… nor angels nor principalities…

On this earth we contend with more than just the evils that can be inflicted by nature, accidents, or other people. Paul tells us that we have even greater enemies: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Powerful invisible beings in the spirit world are waging a mighty war for our eternal destiny. How can we contend with these supernatural beings who possess supernatural powers? It seems like fending off a nuclear missile with a BB gun.

Scholars have argued that the term “angels” here refers only to evil angels. Given the context, that makes sense. Why would we need God’s protection from good angels who serve Him faithfully? Yet, since this is a passage of contrasting opposites, it makes literary sense to think that these must be good angels in order to contrast with their demonic opposites.

While it is not clear just how God’s faithful angels could hurt us, it is abundantly clear that Satan’s demonic hosts can. In their hatred of God and His creation, they would do anything to get their hands on us, either to inflict serious trauma or to destroy us completely. No doubt much of the evil we endure is inflicted by these demonic beings. But they cannot destroy us, and they cannot hurt us in our inner spirits where we are firmly tethered to God’s love.

From archangel Gabriel to archdemon Lucifer and the full range and ranks of forces in between, there is no power sufficient to break the hold of God’s love upon His children. By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ “disarmed principalities and powers” (Colossians 2:15; 1 Peter 3:21–22). They cannot destroy us because His love protects us fully. This is why the devil must flee when we resist him in the name and power of Christ (James 4:7). In spite of his formidable powers, Satan is helpless in the approaching shadow of God’s love.

Not the Cares of Today or the Concerns of Tomorrow

… nor things present nor things to come…

In every era people have been under some kind of attack that threatened their physical lives, their financial lives, or their spiritual lives—if not all the above. In my early childhood, the threat was World War II. At the time, I was too young to be aware of all that was going on, but I knew that nobody could predict who would win the war. It threatened both our present and our future.