Then he [angel] continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day
that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your
God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince
of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the
chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of
Persia. Daniel 10:12-13
There is considerable interest and teaching today about “territorial
spirits,” that is, spiritual warfare waged against high-ranking principalities
and powers assigned to a locale. The Scripture passage here indicates that a
particular evil spirit was assigned to Daniel’s human government or territory.
But what we lack biblically is any example of or injunction to engage these
spirits directly or by name. Daniel only prayed to his God who sovereignly
directs angels to war against the territorial rulers. The Apostle Paul taught
that demonic emissaries who attack the church and hinder its mission can be
overcome only through reliance on the power of God.
That same power of God is much needed in the world today. For example,
witchcraft is being used as a strategic weapon by traditional Indian authorities
in western Colombia in an attempt to weaken and even stamp out the faith of
indigenous Christians. Sorcerers or witchdoctors, called te walas by the
indigenous peoples, have started sending messengers to sit in the back during
church services, rather than going directly themselves. When the pastors invite
listeners to receive Christ, these messengers say, “No, we have just come to
listen.” But while Christians are praying, the te walas sprinkle the
cursed waters around the church.
If their incantations bring no results, the te walas themselves come
to the church, surrounding it with occult rites to cause the believers to lose
their desire to pray and read the Bible. In some recent night-time visits by
these traditional “healers,” the witchdoctors made pacts with animal blood as
well as sprinkled their cursed waters on the church.
A seventeen-year-old girl in one church was induced to participate in these
practices, despite having Christian parents. She actually made a pact of
witchcraft, her pastor said, to give over one of her relatives to Satan.
Discouraged, her parents cannot understand how this could happen in their home,
where she learned to know and love God. Church leaders and the pastor have
united with this family to intercede for urgently for this young girl’s
deliverance. The pastor admitted that he feared that more such cases are
happening that have yet to be discovered. They need our prayers.
RESPONSE: Today I’ll not underestimate the power of God to defeat all that
Satan throws against me.
PRAYER: Lord, may Your mighty power overcome the evil united against Your
church in Colombia.