- [Narrator] Two battles that took place in the heavenly realm. Number one, the battle
with the Prince of Persia. The phrase heavenly places or heavenly realms is used several times in the Book of Ephesians. The term heavenly realms is derived from the Greek word epouranios which means the sphere
of spiritual activities. It encompasses both angelic
and demonic activity. As flesh-and-blood humans, we have very little knowledge
of the spirit world. We cannot see, hear or touch it. However the Bible assumes it and we can glean insight
into a world we cannot see by studying what God tells us about it. The only mention of the Prince of Persia is in the Book of Daniel chapter 10. It is believed that this reference is to a malevolent spiritual entity who once held dominion over
Persia during ancient times. Daniel, the prophet,
received a troubling vision about a great war. He spent three weeks mourning,
fasting and praying about it. In response to his prayers God sent a heavenly messenger
to explain the vision. The angel that appeared to
him was extremely beautiful. Even though the lads with
Daniel did not see the vision, they were terrified. Meanwhile, Daniel had been weakened by holy terror and had fallen asleep. Daniel 10:10-14: "Then behold, a hand touched me and set me unsteadily
on my hands and knees. So he said to me, 'O Daniel, you highly regarded and
greatly beloved man, understand the words that
I'm about to say to you and stand upright for I
have now been sent to you. And while he was saying this word to me I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, do
not be afraid, Daniel for from the first day
that you set your heart on understanding this and on
humbling yourself before God your words were heard,
and I have common response to your words, but the Prince
of the Kingdom of Persia was standing in opposition
to me for 21 days. Then, behold, Michael, one of the chief of the celestial princes came to help me. For I have been left there
with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your
people in the latter days, for the vision is in regard
to the days yet to come." During the time when Daniel
was fasting and praying an angel was delayed for 21 days by a figure named the Prince
of the Kingdom of Persia who opposed him. This was apparently a high ranking demon allocated to the nation of Persia to represent the devil's
kingdom and fight against God's. Satan has just one reason
for dividing his legions into ranks and that reason
his spiritual warfare. His passion is still fueled by pride which feeds his ravenous
need for total authority. Satan's main goal is to
have the entire world bow down to him and worship him as God. There is, however, a
better kingdom than Satan's led by Jesus Christ
who will rule the globe for a thousand years in perfect peace. Demons are the foot
soldiers of his evil army, and they are controlled and directed by higher ranking rulers,
powers, and principalities. Scripture repeatedly
says that Satan exercises a level of control and
rule in this fallen world. As a result, the messenger
who came to Daniel was engaged in angelic warfare. In fact, the demonic Prince of Persia wielded such incredible power that Michael, one of the chief princes, was dispatched to his aid. In Jude 9, we learned that
Michael is an archangel. The angel was able to reach
Daniel due to his strength. There are battles fought
in things that happen in the spiritual realm that
we may know nothing about but we are taught that
our conduct has an effect on what transpires there. That is why we should
never give up praying and submitting ourselves
to the Lord in obedience. What happens in our lives of faith has implications far greater
than what we can see. So we must stay steadfast and trust the Lord even when
we cannot see what he is doing. Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver the oppressed
from the power of demons. When believers are liberated, they are transformed by
the power of God's spirit. A supernatural transformation
that Satan cannot imitate. This glimpse into the heavenly realms helps us understand a few things. For one, it shows us that there is a constant
battle being waged. Satan and his demons
are actively attempting to sabotage God's plans and cause destruction wherever possible. If even a powerful angel
on a divine mission can be held back by demons, it is clear that they
possess immense strength. However, it is important to note that God provides
protection for his children against these dark forces. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says "For the weapons of our
warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power
to destroy strongholds." We need spiritual armor to
fight spiritual battles. The third truth we can learn
from the Daniel passage is that prayer gets God's attention and that his answer is on the way. Sometimes there may be unknown forces that could disrupt God's
intention to help us. In such a situation we
should persist in our prayers until we receive an answer. Number two, the fall of Lucifer. The heavenly realm is not just
filled with evil entities. First of all, God is spirit. His home is called heaven. God sits on a throne in heaven surrounded by angels who serve him and minister to his followers. These angels can also take on human forms when delivering messages from God. However, the dark side
of the heavenly realms belongs to Satan and his evil spirits. Satan is not the counterpart to God. God has no challenger. Satan is a created being
who has only the power God allows him to have for
only as long as God allows it. Yet for reasons known only to God, Satan and his minions are
permitted to wreak mayhem upon the earth and the servants of God. If unchecked by spiritual
warfare, and the holy angels, a personality referred to as
Lucifer appears in Isaiah 14. Lucifer was depicted
as a radiant, shining, and majestic being in any language. He was a high-ranking angel. Lucifer was one of God's main angels and Michael and Gabriel
in God's heavenly hosts. However, at some point,
Lucifer made a grave error. He challenged God. Luke 10:18. "He said to them, I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning." Here, Jesus describes to his disciples a scene that he had experienced in heaven. This event took place before Jesus incarnation
as the son of Mary. He cautioned them against the perils of allowing pride to control them. That scene he described was God's judgment on a created angel named Lucifer. Lucifer had occupied a position
of unique honor in heaven. Ezekiel chapter 28:12-15. "Son of man take up a dirge
funeral poem to be sung for the king of tyre and say to him, thus says the Lord God,
you had the full measure of perfection and the finishing
touch of completeness, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, the topaz and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx and the jasper, the lapis lazuli, the
turquoise, and the emerald and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and your sockets was in you. They were prepared on the
day that you were created. You were the anointed cherub
who covers and protects and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked in the midst of the stones of fire sparkling jewels. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and
evil were found in you." Apparently Lucifer had authority
over a company of angels and he had succeeded in
alienating some of those under him from their loyalty to God. He led them in rebellion against God which resulted in God banishing Lucifer and his allies from his presence. In order to describe Lucifer's activity and turning some angels against God through his persistent plot, Ezekiel 28:16-19. "By the abundance of your trade, you were internally filled
with violence and you sinned. Therefore, I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God
and I have destroyed you, you covering cherub, from the
midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was haughty
because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom
by reason of your splendor. I threw you to the ground. I put you before kings
that they may see you. By the multitude of your wrongdoings, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore, I have brought
fire from the midst of you, it has consumed you and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in
the eyes of all who see you, all who know you among the
peoples are appalled at you. You have become terrified and
you will cease to be forever." In some Bible versions,
we see the word trading which is applied to someone who behaves as a tale-bearer or slanderer. In other words, it could be described as someone who peddles
both goods and gossip. In various other books of the Bible, for example, Leviticus,
Proverbs, Jeremiah, this word is translated
as either a tale-bearer or a slanderer. For example, in Proverbs 20:19 this practice of being a
tale-bearer is closely linked to one who flatters himself with his lips. We are warned against
both kinds of persons. "He who goes about as a
tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips." Apparently this illustrates
exactly what Lucifer did. He went among the created angelic beings and promoted and organized
rebellion against God. I would give you a much
more responsible position in the administration of the universe. Throughout history, the
devil has not needed to alter his approach whether
in heaven or on earth. The reason being is that his tactics have continued to be effective. Lucifer's rebellion against
God did not occur abruptly but rather took a considerable
amount of time to develop. Although we do not have a
precise measure of the duration, it was sufficient for him to orchestrate a well-planned revolt and
persuade approximately one-third of the angels to join him. This estimate is derived from
a biblical reference to Satan. Revelation 12:4. And his tale swept away a
third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth so that when she gave birth,
he might devour her child." It interprets the phrase stars of heaven as referring to the
entire company of angels. The revolutionary acts that are produced originated in heaven and not on earth. Furthermore, the devil has
never had to change his tactics either in heaven or on earth for a simple reason
because they still work. As a veteran of slander or tale bearing. He continues to seek to undermine
various forms of authority that God has established in both the church and in the world. When Lucifer was cast out of heaven, he did not stop his rebellion, but he continued it by setting
up a kingdom of his own in opposition to God's kingdom. Pride: the original sin. we read, "Thine heart was
lifted up because of thy beauty. Thou has corrupted thy wisdom
by reason of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings
that they may behold thee." Lucifer's heart was lifted up in pride because of his beauty,
and this was the reason that he was cast out
of the mountain of God. I believe it is vital
for all of us to realize that the first sin in the
universe was not murder, nor adultery, but rather pride. It was pride that produced rebellion. Furthermore, it was pride arising from the blessings of which
God himself was the author. Ephesians 6:11-17 tells us
exactly what armor we need to stand firm against the
temptations and schemes of the devil. In ourselves, we are no
match for Satan's devices. Ephesians 6:11-17: "Put on the full armor of God for his precepts are
like this splendid armor of a heavily armored soldier so that you may be able
to successfully stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers,
against the powers, against the world forces
of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places. Therefore, put on the
complete armor of God so that you will be able
to successfully resist and stand your ground in
the evil day of danger, and having done everything
that the crisis demands to stand firm in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth, personal integrity, moral
courage around your waist and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness an upright heart and having
strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation to face the enemy with
firm-footed stability and the readiness
produced by the good news. Above all, lift up the
protective shield of faith with which you can extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit,
which is the word of God." The battle lines are drawn. The fall of Lucifer,
Satan, started from within before led to his fall. After growing proud because
of his wisdom and his beauty, and after hatching his
planned rebellion against God, he was cast down from the presence of God and his traitorous angels
were cast down with him. We should take this into
account in our own lives. God created Adam as unique
from any other creature. There was something special about Adam's mode of
creation that was designed in the mind of the creator
to militate against pride. Adam came from a source different from any other created
being that we know of. The very lowest, the very
humblest, yet God made him capable of becoming the very highest. God combined in Adam both
the lowest and highest. Here's the description of the
creation of Adam in Genesis: "And the Lord God formed man or Adam of the dust of the ground and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being or soul." Unlike Lucifer, we can remember this and stay grounded and humble.
