Rising tensions involving Iran have drawn worldwide attention, but Scripture teaches that conflicts between nations are not merely political or military struggles.
Pastor Kap Chatfield says the Bible reveals that unseen spiritual forces influence events that unfold in the natural world.
Chatfield points to the apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 6, which describe the true nature of the battles believers face.
“Ephesians chapter 6, Paul says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places,” he said.
That passage reveals that spiritual warfare operates with order and authority rather than chaos.
“So when we talk about spiritual warfare, it’s hard to understand it because most people don’t see it,” Chatfield said. “For the longest time, I thought like every demon is just a demon. But what we see from what he says is there’s actually order. There’s rank and file.”
Principalities and Territorial Authority
Chatfield explains that the first rank Paul mentions, principalities, refers to spiritual powers that exercise authority over specific regions.
“A principality is specifically a demonic or a dark spirit from the kingdom of darkness that has geographical territory that it has jurisdiction over,” he said.
These spiritual forces operate over nations and regions and influence what unfolds in the natural world.
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Daniel 10 Reveals Spiritual Warfare
The book of Daniel gives a clear biblical example of this unseen conflict. Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days before receiving an answer from God. When the angel finally appeared, he explained why the message had been delayed.
“I have come in answer to your prayer, but for 21 days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way,” the angel said.
Chatfield highlights the significance of that moment.
“The prayer got to heaven on day one,” he said. “The message on its way back got held up.”
The angel explained that the archangel Michael stepped in to confront the spiritual opposition.
Spiritual Events Come Before Natural Events
Chatfield explains that events in the spiritual realm precede what appears in the physical world. He describes this as a spillover effect.
“Everything in the natural realm first begins in the spirit realm. It’s not the other way around,” he said.
He compares the natural world to a shadow that reflects a deeper reality.
“The natural realm is a shadow of what’s happening in the spirit realm,” he said. “How bizarre would it be if I walked up to you and I saw your shadow on the floor and I started shaking your shadow’s hand?”
That picture shows how easily people focus on visible events while ignoring the spiritual reality behind them.
Applying the Biblical Pattern to Iran
This biblical framework sheds light on modern geopolitical developments, including events surrounding Iran, which occupies the territory historically known as Persia.
“When a global leader such as Donald Trump and then the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu, coordinate a collaborated attack to take out the supreme leader in the natural over the area of Persia,” Chatfield said, “that communicates to me that something first happened in the spirit realm.”
The removal of a leader in that region reflects a deeper shift.
“For whatever reason there’s a vacancy and allowed the actual supreme leader to be taken out,” he said.
Scripture teaches that we as Christians do not fight merely against earthly powers. The Bible reveals a deeper spiritual conflict unfolding behind the scenes of world events, reminding us that prayer and spiritual awareness remain essential as history continues to unfold.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
