Derek Prince - Children of Obedience or Disobedience
So Satan, fallen from being Lucifer, having set up his rival rebellious kingdom in the heavenlies, rules there over a host of rebellious angels. The key word to describe Satan and those who are with him is the word rebel. Rebellion against God. Now Satan also has a lower, shall we say stratum, of his kingdom on earth. And again, the key word that describes those over whom he rules on earth is the word rebel. This is made plain in Ephesians chapter 2. We are talking now, not about Satan’s kingdom in the heavenlies, but about those over whom he rules on earth. Ephesians chapter 2 (and these words are addressed to Christians) And you God made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins...
Now he describes how people live before they are converted and come to serve God. In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. Who is the prince of the power of the air? Satan, that’s right. The spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. What is the word that describes the sons of disobedience? Rebels, that’s right. Anyone who is in rebellion against God automatically comes under the control of Satan. You understand? It is not enough to go to church and sing hymns. You have to lay down your rebellion against God and submit yourself to Jesus. That’s when the change comes. Lots of churchgoers are still rebels. And as rebels they are actually being controlled by Satan.
Now Paul goes on saying in verse 3: Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves. Any of us who disagree here? One thing I know, I certainly did. I have no doubts about where I was before the Lord found me. I was a rebel and in the kingdom of rebels. I did not know it. I thought I was very clever, very successful. I thought I had all the answers to everything. Until I started to read the Bible, and then I discovered I didn't. I cannot go into that but I just want to say...
Paul said: We apostles, including I, Paul, we were all in that category, rebels being manipulated by Satan through spiritual power which we did not understand. We did not know who was pulling the strings. We just moved as our strings were pulled. Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
Notice it is not only the desires of the flesh, but our minds are alienated and in enmity with God until we surrender. The intellectuals are some of God’s most fervent enemies. And then he says: We were by nature the children of wrath, just as others. So that’s a description of the lower stratum of Satan’s kingdom. Humanity on earth. All human rebels, regardless of their race or their denominational label. Unless they are truly submitted to Jesus Christ, God’s appointed ruler, are rebels; and Satan, by spiritual power, controls them.
Now there is a very interesting phrase there. He says, He is the ruler of the power in the realm of authority of the air. I cannot dwell on this, but there are two main Greek words for air. One is aer, from which we get the word air; the other is the word aither, from which we get the word ether. Now we are not concerned with the words that come from them but the fact is that aer is the lower air contiguous with the earth’s surface; aither is the higher, rarer air. Which word do you think is used here? The lower air. In other words, Satan rules the surface of the earth. That’s his realm. There’s a lot of interesting speculations, because when Jesus comes it says we will be caught up to meet Him in the air. Which air? The lower air. We cannot go into all of that; there’s a lot we could theorize about that but we will restrain ourselves.