Derek Prince - How Angels and Demons Fight Out A War In The Heavens
This is an excerpt from: War In Heaven And Earth - Part 1
Now, if you read in Daniel, chapter 12, verse 1, it says: at that time Michael is sure to stand up, the Great Prince who stands watch over the sons of your people. Who are the sons of your people when it's addressed to Daniel? Come on tell me, who are the sons of your people? The Jews, that's right, it's not a popular word, but there it is, the Jews, they are the sons of Daniel's people and whenever you see Daniel in the scripture you know the Jews are center stage in history because he stands up for the people for whom he's been given charged by God, and then it goes on to say: I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. So, one angel couldn't break through, it took two, this angel and Michael.
Now I've come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come. When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. and suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, "My Lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I retained no strength. For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me". So, he went through with any powerful spiritual experience and not all spiritual experiences are enjoyable. If only one is enjoyment you're going to miss out on a lot of things. Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, "O man greatly beloved" I like that, "O man greatly beloved".
That's a message from heaven to Daniel, "fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong"! So, when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my Lord speak, for you have strengthened me". Verse 20, then he said, "Do you know why I've come to you? And now I must return to fight with the Prince of Persia". So, the battle wasn't over, he'd broken through, but on the way back he had to deal with this satanic angel in the mid heavens, the Prince of Persia. "And when I have gone forth, behold the Prince of Greece will come". The Prince of Greece is not a human being, it's another satanic angel, So, we found two countries, Persia and Greece. Each of with had a satanic angel put over them to work out Satan's plan for them. Why were they so significant both to God and to Satan? Because the destiny of Israel was being settled there.
Now, he goes on, "And I will tell you what is noted in the Scriptures of Truth. No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince. Talking to a Jew, Michael, your Prince. So, here's a very vivid description of conflict between angels, God's angels and Satan's angels, not on earth but in the mid heavens. See how real that is? Alright. Then it goes on. Also, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up not to confirm strengthen him". Now, Darius was a ruler raised up by God to bless Israel. Can you see how Israel is the central theme of all of this? And we see that because of Darius's influence with Israel he was supported by the angels of God.
So, this is... There has been a whole different scenario from what we used to. Daniel set it all in motion. It's very important to remember that Daniel took the initiative, the initiative was not with heaven, it was with earth. Daniel started to pray and fast that set heaven in motion, God sent an angel with the answer, but the angel was intercepted in the mid heavens by a satanic angel called, the Prince of Persia, and it took the angel plus Michael twenty-one days to break through. Can you see, when we're talking about wrestling it's not a little parlor game. It's serious business. If I can leave anything with you, I would like to leave with you the reality of the fact that it's going to take a lot more than most of us are doing to break the power of Satan over this nation. If he can destroy the United States, he will, and I have to say, I hope, I say it kindly, the great majority of American Christians are not in touch with reality, they're playing their little religious games, having a nice time in church, and they're totally unaware that deadly conflict in the spiritual realm is taking place, and that the church on earth has a vital function to perform.
Our wrestling match is not against persons with bodies but against rulership and authority. The world dominators of this present darkness, dear brothers and sisters, that's not a little assignment, that's not something you teach us in a Sunday School lesson, that demands total commitment, it demands facing the realities of the spiritual situation, it demands coming to grips with selfishness, and self-centeredness, and self-indulgence, and saying, away with them. This is too important for my little petty personal interests to interfere with what God wants me to do. All right, we have spoken to that picture.