Pre-Article Disclaimer for Newer Readers: If you are reading this blog for the first time or are not totally familiar with my work, I am a 100% Christian writer who analyzes things from a Christian point of view. I sometimes research into what the spiritual forces of evil are up to in hopes of gleaning information to help us Christians figure out what is going on or to figure out what Satan has planned. You can read more about why I dare consider these unbiblical sources at the following link Now on to the article...
Ephesians 6:12 is one of the most interesting verses in the entire New Testament. The verse is about the spiritual enemies Christians face:
- Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I studied Ephesians 6:12 for several years trying to understand what spiritual threats we face in-detail. I was disappointed with many of the explanations of Ephesians 6:12 available on the Internet since many of the explanations did not go into much detail about the spiritual entities Paul listed. They’ll often say “the armies of Satan are at work, etc” without mentioning who makes up this spiritual army and what responsibilities are assigned to certain segments of the army. This blog entry is my attempt (using Ephesians 6:12) to explain who makes up Satan’s spiritual army and what each segment of the army is responsible for.
Satan has a spiritual hierarchy that divides tasks and responsibilities to the members that belong to each level. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12 that we face four primary spiritual foes: “principalities”, “powers”,” rulers of the darkness of this world”, and “spiritual wickedness in high places”.
- Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I suspect that Paul listed these entities in the order of ranking in Satan’s hierarchy with principalities at the bottom and spiritual wickedness in high places at the top. Next I will describe the top of the spiritual hierarchy and then work downwards to describe the other levels of the spiritual hierarchy.
Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
The spiritual wickedness in high places is a category that describes the elite beings in Satan’s evil hierarchy. High-ranking fallen angels like Ascended Masters fall into this category. In fact, under the direction of an Ascended Master named Djwhal Khul, New Age author Alice Bailey admitted that the Ascended Masters are the spiritual forces that live in the high places:
“Around Him [Maitreya-the leader of the Ascended Masters] - in that High Place on Earth where He has His abiding place - are gathered today all His great Disciples, the Masters of the Wisdom, and all Those liberated Sons of God Who, down the ages, have passed from darkness to Light, from the unreal to the Real, and from death to Immortality. They stand ready to carry out His bidding and to obey Him, the Master of all the Masters and the Teacher alike of Angels and of men”.[1] [2]
We should consider the Ascended Masters to be Satan’s top lieutenants in charge of implementing his diabolical plan. In fact, one Ascended Master (the Ascended Master that advises Maitreya’s spokesmen Benjamin Creme) proclaimed that the Ascended Masters are the administrators of their god’s (Satan) plan:
“Meanwhile, We, the Teachers, the Elder Brothers of men, act to bridge the gulf between the Kingdoms. Thus can We safely oversee the congruence of men and angels. We are the "go-betweens"; the willing helpers of both men and the Devic [angelic] forces; the ever-present Administrators of God's Plan and Purpose; the alleviators of suffering and the Agents of God's Love”.[3]
Update: I've written a more in-depth analysis of the spiritual wickedness in high places, which can be found at this Link
Rulers of Darkness of this World
The term “rulers of darkness of this world” refers to powerful, evil beings that oversee countries. The angel of Daniel 10:12-21 reported that he was delayed by the ruler of the kingdom of Persia for three weeks. “Prince” in this passage refers to a spiritual being and not a human ruler because humans cannot overpower angels physically like this ruler did.
- Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
- Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
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- Dan 10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.
- Dan 10:21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
Powers
Powers are the beings that serve as the muscle behind evil. If Satan has a specific order he wants done these beings are responsible for actually performing the tasks necessary to get the order done. Pastor Wayne Barber describes how “powers” fit into the scheme of things:
“The second word he [Paul] uses there is the word "powers." It is in the plural also. The word for powers really is the word which means authorities, exousia and is the word used in Colossians 1:13 when it says we have been delivered out of the exousia, the right and the might of darkness and placed into the kingdom of His dear Son. In other words, in the realm of darkness Satan and his demons have not only the creativeness of propagating evil and originating evil, but they have also the right and the might to carry it out. They work in the realm of darkness”.[4]
Principalities
Principalities are fallen angels that are assigned to territories. In fact, Bailey wrote that there are fallen angels assigned to every place of worship to stimulate the spirituality of the attendants at the place of worship-likely by fueling the occurrence of signs and wonders.
“The activity of the astral plane is being much intensified and the angels of devotion, in whom the aspect of divine love is pre-eminent, work with the astral bodies of all those who are ready to strengthen and redirect their spiritual aspiration and desire. They are the angels who guard the sanctuaries of all the churches, cathedrals, temples and mosques of the world. They are now increasing the momentum of their vibration for the raising of the consciousness of the attendant congregations”.[5]
These fallen angels are exploiting people’s desire see to signs and wonders, which Jesus warned Christians against seeking.
- Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
How to Protect Yourself from the Spiritual Hierarchy
Paul wrote how we can protect ourselves from Satan’s spiritual army in Ephesians 6:13-18.
- Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
- Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
- Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
- Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
- Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
We can protect ourselves by using the sword of Spirit (the Word of God), by praying, by believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and by maintaining faith no matter what the circumstances are. For instance, you can identify one of Satan’s lying signs and wonders by testing it against what is written in the Bible, the Word of God. By wearing all of God’s armor you will be able to withstand anything Satan throws at you.
References and Notes
[1] Bailey, Alice. The Externalization of the Hierarchy. New York: Lucis Trust Publishing Co. 1957 593
[2] “Sons of God” is a biblical term for fallen angels
[3] The Master (through Creme, Benjamin). “The Masters Enter Man’s Domain.” 13 Jan 2009. Last Accessed 13 Jan 2009. http://www.mcn.org/1/Miracles/angormast.html
[4] Barber, Wayne. A. “Spiritual Warfare, Part 6 Ephesians 6:12-13” 10 Mar. 2009. Last Accessed 6 Jul. 2009. http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/verse-by-verse/VV0501W1.htm.
[5] Bailey, Alice. The Externalization of the Hierarchy. New York: Lucis Trust Publishing Co. 505-506
