Revelation 9:20; Worshipping Devils
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
How frightening that men would worship devils! Yet, the godless world is controlled by men who gave their souls to devils.
Ephesians 6:12 For 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.
It is not flesh and blood, the battle is not just physical but against Satan and his demons, it is against these demonic powers that we wrestle.
The word “principalities” means “beginning or chief” of rulers.
The word “powers” means “authorities”, chief princes and men in society.
It is further explained as the rulers of the powers of darkness of this world. It means a world-ruler. It described one holding power over the world; for devilish forces, spirit-beings who control parts of the world system world rulers.
…against spiritual wickedness in high places. Of the lower heavens, the sky or air as the seat of evil spirits.
As one late pastor Criswell puts it well, Satan is “the one king-sovereign ruler over all of the demons of disease, and darkness, and despair, and ruin, and destruction. There are many demons, many unclean spirits, but there is one great prince and ruler over them all…He is king over all the fallen host of the dark and evil world, in heaven and in earth called Abaddon in Hebrew and in Greek Apollyon, it means ruin and destruction and death. (Revelation 9:11). He is also the sovereign ruler over fallen men who reject God.”
The followers of the devil are in great bondage. But the power of God is superior. It is able to break even such stronghold to rescue the poor soul. Jesus breaks every fetter!
Luke 8:26-39 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
Every burden is lifted when Jesus is nigh! May the Lord be gracious to save! Amen.