"Paul uses this kind of language to refer to what we might identify as demonic powers.
Yet, he is not thinking simply of individual demons who harass or possess people.
Rather, he envisions the whole cosmos as permeated and influenced by powers that we might call supernatural.
Yet, these powers might also include cultural,
economic, and political forces,
the kinds of forces that shape our lives each day ."
"Admittedly, this can be rather confusing, perhaps even mind-blowing and deeply unsettling. Yet, the last thing we should be doing as Christians is living in fear of evil cosmic powers. The good news of Ephesians is that Christ is already sovereign over all such powers, that we have been delivered from the domination of these powers through Christ, and that our role as the church is to proclaim to the powers the victory of God in Christ.
I know this can be heady stuff. But it is stuff that expands our horizons. It gives us a deeper, wider, and truer sense of our purpose on earth. Moreover, it prepares us for Paul's further discussion in Ephesians of how we are to do battle with the powers of evil (see 6:10-20). Ephesians 3:10 encourages us to see our lives in light of God's purposes for the whole universe. You and I are part of something big, something really big.
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