Daniel 10:12-14 (ESV)

[12] Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. [13] The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, [14] and came to make locked in you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

Daniel had been mourning and praying when he encountered a spirit being in the vision recorded in this chapter. The person he sees is not God. His identity is never clearly revealed except that he appears to be a significant angel. The chapter draws back the curtain and allows us to see behind the scenes. The scriptures say of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14). Hebrews does not make clear how angels serve believers, only that they do. There is a spiritual battle going on behind the scenes that we are rarely aware of.

There are a number of things suggested in these verses that add to our understanding of angels and demons. It seems that there are angels and demons assigned to territories or people groups. Michael is called the “your prince” (Dan 10:21), indicating his connection to the Jewish people. The prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece are referenced in the previous verse. It seems that these angels or demons are connected with the political powers of those countries more than the actual territory in which they live. In Matthew, Jesus speaks of angels specifically associated with helpless children. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 18:10).

There is a lot that we do not know about angels. Much of what we do know comes from scattered references like these in Daniel and Matthew. What we do know is that a battle is raging. The world is never out of control. The one who brought it all into existence by the power of his word can stop it all with a single word. Yet for some reason the battle rages. People and angels are engaged in significant combat.

We see it differently in different cultures. In some cultures, the battle is evident. Demonic manifestations are common. In other cultures, the battle is less visible, yet nonetheless real. When the curtain was drawn back, and Daniel was given a glimpse behind the scenes his strength was sapped. He was visibly shaken, and unable to respond until the angel strengthened him. The angel’s words were the same as God’s words spoken to Joshua and others throughout the scriptures. “Fear not” (Dan 10:12).

When we begin to talk about angels and demons our natural response is fear. We fear that which we do not know or understand. We fear that which is bigger and more powerful than ourselves. We fear that over which we have no strength or power. But our strength is not in ourselves. Our strength is in God. Our power is found in the truth that as believers our lives are secure in Christ.

Colossians 3:1-3

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This is our strength. This is our power. This is our security. We do not ever want to take spiritual warfare lightly. It is a very real thing. Neither do we want to walk in fear. As believers, we “have died and (our) life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). Furthermore, angels are assigned to minister to us. Our strength and our security are not found within ourselves, but in God. “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand” (Edward Mote, 1797-1874). In this assurance we find peace even as the battle rages on. One day there will be a reckoning. One day that war will be over. One day the battle will cease. Until that day we keep our eyes fixed on “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2).