Territorial spirits arenational angels,[1] ordemons who rule over certain geographical areas in the world, a concept accepted within theCharismatic movement,Pentecostalism, andDominionist Kingdom Now theology. This belief has been popularized by the novelThis Present Darkness byFrank E. Peretti[2] as well as by the ministry ofC. Peter Wagner and the relatedNew Apostolic Reformation.[3] The existence of territorial spirits is viewed as significant inspiritual warfare within these Christian groups. Related is the belief inspiritual mapping in order to locate these demonically controlled regions.
In both theSeptuagint and theDead Sea Scrolls,Deuteronomy32:8-9 refers to a time when God divided the nations of the earth among the "sons of God" (Israel is excepted as the special possession of God Himself.) Given the meaning of this phrase in theBook of Job, it is suggested that this is a reference to the origin of territorial spirits who were, at one time, angels administering the earth on God's behalf. Wagner appeals toF. F. Bruce, who points out that the Septuagint reading "implies that the administration of various nations has been parceled out among a corresponding number of angelic powers."[4] The question remains, however, as to whether these spirits are malevolent.
Psalm 82 speaks of "elohim" who are "sons of the most High" and are assigned to judge mankind until dying like men or "falling like one of the princes". Psalm 58 covers similar ground.[5]
Daniel 10 concerns the visitation of a man "His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude" to the prophetDaniel. This man explains to Daniel that he was delayed by the "Prince of Persia" (10:13), but was helped by "Michael, one of the chief princes" (a reference toMichael the Archangel, who was recognized in Jewish literature to be a chief angel guarding over Israel). Later in the chapter, the man warns Daniel that soon the "Prince of Greece" (10:20) will join his Persian counterpart to make war upon them.[citation needed]
Wagner regards this chapter as a key passage supporting the existence of territorial spirits, and appeals toKeil andDelitzsch, who suggest that the "prince of Persia" is the "guardian spirit of the kingdom."[4] George Otis, coiner of the termspiritual mapping, says that Daniel 10 is "a well-defined case of an evil spiritual being ruling over an area with explicitly defined boundaries."[6] David E. Stevens notes that many scholars take the Prince of Persia to be an earthly political authority, such asCambyses II. Stevens personally accepts the angelic interpretation, but argues that the "influence exerted by these angelic princes is personal and sociopolitical in nature and not territorial."[7] Stevens notes that in Daniel 12:1, Michael the Archangel, is described as "the great prince who protects your people" (NIV), which "emphasizes the protective role of Michael in relation to the people of God rather than with respect to a given territory. Michael remained the guardian angel of the people of God, whether Israel was in the Promised Land or was dispersed in exile among the nations."[8]
Territorial spirits are a part of strategic-levelspiritual warfare (SLSW) as promoted byNew Apostolic Reformation (NAR) leaderC. Peter Wagner and others in the movement, which involves the practice of mapping the spiritual and social history of an area in order forprophets to learn thenames and assignments of demonic spirits as the first step to effective spiritual warfare.[9][10] Named demons includeJezebel,Baal, andLeviathan.[11][12]
The AmericanReAwaken America Tour was originally aCOVID-19 protest, which later became "a rollingChautauqua-style celebration of the spiritual side ofTrumpism"[13] sponsored by Charismatic organizations and featuring NAR speakers. The events took on a spiritual warfare tone including references to territorial spirits; in 2022 pastorMark Burns spoke of "demonic territory that's over the land" andRoger Stone mentioned a "Satanic portal [appearing] above the White House" after President Joe Biden took office, stating that it "must be closed. And it will be closed by prayer."[14][15][16]
Melvin Tinker argues that the literary use ofterritorialspirits is amisnomer, since spirits referred to in various Biblical passages "are to be more associated with political and religious power and ideologies."[17] Opponents of the theological construct of strategic-level spiritual warfare and associated beliefs point out that while the Bible may describe some form of demonic control over geography, it does not prescribe many of the behaviors and teachings that proponents advocate in response.[9]
Scholars such as Robert Priest,Paul Hiebert and A. Scott Moreau, as well as missionary and anthropologistCharles H. Kraft detectanimist ideas in the arguments of supporters of the theory of territorial spirits. Robert Guelich ofFuller Theological Seminary does not find the concept of territorial spirits within theGospels, and has analyzed this problem in a critical review ofFrank E. Peretti's novelThis Present Darkness. Peretti's second novel,Piercing the Darkness, also features these themes.[18][19][20][21]