess those who have opened their lives to idol worship, the New Age, and being a medium, thus creating obsession and oppression. They will also make inroads into people’s minds to carry out their work of destruction. They will use humans because, as spirit beings, they need a body to carry out their work. Therefore, they will manipulate people to achieve their desires and the work of destruction.
They are the unseen forces that rule the darkness where sin prevails. They always work in dimly lighted or dark places, such as through drug dealers, sex workers, and triads in bars, nightclubs, and KTV loungers. Through the abusive use of alcohol, they also cause people to lose control and engage in immoral activities. In short, demonic activities take place whenever there are drugs, hard liquor, and immorality in activities.
Certain cities have demonic strongholds, either because the people worship idols or have a predominant religious belief. The people or the cities’ rulers have given them the power to influence people when they bow down to worship them, especially when they seek those gods to bless them without knowing that they will be held in fear and bondage as a consequence.
In Ephesians Chapter 6, the Apostle Paul teaches that unseen demonic forces influence the people. As such, we are not fighting against flesh and blood but demonic forces. Therefore, we must fight with spiritual weapons. Nonetheless, we can take heart that the devil and his demonic forces have been defeated and disarmed by Jesus’ work of redemption, and we can be strong in the Lord because believers are now one with Christ.
Ephesians 6:10 (NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Sermon Series: THE WEAPON OF OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
