This is what Paul meant when in Ephesians 6:12 he spoke of wrestling, not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies. These powers are Satan’s angels. Satan is a usurping, self-enthroned king. Under him, there are many angels who are the princes, the principalities, and authorities in the air. According to the Bible, the principalities, powers, and authorities under Satan, rule over the countries on earth. For example, Daniel 10:20 speaks of “the prince of Persia” and “the prince of Grecia.” All heathen countries are under the ruling of these satanic princes in the air. In Daniel chapter ten, Daniel prayed for three weeks. Although he was burdened to pray, he did not receive an answer. Eventually, a heavenly visitor said to Daniel, “From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days” (Dan. 10:12-13). This heavenly one had been sent to Daniel, but he was frustrated by the prince of Satan. However, as Daniel 10:13 continues, “Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.” Ancient Persia and Greece both were under principalities in the air. The nation of Israel, however, was not under a satanic prince, but under Michael, the defender of Israel. While Daniel was praying those three weeks, a war was raging in the heavenlies. If we would be the overcomers, the stronger part of the woman, we must pray. All the rumors, criticisms, and opposition do not come from any human beings, but from Satan, who is behind them. If you pray like this, you are qualified to be an overcomer. Do not spend time dealing with your temper or your besetting sin. These things are little “bugs.” Rather, tell Satan, “Satan, I have been distracted for years with paying attention to my temper and to my besetting sin. But now I shall pass this on to you. I will not pay attention to these things, but I will pay attention to preaching to you. I don’t have the time to pray about my temper, but I do have the time to give you another sermon.” We all have been deceived, saying, “Oh, my temper and my besetting sin! If I don’t overcome them, how can I be holy, see the face of the Lord, and have the proper church life?” Leap out of your besetting sin and give Satan a sermon. According to my experience, I can testify that if you try to overcome your temper, your temper will be enlarged. Do not pray to overcome your temper—pray to overcome “the prince of Persia” and “the prince of Greece.” Pray that there may be a way for Michael to come. Pray that many in the Lord’s recovery may not only remain part of the woman but also become part of the man-child. If we pray like this, then one day the man-child will come into existence, and the archangel Michael will take the lead to wage war in the heavens against the dragon and to cast him down to earth.
After the man-child has been resurrected and raptured to heaven, he will not tolerate to see Satan in the heavens. Even today, we should not tolerate to see Satan in the church, but should fight against him. If you fight against Satan today, you will be qualified to fight against him in the heavens. After we have been raptured to the throne of God, we shall see Satan, and he will be terrified of us. When we see him, we shall not tolerate his presence there and we shall say, “Satan, are you still in our God’s sanctuary? This is not your place. Satan, you must go.” Immediately, Michael will act on our word and war against him.