For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this
darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the
heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

One of the main reasons I fumbled and failed in my early days of
ministering to people in bondage was because I labored under a
number of misconceptions about the spiritual world. Perhaps you
are struggling with some of these same faulty ideas which keep
Christians in darkness. We’ll consider these misconceptions over
the next several days.

One common misconception is that demons were active when Christ
was on earth, but their activity has subsided today. Christians
who hold this extreme view in light of what God’s Word says and
what is transpiring in the world today are not facing reality.
The New Testament clearly states that believers will wrestle
against the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). Paul goes on to
itemize the pieces of spiritual armor that we are to put on in
order to defend ourselves against “the flaming missiles of the
evil one” (verses 13-17). In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Paul again
specifies that believers are engaged in a spiritual battle
against forces which oppose the knowledge of God. If dark
spiritual powers are no longer attacking believers, why would
Paul alert us to them and insist that we arm ourselves against
them?

The powers and forces that Paul wrote about in the first century
are still around at the dawn of the twenty-first century, evident
in the popularity of the New Age Movement and the proliferation
of Satanism and the occult.

God’s people wrestling against dark spiritual forces is not a
first-century phenomenon, nor is it an option for the Christian
today; it’s unavoidable. The kingdom of darkness is still present
and Satan is intent on making your life miserable and keeping you
from enjoying and exercising your inheritance in Christ. Your
only options in confronting spiritual opposition are how and to
what extent you’re going to wage the battle.

Thank You, Father, that I don’t battle the forces of darkness
alone. You have provided all the weapons I need to overcome and
stand free.

This daily devotional is published and distributed by
http://www.GOSHEN.net/ . It is written by Neil Anderson at
http://www.freedominchrist.com/ .