John 12:31 (NKJV) Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
God gave Adam and Eve the authority to tend the Garden of Eden and have dominion over His creation. However, when Adam and Even fell to Satan’s temptation, they handed over the authority to him, making him the ruler of this world. Since God is just and righteous, Satan has the right to stay until the day of judgement, when he and all his fallen angels will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This Scripture reveals that there is a hierarchy among the demons. These spirits in the spiritual realm play different roles and functions, but their intent is the same: to kill, steal, and destroy. They are evil, and nothing good will be found in them. Therefore, we should attribute all kinds of evil—whether sickness, illness, suffering, manmade or natural calamity, slavery, human trafficking, incest, money laundering, self-harm, divorce, physical or emotional abuse, war, and all kinds of inhumane treatment like genocide—to the devil’s work.
They will possess those who have opened their lives to idol worship, the New Age, and being a medium, thus creating obsession and oppression. They will also make inroads into people’s minds to carry out their work of destruction. They will use humans because, as spirit beings, they need a body to carry out their work. Therefore, they will manipulate people to achieve their desires and the work of destruction.
They are the unseen forces that rule the darkness where sin prevails. They always work in dimly lighted or dark places, such as through drug dealers, sex workers, and triads in bars, nightclubs, and KTV loungers. Through the abusive use of alcohol, they also cause people to lose control and engage in immoral activities. In short, demonic activities take place whenever there are drugs, hard liquor, and immorality in activities.
Certain cities have demonic strongholds, either because the people worship idols or have a predominant religious belief. The people or the cities’ rulers have given them the power to influence people when they bow down to worship them, especially when they seek those gods to bless them without knowing that they will be held in fear and bondage as a consequence.
In Ephesians Chapter 6, the Apostle Paul teaches that unseen demonic forces influence the people. As such, we are not fighting against flesh and blood but demonic forces. Therefore, we must fight with spiritual weapons. Nonetheless, we can take heart that the devil and his demonic forces have been defeated and disarmed by Jesus’ work of redemption, and we can be strong in the Lord because believers are now one with Christ.
Ephesians 610 (NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Sermon Series: THE WEAPON OF OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE (PART 1)
在主里刚强
约翰福音 12:31 现在这世界受审判，这世界的王要被赶出去。
上帝赋予亚当和夏娃修理伊甸园的权柄，并管理祂的创造物。但是，当亚当和夏娃堕入撒旦的试探时，他们就把权柄交给了撒旦，使牠成为世界的王。因为上帝是公平和公义的，撒旦就有权一直呆到审判的日子，那时牠和所有堕落的天使都要被扔进火湖里。
以弗所书 6:12 因我们并不是与属血气的争战，乃是与那些执政的、掌权的、管辖这幽暗世界的，以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战。
这段经文显示鬼之间也是有等级制度的。这些灵在属灵境界中扮演着不同的角色和功能，但牠们的意图是一样的：杀害、偷窃和毁坏。牠们是邪恶的，在牠们的身上找不到任何良善。因此，我们应该将各种邪恶，无论是疾病、痛苦、人为的还是自然的灾难，都归咎于魔鬼的作为，其中包括奴隶制、人口贩卖、乱伦、洗黑钱、自残，离婚、身体或精神虐待、战争，以及大屠杀等各种不人道待遇。
牠们会控制那些将自己的生命参与偶像崇拜、新时代和成为灵媒的人、从而制造痴迷和压迫。牠们也会侵入人们的心来进行牠们的破坏工作。牠们会利用人类，因为作为灵体，牠们需要一个身体来完成牠们的工作。因此牠们会操纵人来实现牠们的欲望和破坏的工作。
牠们是看不见的势力，管辖着罪恶盛行的幽暗世界。牠们总是在昏暗或黑暗的地方工作，如在酒吧、夜总会和KTV厢房。通过毒贩、性工作者和黑社会来作工。通过滥用酒精，牠们也会使人失去控制，并进行各种不道德的活动。简而言之，只要有毒品、烈酒和不道德行为，一定有魔鬼的活动在其中。
某些城市有恶魔的营垒，要么是因为人们崇拜偶像，或者有主流的宗教信仰。当人们或这些城市的统治者俯身向牠们下拜时，牠们就给了恶者能力来影响人，尤其是当人们寻求那些神来保佑他们时，却不知道这会让他们陷入恐惧和捆绑中。
在以弗所书第六章，使徒保罗教导说，那看不见的魔鬼势力会影响着民众。这样看来，我们不是在与属血气的争战，而是在与魔鬼的势力争战。因此我们必需用属灵的武器争战。尽管如此，我们可以放心，魔鬼和牠的邪恶势力已经被耶稣的救赎工作击败和解除，我们可以在主里坚强，因为现今信徒们已经与基督合而为一了。
以弗所书 6:10 最后，我的弟兄们，你们要靠着主，靠着祂的大能大力， 做刚强的人。
讲章系列: 我们属灵争战的武器（第一部分）
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