03 - The Opposing Spirits

The Scriptures which have been already referred to, and others which will be hereafter referred to, make mention of two mighty Spirits. One is the Holy Spirit of God, who descended to earth at Pentecost, and who indwells the Church, the “One Body,” and individual believers, members of that Body. The other is Satan, that mighty spirit, the greatest, so far as we know, of all created intelligences, higher in authority than the Archangel (Jude 1:9), and who only Jehovah can rebuke (Zec 3:2); that being who sealed up the sum, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, who has assumed the spiritual direction of the affairs of this age as its god, and has been for 1800 years directing its progress with consummate wisdom and tireless energy, and filling the earth with his vast schemes of improvement.

The Holy Spirit now indwells and works in the children of God. Satan is “the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2:2). It is to this great being and to his projects for the age that our attention is to be directed. The Scripture cited above (2Co 4:4) gives us his title as “god of this age” (hence the age is designated in Gal 1:4 “this present evil age” and in Eph 6:13 as “the evil day”). This Scripture also clearly states his great purpose, which is to blind the minds of the unbelieving so that the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ should not shine unto them. This Scripture throws a light upon the scene around us, upon the world and its activities, in which light their significance can be clearly comprehended. Our lord refused to receive the kingdoms of the world and “the glory of them” from the prince of this world (Luk 4:5-6). His earthly glory is, therefore, postponed. We, who have believed, have heard “the Gospel of the glory of Christ” (R.V.), that is to say, the Gospel or “good news” of the coming glory of Christ, and we know that when He shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory (Col 3:4). Hence, believers should have no part in, and should do nothing to contribute to, the sham glories of this age. Hence, on the other hand, the great purpose of the god of this age is to blind the minds of the unbelieving mass and thus shut out form them the good news of the coming glory of Christ. In this undertaking he has been so eminently successful that many, probably the majority, of the Lord’s own people are, to a greater or less extent, deceived as to the character of the age and its real purpose.