Western civilisation is under attack and there are many who desire a cultural revolution that will erase the Christian values that have largely shaped much of what those of us in the West have, until recently, taken for granted.
I have written about this in other posts and about the need for God’s people to be aware of what is happening, and to engage in Christ’s commission to disciple our cultures and nations. In addition, I have begun to post a series of infographics highlighting the positive legacy ‘Christianity’ has invested in the Western world (and beyond). We would do well to remember these as we stand against those who would seek to destroy what our Christian forebears accomplished.
Principalities and Powers
In this post I want to highlight something that can often be overlooked. This is the involvement in our world by what the apostle Paul describes as ‘principalities and powers’.1 With the increasing emphasis on rationalism since the days of the Enlightenment, many in the Western world dismiss the unseen forces that are at work ‘behind the scenes’ of what we see going on and hear about in the news.2
The fact is that the Bible makes clear that the battle we are engaged in as Christians is not with people (flesh and blood), but ‘against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Ephesians 6:12).
Two Storylines, Two Realities
There are two storylines unfolding in the scriptures, one relating to fallen humanity; the other relating to the fall and rebellion of a group of spiritual powers. These two storylines and realities are deeply intertwined and overlapping, each one influencing the other.
In Psalm 82 it appears that God holds responsible for the world’s injustices, not just the people, rulers and governments that have either allowed or not taken action to address them, but also the world’s spiritual powers. These dark spiritual forces can be connected to nations and specific territories (in the book of Daniel we read about ‘the prince of the kingdom of Persia’ and ‘the prince of Greece’, actively engaged in trying to thwart God’s purposes).3
In the beginning these ‘powers’ were good. They were created by God Himself (Colossians 1:16). But they rebelled, influenced the image-bearers that God created to govern all that He had made, and continue to interfere and disrupt God’s plans for the restoration and flourishing of His world.
Victory Over the Powers
The good news is that Jesus has defeated the powers. When He was hanging on the Cross, the principalities and powers of darkness thought they were victorious, but Jesus was actually taking them captive! In a stunning reversal, through His death and resurrection, Jesus ‘disarmed principalities and powers, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it’ (Colossians 2:15). Their defeat is not yet finalised and they still continue to operate, but the decisive blow has been dealt.
In commissioning His followers, Jesus made clear that all authority had now been given to Him, in Heaven and on Earth. We were now to go in that authority and disciple the nations (Matthew 28:18-19). He has given us the keys of the kingdom to bind or to permit (Matthew 16:19).
Employing Our Spiritual Weapons
As we engage with the issues of our day, let us remember where the battle is really taking place and employ the spiritual tools and weapons that we have at our disposal (armour of God, Word of God, prayer, name of Jesus, gifts of the Spirit, etc).
The assault is currently intensifying but we can stand strong in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord and the gates of Hades will not prevail over the ekklesia4 that He is building (Matthew 16:18). All things, including the thrones, dominions, principalities and powers, are being reconciled to Jesus Christ, and of the increase of His kingdom government and peace there will be no end (Colossians 1:16-20; Isaiah 9:7).
1 For example, Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 1:20-21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 1:13-20; 2:10, 15.
2 Those in non-Western countries tend to be far more aware of the spirit world. When living in Thailand, this was evident with the appeasing of ‘the spirits’ by having small shrines on pedestals on one’s property, at shopping centres, outside hotels, or in the workplace. Spirit houses have their roots in Animism, which is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Thai Buddhism is intertwined with Animism and has created a spiritual culture. Similar spirit houses are also found in neighbouring Cambodia, Laos, and Burma.
3 See Daniel chapters 10-12.
4 The ekklesia is how Jesus set out how His Kingdom was to function. This was the vision to facilitate the Kingdom expanding throughout society and the world. See my post – https://catalystmin.org/kingdom-reset-3-are-we-functioning-as-kingdom-ekklesia-correcting-the-deliberate-mistranslation-of-king-james/
(Photo by Josep Castells on Unsplash)