The Bible is full of references to princedoms, kingdoms and empires. But what is a principality according to Scripture? Principality is an obsolete term for an administrative or political entity controlled by a prince. According to the Bible, the term is used to refer to the realms of the spiritual powers and authorities of heaven, which are subject to a higher authority.
The Bible speaks of two kinds of principalities: those that are good and those that are evil. Good principalities are angelic beings who do the will of God. They are also referred to as heavenly host or “the angels of heaven.” These beings are created by God and given the assignment of being “ministers to those who are heirs of salvation.” (Hebrews 1:14).
The Bible also speaks of evil principalities. These are demonic or fallen angels who have rebelled against God and serve Satan. They have immense power and are capable of influencing people, often to do evil. Ephesians 6:12 refers to these spiritual powers as “the rulers, authorities, the cosmic powers of this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Ezekiel 28:14-15 refers to an evil principality as “the covering cherub” who was “in Eden”. This was previously an angelic being who became a ruler of a principality in hell because of his pride and rebellion against God. He is believed to be Satan, who has been given authority to rule over the countless principalities of darkness that exist in the spiritual realms.
The Bible teaches that while the spiritual realm encompasses both good and evil principalities, God is ultimately the sovereign ruler over all. He has the authority to set up and remove rulers, control or limit their power, and ultimately defeat the forces of evil.
The Bible also indicates that believers have authority to resist and stand against the power of evil principalities in Jesus’ name. In Ephesians 6:10-11, Paul tells believers to “be strong in the Lord and his mighty power,” and to “put on the full armor of God,” so that believers can “take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Believers can put on the “…the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness,” and the “…shield of faith” to withstand the attacks of the evil principalities.
In Colossians 2:15, believers are told to “disarm the rulers and authorities,” meaning they have the power to renounce the devil and his minions and have them submit to the authority of Christ. Similarly in James 4:7, believers are told to “submit to God, resist the devil.” By doing this, believers can protect themselves from the assaults of the evil principalities, enabling them to live a life full of faith, hope, and victory.
The Nature Of Evil Principalities
Principalities of evil are spiritual wickedness in high places, ruling and ruling in all kinds of deceptive, physical and spiritual darkness, to turn the people away from God and His Righteousness. The evil principalities of darkness occupy places and territories of authority, ruling and ruling in all kinds of deceptive, physical and spiritual darkness, attempting to establish themselves as powers over human beings, in opposition to God’s Kingdom.
Ephesians 6:12 uses strong language to warn us about the seriousness of evil principalities. It says that these wicked forces might be “the rulers, authorities, the cosmic powers of this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” In Luke 18:31-32, Jesus calls them “principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” In Colossians 3:1-2, Paul explains that these principalities have “ruled the air” and are busy devising ways to “misshape” and control the things of God and undermine faith.
The Bible also warns of the dangers of the deception lies, and power of the evil principalities. They have the ability to turn men away from the truth and cause them to be stagnant in life. Their influence and power can be deceptive, manipulating and controlling minds, leading men away from God. This can lead to all kinds of sin, wickedness and strongholds in the lives of individuals as well as in entire communities.
We are warned in the Bible that evil principalities must not be underestimated because they are of high rank in the realm of darkness. Thus, we must take up the full Armor of God and stand against them, with God’s truth and power binding their power over us (Ephesians 6: 11-13).
Spiritual Warfare
The Bible speaks of a spiritual battle that is raging between the forces of good and evil. This is a spiritual warfare between God and His holy angels, and the enemy and his fallen angels. The battlefield is the minds of men and the souls of people. Thus, the spiritual warfare we are engaged in centers around the beliefs and decisions that we make in our daily lives.
The Bible speaks of the weapons of warfare in a spiritual battle. These include prayer, the Word of God and faith. Through these spiritual weapons, we can identify the areas where evil principalities are attacking us and take authority over them. We can use the truth of God’s Word to stand against the lies and deception being propagated by the enemy. We can also stand firm in our faith, which is the shield that stands against the fiery darts of the evil principalities.
Strengthen Inner Man
The evil principalities have an agenda that goes deeper than attacking us externally. They also seek to weaken us internally. Thus, we must renew and strengthen our inner man, so that we can respond to the attacks of the enemy with resilience and perseverance. In Ephesians 3:16-17, Paul instructs us to “strengthen the inner man” by being rooted and grounded in love. He also instructs us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” This is the power we need to stand against the enemy.
We must also put on the full armor of God. The Bible speaks frequently of this armor, which consists of the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. Each piece of armor is essential in the battle against the enemy. We must know the truth of God’s Word and understand His righteousness so that we can have a defense against the deceptions of the enemy.
Finally, we must have faith in God’s plans and purposes for us. This is our shield in the battle against the enemy. We must have a deep trust in God that He will protect us and keep us safe. This kind of faith gives us the courage to stand firm in the face of the enemy’s attacks and confront him with the power of God.
Living A Life Of Victory
The Bible tells us to live a life full of faith, hope, and victory. We can stand against the devil and evil principalities with the full armor of truth, righteousness, faith, salvation and the sword of the spirit. We can take authority over the evil principalities, using the power invested in us by Jesus Christ.
We are also instructed to put on the attitude of love and humility. Love is the greatest weapon against evil. When we love one another, we are less vulnerable to the lies and deceptions of evil principalities. We must also be humble, walking in dependence on the Lord. When we have faith in God, He has promised to be with us in the battle against evil.
We can gain further power and the ability to live a life of victory by renewing our inner man. We must stay rooted in God’s love and keep our love and faith alive in our heart. We must also engage daily in spiritual warfare, oppose the enemy’s lies and deceptions, resist them at all times, and actively stand in the power of God’s might. We can be assured that with God on our side, we will emerge with victory.
Dangers Of Rejecting God
The Bible warns against rejecting God and His plans for our lives. When we reject the authority of God, we are vulnerable to the deceptions and schemes of the evil principalities. It is also important to remember that evil principalities can influence and deceive us even after we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. We must continually seek God’s truth and wisdom to keep us from being deceived.
The Bible also warns us not to yield to the temptations of evil principalities or give them a foothold in our lives. These forces of darkness seek to draw us away from the truth and bring us under their power and control. We must not give in to the lies, deceptions and temptations of evil principalities. Instead, we must resist them in all their forms, keeping our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Finally, we must remember that Jesus Christ is our ultimate source of victory and deliverance in our battles against evil principalities. Only through Him can we gain the power and authority to overcome evil, and only through Him can we gain the assurance of a life of victory.
