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).

Virtually all evangelical Christians and even many liberals agree
that Satan is a living being who is an evil force in the world.
Historically, Christian confessions of faith have always included
statements about belief in a personal devil–not that every person has
his wn personal devil, but that the devil is an actual personage rather
than merely an impersonal force. But when you talk about demons being
alive and active in the world today, a lot of Christians bristle,
"Hold on there. I believe in the devil, but I don’t buy that stuff
about demons."

My questions to these people is: How do you think Satan carries on
his worldwide ministry of evil and deception? He is a created being . He
is not omnipresent, omniscient or omnipotent. He can’t be everywhere in
the world tempting and deceiving millions of people at the same moment.
He does so through an army of emissaries (demons, evil spirit, fallen
angels, etc.) who propagate his plan of rebellion around the world. It
is clear from the context of Ephesians 6:12 that the rulers, powers, and
forces which oppose us are spiritual entities in the heavenlies (the
spiritual world).

Disbelief in personal demonic activity (or an inordinate fear of
demons) is further evidence of the static that Satan perpetrates in our
minds to distort the truth. In the classic Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
wrote: "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race
can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The
other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They
themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or
a magician with the same delight."

Father God, I announce that You are the only legitimate fear-object
and sanctuary, and I renounce all demonic activity in my life.

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