10:13,14
These two verses are rather strange, giving a picture of conflict in the “spiritual realms” (see Ephesians). They can lead to rather suspect teaching on “territorial spirits” or the like. Now what are we to learn from this? One thing is that there are things going on in the spiritual realms that we are not aware of. Another thing is that it is Daniel’s “normal” prayers that were effective. He was not praying against any territorial spirit or power, rather he was confessing his own sins and the sins of the nation. So what are we to make of Eph 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”? We are to pray like Daniel, and we do so knowing that we are part of a spiritual conflict. Ephesians tells us how to fight this battle with the full armour of God. The “territorial spirits” stuff can lead to very bad teaching, and distract us from the battle that we are meant to be fighting. We are indeed part of a spiritual conflict, but we are to play our part in the way that God has instructed.
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