Spiritual Authorities

Ephesians 2:2,4-6, 6:12

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It feels like there’s something working against you. Like there’s this power at work. And even working within your own mind, like for some reason there are these things that are just… You end up doing them. It’s like something takes control of you. What is that? Is that just a made-up thing, or is that real?

It’s real.

There are real powers at work in this world. And not just fighting against you, but actually working to control you. So in Ephesians chapter six, in verse 12, it says,

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but… [Ephesians 6:12]

And then it goes on to talk about spiritual powers. But notice the way they’re described.

against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [Ephesians 6:12]

So some of these spiritual powers are actually described with authority terms, that the spiritual powers of darkness want to rule over you and want to have authority over you. And, and this is kind of a crazy thing to think about, but if you go back earlier in the Book of Ephesians, it talks about how when you and I were

against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [Ephesians 2:2]

We were actually born in a situation where we were underneath the authority of the enemy, of dark powers, of the Satan.

Not born being part of the kingdom of God, but actually born underneath the power, the authority of darkness, of sin, of death. And so when you feel like there’s something at work in this world, there’s something fighting against me, there’s something trying to control me, there is. And it’s good for us to be aware of that, to recognize that when we interact with people, when we look at what’s going on in our nation and our world, that there really are sinister forces at work. But as we think about that, I know that can be kind of a scary thought, but it doesn’t have to be. ’Cause Ephesians also talks about, in that same chapter too, it says in verses four to five,

But God, because he is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! He also raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. [Ephesians 2:4-6]

You and I were underneath that power. But through faith in Christ, not anymore. Christ is God Himself who became human, to be the human who never submitted to the powers of darkness in this world. Think about how Jesus was tested in the wilderness by that dark power, by the Satan, and He never once fell for it. He always withstood. And throughout His life, He always withstood so that He could go then to that cross, wearing a crown of thorns, by the way, so that He could conquer the powers of darkness. He died there, but then rose again to show He defeated the powers of darkness in this world. And now through faith in Christ, we belong to the Kingdom of God.

The dark powers, the dark forces do not have authority over your life.

Jesus does.

And the one who has authority declares that you are forgiven, you are right with God, you have life forever with God, and now you don’t have to follow the ways of this broken world. You are united with God, seated with Him in the heavenly realms. You have this position of power and authority with Him. Do we still struggle with sin? Absolutely, ’cause our sinful nature is still underneath that influence. But that’s not who you are. Doesn’t define you. It’s not your eternity. It’s not who you are today. So we can recognize the powers at work, recognize that there’s something trying to fight against me, but then we can declare and know fully that Jesus has defeated that power, that you do not belong to that power anymore.

You are part of the kingdom that has overcome.