«For we are not fighting against flesh - and - blood enemies, but
against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.»
Among his companions from the scriptures are the pseudochristoi who, Christ says, will come «in my name» and will «lead you astray» -» the lawless one» (2 Thessalonians 2:10) who, by the power of Satan, will impress the faithful with false signs and wonders, offering «a strong delusion» to tempt «those who are perishing»; «Gog and Magog» who, under Satan's command, will gather the nations for the final battle with Christ (Revelation 20:2 - 10); the «beasts» of Revelation (16, 17, 19) that harken back to the «beasts» of Daniel (7); «the sons of Belial» (Deuteronomy 13:13 and passim) who are «base» or «worthless,» who practice idolatry, drunkenness, disrespect,
evil speech, who are «empty men» (2 Chronicles 13:7); and the conspiring nations and
rulers who take counsel
against the Lord (Psalms 2:1 - 3).
Paul reminds us that «our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but
against the
rulers,
against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenly realm» (Ephesians 6:12).
For our struggle is not
against enemies of blood and flesh, but
against the
rulers,
against the authorities,
against the cosmic powers of this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenly places.