Text: Isaiah 14:13, 14; Psalm 62:11; Genesis 3:1-6; Colossians 1:15, 16

Yesterday we read all that the Lord created and from the text purposefully marked the words thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers to look at today. Robert C. Linthicum in City of God City of Satan writes, “The throne is the institution of power in a state, city, or economic body; in Paul’s day it was a literal chair of authority that symbolized the ‘seat’ of authority. Dominion is the territory influenced or ruled by the throne. Principality (or prince) is the specific person who currently occupies the throne. Power [is comprised] of the various rules, legalities, traditions, and sanctions that legitimize the throne’s rule over that dominion and provides the authority by which the principality occupies the throne” (page 67). Thus we glean from the Colossian passage the greater understanding of all that was made by Christ in creating both the visible and the invisible.

We also understand that everything created was good (cf. Genesis 1:31) and that what tarnished power’s good and gave it an evil side was Lucifer’s rebellion and Adam’s embrace. Tom Marshall in Understanding Leadership penned, “In the Fall however, man succumbed to the temptation to reach for autonomy, to be like God and to be the source of his own wisdom and his own power. Satan who said ‘I will be like the Most High’ said in turn to Eve, ‘You will be like God.” The illegitimate grasp for power therefore lies behind the fall of Lucifer and the fall of man” (page 58). And thus the Fall turned power into a battle—would it be exercised for the good of all or wielded for personal gain.

Tomorrow we will speak further on the results of the Fall in relation to the battles of power. But today it must be remembered that all principalities and powers were created by Christ and He reigns supreme over them. Any battle with the adversary and his representative—the principality that sits on the throne—is not a battle of equals for Christ is preeminent!

Today worship the Lord as do those in the heavens by singing, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV).