What are territorial spirits?

There are three notices of the spirit world in the Epistle to the Ephesians to which I would refer for a moment. In Eph. 1:20-21 we have Christ's position in relation thereto. He is seated "far above all principality and power." However mighty the spirit forces in the universe, Christ is superior to them all, and all must yet acknowledge His Lordship. In Eph. 3:10 we are told that "now to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies is make known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God." These are holy spirits, who observe with unselfish interest what God is doing for His redeemed, and they admire the wisdom of His ways therein. Then in Eph. 6:12, we learn that our conflict is against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the heavenlies." Here we have that malignant host, which is ever opposed to God and to His saints.

These spirit forces are highly organised (we read of "chief princes " amongst them — Dan. 10:13), and their power is enormous. Not only do they act upon individual minds to their ruin, but they influence also the course of public affairs, being largely responsible for the disasters which from time to time come upon men.

In Daniel 10:18-20, the veil is drawn aside and we are permitted to see a little of what is taking place in the world of the invisible. Daniel is seen in prayer three weeks about his people, and at the end of that period an angel came to him, saying that he was sent forth at once with the answer, "But," said he, "the prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days." Of whom is the angel speaking? Not of a man, for how could the Persian Sovereign hinder an angel coming from heaven with an answer to the prophet's prayer, or how would he know that the prophet had ever prayed at all? It is a mighty spirit of whom the angel speaks — a spirit that interested itself either for good or for evil in the affairs of the Persian monarchy. Then in verse 20 we read, "now will I return to fight the Prince of Persia, and when I am gone forth, lo, the Prince of Grecia shall come." It is impossible to introduce men into such a passage. The angel is speaking of movements and counter-movements in the spirit world.

It should be borne in mind that there exist great powers in the spiritual world — fallen beings that influence the nations and are entirely opposed to God's intentions as to the disposal of the kingdoms of this world. The greatest of these is Satan, but he is not the only one. Daniel 10 speaks of one who is styled "the prince of the kingdom of Persia," who fought against God's messenger to Daniel, and prevented him from fulfilling his mission, for twenty-one days, until Michael, who is spoken of as "the great prince which stands for" the Jews, came to his aid. Another in the same chapter is called "the prince of Grecia." These references to these heads of spiritual principalities are illuminating, especially as they come into view in connection with the prophecies relating to the sorrows and final successes of Israel, and they help us to understand the fierce attacks that will be made upon Jerusalem.

There is reference to three beings in this chapter, which throws fuller light upon the principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spiritual wickedness in high places (see Eph. 6:12). Evidently the powers of evil under Satan are organized to a high degree. We have in this chapter some malignant spirit in charge of Satan's interests in Persia, and another in charge of his interests in Greece. One is called the Prince of Persia, the other the Prince of Greece.

Daniel, too, gives us an illuminating peep into the under-world. In chapter 10 he brings before us three remarkable passages Michael, God’s archangel, is evidently charged with the interests of God’s ancient people, whilst the interests of the kingdoms of Persia and Greece are held on Satan’s behalf in the hands of two evil spirits, respectively called the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece. Doubtless they would have a host of spirits under their command.

Verily “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). Thus is indicated the vast organized system of evil power and hate against God and good.

But, as the angel goes on to inform the prophet, there may be, nay, there will be, antagonistic forces at work to hinder the divine response to the supplications of His servants; and hereby is revealed to us one of the profoundest mysteries of the spiritual world. "The prince of the kingdom of Persia," the angel informs Daniel, "withstood me one and twenty days" (v. 13); that is, during the whole time of Daniel's fasting and prayer. The words of the prophet were heard "from the first day"; and the angel was sent, but this "prince of the kingdom of Persia" in some way or other interposed an obstacle for the period of three weeks. While careful not to go beyond what is written, nor to penetrate into what is not revealed, a few words will be required for the elucidation of this mysterious revelation.

In the first place, it must be observed that "the prince of the kingdom of Persia" is an angel; for Michael, termed in the same verse "one of the chief princes," and in Daniel 12. "the great prince" in connection with Israel, is known, on the authority of Jude, to be the archangel. If so, inasmuch as this "prince" of Persia is seen here acting in opposition to the mind of God, he is a bad angel, in fact, one of Satan's princes.. This will help us to understand what we find often mentioned in the New Testament, viz., that there are good principalities and powers (Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16, Col. 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22), and bad principalities and powers (Rom. 8:38; Eph. 6:12, etc.). It would seem, therefore, that Satan has imitated the kingdom of God,* and formed his gradations of rank and power according to the divine model. Having therefore seen that God had appointed the archangel Michael to watch over the interests of Israel in His providential government, Satan sent one of his angels to care for his interests in Persia, which at this time held the sovereignty of the earth, and consequently to frustrate, wherever possible, the activities of God upon the earth. In how far this mode of operation may continue during the day of grace we are not distinctly informed. We do find, however, that the Lord, during His sojourn on the earth, referred to the angels of little children, that Peter was delivered from prison through the instrumentality of an angel, that angels are "sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation and it is plain from Daniel 12 that Michael's office continues to the end. And in regard to evil spirits or angels, we learn from Ephesians that their activities and energy are ceaseless (see Eph. 2:2; Eph. 6:12) against the children of God. Moreover Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians says expressly, "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us" (1 Thess. 2:18). We have, therefore, to count, when walking in God's ways and doing His will, upon the incessant and malevolent opposition of the Evil One through his emissaries; and it is to our loss when we forget this character of the enemy of God and of our souls, for we forget with it our need of being clothed with the panoply of God, and of constant vigilance against Satan's devices.

(V. 13). Though Daniel's prayer had been heard on the first day that he had poured out his soul before God, the answer to his prayer had been delayed three weeks. The angel intimates the reason for this delay. There were spiritual antagonistic forces at work. For three weeks the prince of the kingdom of Persia had withstood the angel sent to answer Daniel's prayer. The prince of the kingdom of Persia is evidently a spiritual being. In this verse, Michael, the Archangel, is referred to as "one of the chief princes," and in the last chapter as "the great prince."

Scripture clearly intimates that in the spiritual realm there are good principalities and powers as well as those that are evil (Eph. 1:21; Eph. 6:12, etc.): and that even as God has deputed certain angelic beings, under the direction of an angelic prince, to guard His people, so Satan has evil spiritual powers, under an arch-enemy, deputed to carry out his opposition to God among the nations of the world.

In this particular conflict between spiritual powers, Michael, one of the chief angelic princes, had come to help the angel sent to Daniel. This conflict with Satan's emissary deputed to oppose God's work in the kingdom of Persia had detained the angel with the kings of Persia.

There are three notices of the spirit world in the epistle to the Ephesians which must detain us for a moment. In Eph. 1:20-21 we have Christ's position in relation thereto. He is seated at God's "right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion." However mighty the spirit forces in the universe may be, Christ is superior to them all, and all must yet acknowledge His Lordship. In Eph. 3:10 we are told "that now to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies is made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God." These are holy spirits, who observe with unselfish interest what God is doing for His redeemed, and they admire the wisdom of His ways therein. Peter says they desire to "look into" these things (1 Peter 1:12). Then in Eph. 6:12 we learn that the Christian's present conflict is "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places" (see margin).

These spirit-forces are highly organised (we read of "chief princes" amongst them — Dan. 10:13): and their power is enormous. They act upon individuals to their ruin and they influence also the course of public affairs; they are largely responsible for the disasters which come upon men from time to time. Kings and statesmen, however talented and well intentioned they may be, are helpless pawns in the hands of diabolical spirits, if they have not learned the need of absolute dependence upon God.

Now Satan has legions of spirit beings at his command: Ephesians 6:12 speaks of them: "principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, wicked spirits in the heavenly places" (margin). These find an outlet for their diabolical energies, and express their evil character in the great movements of the world — political, social, economical, military, and religious; they are very plausible but most deceptive, and their real object is the forcing of God out of the world and the final destruction of men. And men are carried on the tide of these movements, believing, the while, that they have originated them, and that the outcome of them will be the final glory of man.

A king is no king unless he has subjects, who form under his rule a kingdom. That the underworld is highly organized is here plainly stated. Other Scriptures support this view. In Daniel 10:20 the Prince of Persia, and the Prince of Grecia, fallen demons evidently, are referred to as two agents of the satanic underworld, put in charge of Satan's interests in those countries. They stand in opposition to Michael, the Archangel of God, who Scripture states, is put in charge of God's interests in connection with the children of Israel. These little peeps into the underworld show how highly organized are the forces of evil in this world.

It should be borne in mind that there exist great powers in the spiritual world—fallen beings that influence the nations and are entirely opposed to God's intentions as to the disposal of the kingdoms of this world. The greatest of these is Satan, but he is not the only one. Daniel 10 speaks of one who is styled “the prince of the kingdom of Persia,” who fought against God's messenger to Daniel, and prevented him from fulfilling his mission, for twenty-one days, until Michael, who is spoken of as “the great prince which standeth for” the Jews, came to his aid. Another in the same chapter is called “the prince of Grecia.” These references to these heads of spiritual principalities are illuminating, especially as they come into view in connection with the prophecies relating to the sorrows and final successes of Israel , and they help us to understand the fierce attacks that will be made upon Jerusalem .