… and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Summary: Are we really involved in what happens in the “heavenly realms?” According to Paul, we are. The question is, “How?”
Paul has been explaining that we are in a war that requires us to wear armor. He is telling us who the enemy is and who it isn’t. He says our struggle is not with “flesh and blood” people, even though it is people who are always trying to kill him. Instead, our struggle is with invisible forces of darkness here on earth. And now he adds, “and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
The “heavenly realms,” whatever you think of them, are not here on earth. They are above us, well out of reach. So how could our “struggle” be against something not even here on earth?
Full disclosure: I don’t know the answer. However, I have a couple of ideas.
My first idea is that when Paul says “our struggle,” he is including God. I don’t know that God struggles with this situation, but he is certainly concerned about our struggles with Satan (Matthew 6: 26). In that sense, we are part of a larger struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. In the same way, a ground soldier might say, “We are struggling with the enemy on the ground and in the air,” meaning we have forces on the ground and forces in the air. A Christian can say, “We” are struggling here on earth, and up in the heavens, too.
The second possibility is that we have some influence over what happens in the heavens. The example I have in mind is Daniel. At the end of the seventy-year exile, he prays to God, and the Lord sends the angel Gabriel to him. Gabriel’s opening words begin with:
“As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.” (Daniel 9:23)
When Daniel prayed, things happened in the heavens. By this I mean the highest heaven, the one that Paul refers to as the “third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2). James reminds us of Elijah’s prayer and how he influenced a lower heaven when he prayed:
“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:17-18)
We humans like to talk about the “power of prayer,” but I wonder if we know what we are talking about. Isn’t it the power of God we are really talking about? Just as God wanted Adam to participate in creation by naming the animals and working the Garden (Genesis 2:15, 19-20), he invites us to participate in spiritual struggles by prayer.
Application: Pray!
Food for Thought: What do you think Paul means by telling us that our “struggle” is “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms?”
We know that other than God and Satan there is no pure good or evil.
Based upon grace we as full flawed with both “evil” and “good” are transformed to the “good” sheep in God’s observation only through Jesus.
Everything for man exists in a continuum from each extreme. Taller or shorter. Not tall or short. IQ is higher or lower. Fatter or thinner. Kinder or meaner. Faster or slower. More or less introverted. Quieter. More analytical. Less creative. Better work ethic.
As example. As we explore we learn greater things of this world. We almost cannot imagine the extent of tallest or shortest …as revealed to a world explorer in my recent readings of Gulliver’s Travels.
For every extreme there is a greater extreme on either side on the continuum. Every record is set to be broken.
The struggle to a better relationship with God and to be Christ-like will exist in our eternal life. The journey continues forever.
Life on earth is our perceived beginning on a journey that now has no end. As we will have eternal life; we will exist in an eternal continuum in this life and life in heaven. The “struggle” will continue in a good way like a child struggling to walk. We look forward to greater knowledge and with it comes greater expectations and abilities in the eternal life.
Gary,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts here! Very interesting!!
I think a key aspect to your question is: “what are the heavenly realms and how far does the influence of beings who dwell there reach?”
We know that Satan could ask God questions about Job all the while wandering the earth to observe Job and others. We know that people were demon possessed during Jesus’ ministry on earth (and can still be so). So those beings had sway and influence over people on earth. Eporanios is the Greek word in question. According to Strong’s, it can not only refer to a geographical place, but also “the sphere of spiritual activities.” Obviously Paul has in mind we are at war and with this sphere or group of demonic beings. So that sphere can clearly impact us, we need to be aware, ready to engage the enemy, and as you said, pray! I don’t think it is an accident that prayer is mentioned six times in verses 18 – 20 of the famous spiritual warfare passage.
Thank you, Rich!
Prayer is, I agree, a primary take-away here.
The enemy is very crafty. He constantly tries to tempt us into ineffectiveness. Ineffectiveness in seeking Gods will, in service, and in transformation. He tried to tempt Christ into ineffectiveness, but Jesus would not trade “today” for eternity. The struggle, in part, is that Satan doesnt knock on our front door, or call us on the phone. If He did, and he suggested the things that he he does, we would rebuke him. Just the fact that we would be able to see him for who he is might turn our attention toward God (for some maybe not). The struggle is that Satan is able to convince us to disobey God without bringing God into the picture. Small agreements grow into big decisions. One small accusation can send us in the wrong direction. Paul wants us to be aware, be guarded, take captive our mind, against an enemy that preys on our weaknesses: fear, pride, self-service.
Matthew 26:41 ESV “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Chris,
Comparing Satan’s wiles to a sales call is a very interesting thought experiment!
10-14-2023, What do you think Paul means by telling us that our “struggle” is “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms?”
The phrase “heavenly places” or “heavenly realms” is used several times in the book of Ephesians 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12. This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning “the sphere of spiritual activities.”
To understand what God is communicating through His Word, we must grow in our understanding of who God is as He has chosen to reveal Himself in His Word, and live our lives in peace knowing He is beyond our understanding.
Know God is Incomprehensible, beyond our abilities to fully understand.
Romans 11:33, Revelation 1:8, Isaiah 40:28, 55:8-9,1 John 4-16, James 1:17, Hebrews 11:6
From the beginning of God’s Word until the end, God’s omnipotence shines. Genesis 1:1, Revelation 1:8, Jeremiah 32:17, Psalm 147;5, Daniel 4:35, Matthew 19:26, Luke 1:37
God is omnipresent: Psalm 113:4-6, 139:7-10, Proverbs 15:3, Isaiah 57:15, Jeremiah 23_23-24, Hebrews 4:13.
God created and sustains all life: Hebrews 1:3, John 1:3, John 3:16, Acts 17:28, Isaiah 40:28, Romans 1:20, 6:23, John 17:3.
God’s Son, Jesus Christ, became human and lived here on earth without sin for more approximately 33 years for our benefit.“
Luke 3:23, John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:7, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:1-3
Because God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, creator and sustainer of all life, He is fully capable of multi-tasking. He walked among His imperfect creation without being contaminated by sin, He spoke with Satan, the master of all evil without being affected by his sin.
We exist in the “sphere of spiritual activities” which exists within God and remain unaffected by the powers of evil as we are fully clothed in the armor of God who is Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Ron!
I appreciated your point about understanding God’s Word and that “we must grow in our understanding of who God is as He has chosen to reveal Himself in His Word.” The ultimate “context” for God’s Word is God himself.