EPHESIANS 6:12
Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies.
Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies.
This scripture states that our struggles in life are not just physical but are spiritual in nature, and we must prepare ourselves accordingly. To fully understand this scripture, we must first examine its context. In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, encouraging them to live in unity and holiness. In chapter 6, Paul talks about the armor of God, which Christians must put on to defend themselves against the devil's schemes. He begins by saying, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:10-11). It is in this context that Paul makes the statement, "Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies." Paul is saying that our struggle is not against physical enemies but against spiritual forces. These spiritual forces are not visible to the naked eye, but they are very real and very powerful. When Paul talks about "principalities, authorities, and world-rulers of the darkness of this age," he is referring to the hierarchy of demonic powers that operate in the spiritual realm. These powers seek to oppose God's plans and purposes and to lead people away from the truth. Paul is saying that these spiritual powers are our true enemies, and we must fight against them if we are to live victorious lives. Furthermore, Paul talks about "spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies." This phrase suggests that these spiritual forces operate in the heavenly realm, which is beyond our physical world. Paul is saying that our struggle is not just against earthly powers, but against spiritual forces that are more powerful and influential than we can imagine. So, what does this mean for us as Christians? First, it means that we must recognize the reality of spiritual warfare. We must understand that our struggle is not just against physical enemies but against spiritual forces that seek to harm us. Second, it means that we must put on the full armor of God and prepare ourselves for battle. This armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-18).
The phrase "flesh and blood" refers to human beings, emphasizing that the battle is not physical or worldly in nature. Instead, Paul identifies the true enemies as "principalities, authorities, world-rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies." These entities are seen as evil spiritual forces that seek to oppose God and harm his people. The term "principalities" refers to rulers or authorities in the spiritual realm, while "authorities" refers to those who exercise power and control. "World-rulers of the darkness of this age" refers to the spiritual forces that have sway over the fallen world and the spiritual darkness that is present in it. "Spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies" refers to the demonic spirits that operate in the heavenly realms. Paul's point is that Christians are engaged in a spiritual battle that requires spiritual armor and weapons. He encourages believers to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God) in order to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy. This passage reminds Christians that they are not fighting against human opponents but against spiritual forces that are much more powerful than they are. Therefore, they must rely on the power and protection of God to overcome these enemies. It also highlights the importance of being aware of the spiritual realm and the battles that are being waged there, and encourages believers to take seriously the call to pray and intercede for one another in the midst of this ongoing conflict.
Together, these three terms describe a hierarchy of spiritual forces that exert influence over the world and the lives of people. The forces of darkness seek to promote sin, temptation, and false ideologies, while the forces of light seek to promote righteousness, holiness, and truth. The battle between these forces is a central theme in the Bible, and understanding these terms is critical to understanding the nature of this battle.
In our current day, there is a lot of turmoil and unrest in America and the world. From political upheavals to social unrest and pandemics, America and the world seems to be in a constant state of chaos. However, amidst all this chaos, I believe that what we are facing is not a political battle but rather a spiritual battle. To begin with, let us define what we mean by spiritual battle. A spiritual battle is a struggle between good and evil, between positive and negative forces that are at work in the world. It is a battle between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. In a spiritual battle, the battleground is not physical, but rather spiritual. It is a battle for the hearts and minds of people, for their beliefs, values, and attitudes. In Ephesians 6:12, it says "Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies." If people do not have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that is open and receptive to God's Word and His will, they will not be able to recognize that this is a spiritual battle and not a political battle, and therefore, they will not be able to focus on what is necessary in order to be prepared, equipped and ready to fight this battle.
When we look at the challenges we are facing today, we can see that they are not just political in nature. For instance, the pandemic that has swept across the world is not just a medical or scientific issue but also a spiritual one. It has brought with it fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, which have taken a toll on people's mental and emotional well-being. In times of crisis, people often turn to their spiritual beliefs and practices for comfort, guidance, and strength. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of compassion, empathy, and unity, which are spiritual values. Similarly, the political divisions that we see in many parts of the world are not just about different ideologies or policies. They are also about different values and beliefs. Political ideologies are often rooted in different worldviews and belief systems, which are shaped by spiritual and cultural factors. For example, the debate around climate change is not just a scientific one but also a spiritual one. It is about our relationship with the environment, our responsibility to future generations, and our values as a society. Moreover, the social issues that we are grappling with, such as racism, inequality, and injustice, are not just political or economic issues. They are also spiritual issues, rooted in our beliefs about human dignity, equality, and justice. These issues challenge us to examine our values and attitudes, and to question whether we are living up to our highest ideals as human beings.
In recent years, America has been facing an unprecedented level of chaos, turmoil, and unrest. Our country is deeply divided along political, racial, and socio-economic lines, with increasing levels of polarization and hostility between different groups of people. The root causes of this situation are complex and multifaceted, but it is clear that the issues at stake go beyond mere politics and ideology. Rather, they are part of a larger spiritual battle between good and evil, in which individuals and communities must choose which side they will align themselves with. At its core, this spiritual battle is about the fundamental values and beliefs that shape our lives and societies. On one hand, there are those who believe in the importance of justice, equality, compassion, and respect for all human beings, regardless of their background or identity. On the other hand, there are those who prioritize power, domination, self-interest, and the exclusion of certain groups from full participation in society. These two worldviews are in direct opposition to each other, and the conflict between them has been playing out for years in various ways across America. One of the key features of this spiritual battle is the way in which it has been weaponized by political, big tech and media elites. Rather than engaging in genuine dialogue and debate about the issues at stake, they have sought to stoke fear, anger, and division among different groups of people, using various tactics such as fake news, conspiracy theories, demonization of opponents, the manipulation of emotions, and even censorship and banning. As a result, many Americans feel overwhelmed and disoriented, unsure of whom to trust or what to believe. However, despite the challenges and difficulties that America faces, there is also hope and potential for positive change. This requires individuals and communities to rise above the chaos and turmoil in unity and stand for what is right to cultivate a deeper sense of spirituality and moral purpose. This does not mean that everyone must become religious or adopt a particular set of beliefs. Rather, it means recognizing that there is a deeper meaning and purpose to our lives, and that we have a responsibility to contribute to the greater good of society.
One way to do this is by cultivating a sense of inner peace, clarity, and wisdom. This can be achieved through practices such as meditation, prayer, or simply spending time in nature or with loved ones. By doing so, we can develop a more grounded and centered perspective on our lives, and can better navigate the challenges and complexities of the world around us. Another way to rise above the chaos is by actively working to promote justice, equality, and compassion in our communities. This can take many forms, such as volunteering, donating to charitable causes, engaging in activism, or simply being kind and empathetic to those around us. By doing so, we can help to create a more just and equitable society, one in which all people are valued and respected for who they are.
If a person can't recognize that this is a spiritual battle and not political one they will surely not be able to focus on what is necessary in order to be prepared equipped and ready to fight this battle. And when a person is unable to recognize that this is a spiritual battle and not a political battle they will also not be able to identify who our true enemy is. And if a person is unable to identify who our true enemy is then there is absolutely no way that they can be equipped and prepared to fight our enemy in the spiritual realm.
When more people seek God and get closer to him they will be able to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and an open and receptive heart which will allow them to see the battles we are facing through the lens of their faith. I truly believe that right now we have far too many people who are focused on winning this battle from a political standpoint and they are not looking at this battle from a spiritual standpoint. I also believe that the enemy is using this to his advantage as a way to deceive and manipulate people from the truth. I believe that once we have hundreds of thousands and even millions of people seeking God so that they can see who our true enemy is they will truly be able to see that this is a spiritual battle and not a political battle and we will really make a huge difference in this nation as we unite together for the kingdom of God.
This is one of the reasons why they removed the Bible and prayer from schools back in the 1960s, and this is also why they did not allow people to attend church services during the so-called pandemic. The enemy is using these people in order to blind and deceive us from being able to see who our true enemy is. And the enemy is also using these people in order to dictate, determine and control what we can do as far as worshiping and gathering in church, praying and even reading their Bible because they know that when we read our Bible and pray and attend church services and gather together with other believers we become stronger, more knowledgeable, we gain more wisdom and we learn more about the truth.
I also believe that God is calling his set apart remnant to lead the way in this battle. I believe he is using his set apart remnant to inspire to encourage and to motivate believers who have fallen away from God or they are lax in their faith and as a result are focusing on the political battle instead of the spiritual battle we are facing. I also believe that the enemy is using false prophets "wolves in sheeps clothing" and churches that are not speaking the truth to mislead and to deceive people from the truth which causes them to focus on the worldly things or the political battle instead of the true spiritual battle we are facing.
On the surface this may appear to be a political battle, Democrats vs Republicans, but deep down in the depths this is a spiritual battle, good vs evil or the darkness vs the light. This is not only a battle for the souls of men and women in America, this is ultimately a battle for the soul of our nation. I believe this battle of good vs evil has been going on for generations, decades, and even thousands of years. It's never been a political battle it's been a spiritual battle, but our adversaries are using politics as a means to dictate and control the people and the policies according to what aligns with their agenda. Over the time span of thousands of years they have been slowly articulating their dark and evil plan one generation to the next. It's like what one generation works on and accomplishes they hand it down to the next generation and it just has continued and continued to where we are today. But in today's world we are seeing their dark and evil agenda most likely like no one has ever seen it before because they lost 4 years of their plan from 2016 to 2020. And since 2020 they have been pretty much allowed to do what they do best to destroy themselves from the inside out while all of us are able to see it firsthand and we have in fact seen it firsthand over the last two plus years.
They want you to focus on what they call a "political battle" when in fact behind the scenes it's actually a very large spiritual battle that is being fought between Good and evil on a level I don't think any of us even understand. To fully understand the enormity of the spiritual battle we are facing we must fully understand what Ephesians 6:18 says: "Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies". Not to mention that they have used a particular "religion" to push their evil agenda through the centuries. And if people do their deep and thorough research they will understand that this particular "religion" not only does it not align with the scriptures, a lot of things that they teach and practice resemble Babylon that is mentioned in the book of Revelation. And there is a reason why this particular "religion" is very popular among many people today.
In the book of Revelation, Babylon is mentioned as a symbol of a great city that represents the ultimate center of human rebellion against God. The city is described as a place of extreme luxury, immorality, and idolatry, where the forces of evil gather together to oppose God and his people. The depiction of Babylon in Revelation is thought to be a reference to the ancient city of Babylon, which was known for its wealth, power, and idolatry. However, many scholars believe that the city of Babylon in Revelation is also meant to symbolize Rome, which was the dominant political and religious power of the time when the book of Revelation was written. Regardless of its historical identity, Babylon in the Book of Revelation is portrayed as a city that has fallen into decadence and immorality. In Chapter 17, the city is described as "the great prostitute who sits on many waters" (17:1), which represents the city's domination over the nations. The prostitute is said to be dressed in luxurious clothing and adorned with gold and precious stones, which symbolizes the city's wealth and extravagance. In the book of Revelation, Babylon is ultimately destroyed by God as part of his final judgment on the world. This is seen as a symbolic victory of good over evil, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over the forces of darkness.
So when you step back and you look at this entire battle from a 40,000 foot view you can clearly see that this is not a political battle at all it is in fact a spiritual battle but then again they are using politics to take your focus off the real battle that's being fought.
Trevor Winchell
American Patriot Social
3-26-2023
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