Demonology: The Hierarchy of Satan’s Kingdom (Ephesians 6:12)

Most Christians don’t realize this: not every thought you have is your own thought. Some of them are the thoughts of the Pneumatikos. What are the Pneumatikos? They’re those things Paul warned us about in Ephesians 6:12.

Once of the most famous New Testament verses. You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it.

Ephesians 6:12 says (in the ESV)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We’ve read that. We’ve heard sermons on it. We’ve understood it- or, we think we do. We understand that this is talking about spiritual warfare. Satan’s army. 

But what exactly are the rulers? What specifically are the authorities? Or cosmic powers? Or spiritual forces of evil? 

These names might sound like the bad guys in an episode of Power Rangers. But what do all these phrases mean?

These terms refer to the hierarchy of power, or the ranks in the devil’s kingdom. Just like our military might have generals, captains, lieutenants, and infantry, the devil also has an organized militia. They take orders. There’s a chain of command. And if you listen all the way through today, you’ll understand this verse deeper than ever before, and you’ll have a much clearer understanding of how Satan’s kingdom operates.

There are demonic minions who operate at a very low level. There are principalities who operate at a very high level. And there is a prince of darkness at the very very top. (And it was not Ozzy Osbourne.)

I did find Ozzy Osbourne to be weird. But even more-so, I find Satan’s kingdom to be weird, and I’d like to know everything about it that we can find in the Bible. 

And if you want to learn that, too, turn to Ephesians 6, and let’s get weird.

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0:00 - Introduction

2:20 - Get Me to the Greek

5:15 - Arche or Principality

8:20 - Exousia or Power-Authority

13:50 - Kosmokrator or Cosmic Powers

15:50 - Pneumatikos or Spiritual Forces

17:30 - How Satan’s Kingdom Functions

26:00 - How to Repent

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Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!