Satan leads a kingdom consisting of himself and the vast army of demons formed when one-third of the angels followed him in rebellion. These angels abandoned their proper domain and positions of authority on the earth, mounted an attack against God in heaven, and were defeated and cast down. The earth itself became their place of restraint, functioning as a prison or silo in which they are held under chains of darkness for future judgment, yet they retain considerable liberty to operate within those limits. This kingdom is organized under Satan as its head, the anointed cherub who was originally perfect in beauty, wisdom, and ways until iniquity was found in him. He exercises control through sheer force rather than willing submission, compelling the demons to carry out his bidding from time to time. At the same time the kingdom remains divided against itself because the demons share the same rebellious, competitive character that prevents them from acting in unity. They are capable of casting out one another through greater power, producing lying signs and wonders, but such internal conflict ensures the kingdom cannot ultimately stand. The demons know God exists and tremble before Him, recognizing His ultimate authority and the restraints He imposes on their actions toward the heirs of salvation. They seek to retain rulership over the earth and thwart the plan by which the saints will replace them, yet they are outnumbered by the good angels who minister to those heirs. The broader message of the material presents this kingdom as the unseen spiritual force behind human troubles and carnal nature, against which believers must stand clothed in the whole armor of God while relying on the numerical and sovereign advantage held by God and His ministering spirits.