Spiritual Wickedness

Understanding "Spiritual Wickedness" 

Ephesians 6:12
12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Titus 1
 
1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

10For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 12One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

We can see here, Paul has taught about how a spirit of lying, evil brute beast behavior and laziness affects an entire group. While in today's society this is totally politically incorrect and considered racism, it is insight into the spiritual infection by evil spirits over an entire people. We can see "spiritual forces" exerting power over their territory that Paul is instructing Titus to set in order. We can even see that he is talking about believers that need to be rebuked sharply to be sound in the faith (doctrine) A spirit of laziness will kill a local congregation faster than anything else.

As an evangelist I always know when I preach at a Church for first time if we are going to have victory right away or is a battle at hand. If the prayer rooms are full, and worship is anointed...the battle is won. If not...and the Pastor is not a prayer warrior, I preach on prayer until repentance comes. Usually this is easy to get (repentance) because where there is no prayer, there will usually be a manifestation of demonic power, and when The Holy Ghost delivers...fear of spiritual forces, and the goodness of God brings repentance.