[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by coksiw

There are other spirits operating with Satan as described here:

[Eph 6:12 NASB] 12 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.]

(notice that Paul contrasts of flesh and blood to spiritual forces clarifies that he is referring to spirits and not human governments)

Earlier in Ephesians (2:6) Paul wrote that believers sit with Christ in heavenly places (same Greek term as 6:12, i.e. ἐπουρανίοις). Sitting with Christ in these heavenly realms is a symbol of the Lord's authority; in fact, it is a reference to the Psalm 110:1-2 prophecy.

As believers, we are given full authority, the same as Christ's, over Satan. In Colossians 2:15, Paul wrote that Jesus triumphed over the very things listed in Ephesians 6:12. Since and because we sit with Christ on His Father' throne, to say that the listed items in Ephesians 6:12 are devils of a purely spiritual nature is to say that these evil spirits are all amassed in the very place (the heavenly realms) that we as believers sit with Christ, the very place where Jesus went to after He disarmed and overthrew them.

This seems like a very inconsistent Christology. Either He defeated all these things (if they are devils) and so, in Him, have we, or they are still a force to be reckoned with and we as believers have to continually wrestle against them, even though we are also told they were thoroughly thrashed by the Savior.

So, which is it (if these things are devils)?

[Rev 12:7, 9 NASB] 7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, ... 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

The angels here referenced are just as likely to be human messengers who have ever attempted to expand the kingdom of the Dragon, that is, Babylon, throughout the earth. See, for example, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

I did notice that in many other scriptures you see that the work of the darkness is attributed to one singular spirit, indicating Satan, as you mention. But then I see these other verses indicating that there are many of them, and the stories of devils (and even legion of them) being cast out in the Gospels and so on. The only way I can reconcile all those scriptures is by interpreting the single spirit attribution to just a way of speech pointing the head and mastermind of the darkness. Like when some people when speaking thanks the price of the gas going down to the President and its actions over the economy. But we all know it is not the President alone the one doing it.

I think the problem here is not realizing that heaven and earth are not located in two different locations, as if geographical in nature. When the reality is, heaven is a realm and reality that, albeit invisible in nature, nonetheless, overlays and exists upon, and yet also transcends, the earth.

This is shown by Eden, by the Tabernacle, the Temple, and finally the Church. All are the habitation of God here on earth. After all, you sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus even as you sit on your couch.