Scripture Reading: Dan. 10:10—11:1; Gen. 1:26, 28a; Matt. 12:28; Rev. 12:10a; 11:15
Ⅰ
"Your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days; but now Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me"—Dan. 10:12b-13a:
A
For us to know God's economy, we need to see the spiritual things behind the physical things, the spiritual world behind the physical world—vv. 20-21.
B
It is crucial for us to see that behind the physical scene a spiritual struggle, a struggle not seen with human eyes, is taking place:
１
While Daniel was praying for twenty-one days, a spiritual struggle was taking place in the air between two spirits, one belonging to Satan and the other belonging to God:
ａ
The angelic messenger had been fighting against the prince of the kingdom of Persia, probably an evil spirit, a rebellious angel, who followed Satan in his rebellion against God—v. 20a; Rev. 12:4a.
ｂ
Michael, a prince fighting for Israel, fought together with the angelic messenger against the evil spirits—Dan. 10:13, 21.
２
Isaiah 14:12-14 unveils Satan's kingdom of darkness and his oneness with the rulers of the nations.
３
Behind the physical scene, a spiritual struggle, an invisible spiritual war, is taking place—Eph. 6:10-20.
C
The vision in Revelation 12 unveils the true situation in the universe—the warfare between God and His enemy.
D
In our spiritual fighting, we deal not with things that appear on the surface but with the power of darkness behind these things—Eph. 2:6; 6:12.
Ⅱ
"God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion over…every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth"—Gen. 1:26:
A
God created a corporate man not only to express Him with His image but also to represent Him by exercising His dominion over all things.
B
The creeping things typify Satan, the serpent, and his angels, as well as the demons who follow Satan—3:1; Rev. 12:4a, 7b, 9; Matt. 25:41; cf. Luke 10:19.
C
God's intention in giving man dominion was to:
１
Subdue God's enemy, Satan, who rebelled against God.
２
Recover the earth, which was usurped by Satan.
３
Exercise God's authority over the earth in order that the kingdom of God may come to the earth, the will of God may be done on the earth, and the glory of God may be manifested on the earth—Matt. 6:10, 13b.
D
"God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it"—Gen. 1:28a:
１
Subdue here implies that a war is raging on earth between God and His enemy, Satan; whoever gains the earth will have the victory.
２
Man was created by God to subdue, to conquer, the earth and recover it for God.
Ⅲ
"Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth"— Matt. 6:10:
A
The coming of the kingdom is not automatic; if there is no prayer, the kingdom cannot come.
B
The prayer of the church is the most effective means of curbing Satan—16:19.
C
Genuine prayer is a joint labor with God to bring His kingdom to the earth and to carry out His will on earth; hence, prayer is a spiritual battle—2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:12.
Ⅳ
"Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ"—Rev. 12:10a:
A
Along with our praying for the kingdom's coming, we need to fight for it:
１
In order for the kingdom of the heavens to be established, there is the need of spiritual fighting—Matt. 12:22-29.
２
The responsibility of the church is to continue the warfare Christ fought on earth; the church must continue the victorious work that Christ has carried out against Satan—Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8b; Col. 2:15; Psa. 149:5-9.
B
The overcoming believers fight against Satan to usher in God's kingdom.
C
Christ will take as His bride the one who has been fighting against God's enemy for years—Rev. 19:7-9:
１
Christ will marry the overcomers, who have already overcome the evil one.
２
The Lord's armies are those who constitute the bride of Christ—v. 14.
Ⅴ
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever"—11:15:
A
Spiritual warfare is the warfare between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan—Matt. 12:26, 28.
B
The purpose of spiritual warfare is to bring in the kingdom of God—Rev. 12:10.
C
The kingdom of God is the exercise of the divine will and the overthrowing of the power of Satan by the power of God—Matt. 6:10.
D
Wherever the devil has been cast out and wherever the work of the enemy has been displaced by God's power, the kingdom of God is there—12:28.