The Reality of Spiritual Warfare

this world of our senses is the unseen world where all that is of a spiritual nature dwells -- both good and evil -- and it is in this invisible world that spiritual warfare takes place -- it is in this unseen world that we fight against the principalities and powers that seek to do us harm.

2. We Are Involved In An Invisible War, A Cosmic Conflict That Has Eternal Implications

The Bible tells us that once Daniel had been praying to God and not receiving an answer to his prayer -- an angel came to him and explained the delay in terms of spiritual warfare:

Then he said, "Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Daniel 10:12-13

There is much here we do not understand, but what is very obvious is that a spiritual war was taking place between these spirits and angels. This reveals that in the world which is unseen by us there is a conflict going on, a conflict of the ages between good and evil, light and darkness, God and Satan. It reveals that there are satanic forces and heavenly forces. And it reveals that we are smack dab in the middle of the whole thing.

Once Elisha and his servant were confronted with the army of King Aram which had surrounded the city. The servant saw the chariots of the enemy and began to despair.

"Ah, my lord, what will we do now?" he cried out to Elisha. "Don’t be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!" The LORD opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:15b-17

God revealed to them that He was ready to do battle on their behalf from the world that was unseen with human eyes. The spiritual battle that we are in is no less real than it was for Daniel, or Elisha, or any of God’s people down through the ages.

Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don’t understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

Maybe you are reading this today and you are not in a relationship with Christ, or perhaps you have trouble even understanding what I am writing about. Or maybe you once felt close to God and have been straying away. It just might be that you are engaged in a spiritual war that you are not even aware of and Satan is blinding your mind to the truth. Those of us who are in Christ are here to battle, not those of you who are not Christians, but the Satanic presence that is keeping you from understanding.

We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians