The Unseen Realm: Awakening Unseen Battles

Quick Glance: For Your Heart Today
There’s more happening than meets the eye. The Bible reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against unseen spiritual forces. Yet, we often live unaware—focused on what we can see, while the real battle rages in a realm we cannot.

This is not to stir fear—but to awaken us to truth. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha’s servant panics when surrounded by enemy forces. But Elisha prays, “Lord, open his eyes.” Suddenly, the servant sees the hills ablaze with God’s army.

That’s the heart of this message: what looks overwhelming is never the whole story. God is with us, fighting for us. And He invites us to stand strong, fully armed with His truth.

3 Takeaways

1. The Battle Is Real—and It’s Spiritual.
   Our struggles aren’t just human problems; there’s a spiritual dimension at work. Awareness is key.
2. You Are Never Outnumbered.
   God’s presence and power are greater than any enemy. When fear closes in, remember: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
3. Prayer Opens Our Eyes.
   Like Elisha’s prayer for his servant, our prayer should be: “Lord, open my eyes.” Spiritual clarity helps us see God’s presence and power at work even when life feels surrounded.

If You Only Have a Moment
Take a breath and receive this truth today:
Inhale: Thank you, Lord
Exhale: I’m surrounded by You!

Full Sermon Manuscript
(Estimated reading time: 24 minutes)

Before we dive in, I want to start by reading the passage that will anchor this entire series: Ephesians 6:10–12. We’ll come back to these words again and again because they remind us where the real battle is and how God calls us to stand.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12)

This will be the truth we’ll return to again and again. But notice where the battle is. Paul says it’s in the heavenly realms. That doesn’t mean way up in the clouds; it means there is an unseen spiritual world that impacts what happens in our physical seen world.

For months, we’ve been talking about living into Greater Things, our theme for the year. But here’s the truth: we cannot fully live into the greater things God has for us if you don’t understand the realities of the spiritual realm.

We aren’t just physical beings living in a physical world. We are also spiritual beings living in a spiritual world. And too many of us live unaware—assuming people, circumstances or even ourselves are the reason for every struggle—when Scripture says plainly: “Our struggle is not only against flesh and blood.”

As a church, we’re reading the novel, Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. It’s a work of fiction of course, but it gives a powerful picture of biblical truths.

For example, listen to this account about Sally Roe:

She walked quickly down the street, clutching her coat tighter against the chill. Her thoughts were swirling: You’re worthless. You’ve blown it. You’ll never find peace. The whispers sounded like her own voice—like they came from deep inside. She didn’t realize those words were planted, not born.

Above her, the sky looked still. Around her, the night seemed quiet. But unseen, it was anything but quiet. Shadows moved in the darkness—spirits of despair and accusation circling, seeking to choke out hope. And in the heavens, swords flashed. Warriors stood ready—angels poised for battle, waiting for the command to strike.

Family while this is only a story illustration, the premise it dramatizes is true. God’s Word says this unseen world is real—and it intersects with our lives every day.

So this morning, we want to pull back the curtain—because when we are ignorant to the unseen realm, we are vulnerable to false spirits that want to torment, discourage, lie and deceive us.

We can become stuck, distracted, and led into dark spaces that are not of God. And if we only focus on what we can see, we risk fighting the wrong enemy and losing the battle.So let’s open our eyes to God’s Word, and see what the Bible has to teach us about the unseen realm.

If you’d please open your Bibles or devices, we will be reading from 2 Kings, 6:8-17.

This morning’s text is from the Old Testament book of 2 Kings. Now, Kings captures the history of the Israelites, but it’s more than history—it’s theology in story form. It’s the story of God at work in real life, showing up in seasons of chaos and political upheaval, reminding His people that He’s still in control.

At this point in Israel’s history, the northern kingdom is under constant threat. One of their main enemies is Aram—what we’d call modern-day Syria. The two nations have been locked in conflict, and the king of Aram is determined to crush Israel.

Right in the middle of all this, God raises up a prophet named Elisha. He’s not a military commander—he’s a man of God, speaking God’s truth and acting in God’s power. And every time Aram plans an attack, God reveals the plan to Elisha, and Elisha warns Israel’s king. So every ambush fails.

So you can imagine, the king of Aram is beyond livid. He thinks there’s a traitor in his own camp. And when he finds out Elisha is behind it all, he doesn’t just send a few soldiers—he sends an entire army: horses, chariots, soldiers—just to capture one prophet.

They go in the stealth of night. Morning comes. And when Elisha’s servant steps outside—what he sees makes his blood run cold. The hills are filled with enemy troops. Everywhere he looks there are horses and chariots—they are completely surrounded. Terrified, he runs to Elisha: “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?”

But I love Elisha’s response. Even in print, thousands of years later, you can feel Elisha’s calm, steady confidence. In fact, his words sound impossible in that moment, but he says them anyway:
“Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

I’m sure the servant was initially stunned. He had to wonder if Elisha was looking at the same scene he was looking at.

But Elisha understood there was a greater truth and a bigger reality, and he prays:
“Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.”

And suddenly, everything changes for the servant. He looks again—and now he sees reality as it truly is. The hills are ablaze with heaven’s armies—horses and chariots of fire—all surrounding Elisha.

This imagery would have been especially significant for the original hearers because the fact that they were chariots of fire meant divine presence and power.
The truth is, God’s army was there all along; the servant just couldn’t see them until God opened his eyes.

Sisters and brothers, here’s the point to capture here: the danger was real—but so was the divine deliverance. And the unseen deliverance was greater.

And that’s a truth for us, too: what we see is never all there is. Behind what feels overwhelming, dangerous, and like there’s no way out—there is a greater reality: a God who reigns, a Divine Warrior who intercedes, and an unseen army at work for God’s purposes.

Elisha’s prayer needs to be our prayer: “Open our eyes, Lord, so that we may see.”

Now family, here’s what I love about God’s Word. What happened with Elisha and the servant wasn’t a one-time truth. Over and over, Scripture shows that what happens in the unseen spiritual world can impact what happens in the seen physical world.

Take Daniel 10. Daniel prays and fasts for 21 days, waiting for God to answer his concern. Finally, an angel appears to him and says:

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.” (Daniel 10:12–13)

In this passage, the “prince of Persia” isn’t a human ruler—it’s referring to a spiritual force of evil. And Michael is a mighty angel, one of heaven’s chief warriors. So, from the moment Daniel prayed, God heard—but the answer was delayed because of a real battle in the unseen realm.

We see the same reality in Job’s story of calamity after calamity. On the surface, Job faces natural disasters, financial ruin, and disease—but behind it all is a spiritual challenge. Job never sees that part, but Scripture opens our eyes to see how the unseen realm can affect the seen realm.

The New Testament makes it plain, too. In addition to Paul telling us we are not fighting flesh and blood enemies, 1 Peter 5:8–9 warns:
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.”

And James instructs us to:
“Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

From Old Testament to New, the truth of God’s Word is consistent: there’s more happening than meets the eye—and God wants us to live aware and ready with the full armor of God.

But family, let’s be honest—most of us don’t live like that. Why? Because we just don’t think about the spiritual realm much.

For some of us, the whole idea sounds a bit out there. We dismiss it and laugh with Flip Wilson’s go-to line: “The devil made me do it.”

Others take this very seriously. And words like Satan or demons stir up fear because we picture horror movies or grotesque images. In fact, we may even worry a little about demon possession.

Let me pause here and say this clearly: if you belong to Jesus, the enemy cannot own you. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Can you be tempted? Yes. Can you be harassed, lied to, distracted? Absolutely. But you cannot be possessed. And that’s important to know as we talk about spiritual battles.

There’s a famous book on spiritual battles by C.S. Lewis called The Screwtape Letters. And in it, he writes:
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which [we] can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”

I like this reminder for balance. So we’re not going to ignore the reality of evil forces—and we’re not going to obsess over them either.

Sometimes it helps to use language that feels less intimidating. Some say “false spirits,” others call them “spirits of darkness,” and still others simply say “the Enemy.” The point isn’t the names we choose—the point is the reality.

And the Bible is clear: there are spiritual powers and forces that oppose God and operate under the authority of Satan. That’s what Paul means when he talks about “rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world.” Whatever language we use, we’re talking about deceptive influences that are not from God—whispers that lie, stir division, and feed despair.

That’s why awareness is so important. And, like Elisha, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes.

Because our battles won’t look like being surrounded by horses and chariots—they’ll feel a lot more like life on an ordinary Tuesday.

In his book Discernment of Spirits in Everyday Life, Timothy Gallagher suggests the unseen battleground for us often shows up in three arenas.

1. Psychological Battles

Those times when confusion, anxiety, or discouragement press in. For example, have you ever woken up with a heaviness you couldn’t explain? You think, “What’s wrong with me today?” Sometimes it really is stress or lack of a good night’s sleep—but sometimes it’s more. It can be a quiet whisper: “You’re alone. Nothing will ever change.” If that voice pulls you away from hope and the peace of God’s love, it’s not from God.

2. Moral Battles

Those moments of temptation or resistance to God’s will. Perhaps you’re tired, frustrated, and suddenly shortcuts start to look good. You catch yourself thinking, “What’s the harm if I just…?” That’s the enemy trying to normalize disobedience—trying to convince you that compromise is no big deal.

3. Spiritual Battles

Times when you experience direct resistance to prayer, faith, or God’s presence. You may set aside time to pray, and suddenly every distraction shows up. Or you open your Bible and feel like you’ve hit a wall, like there’s a fog over your heart and mind. Ever been there? I know I have.

And to Gallagher’s list, I’d add one more: Ideological and Social Battles. These are the cultural currents, belief systems, and social forces designed to undermine the rule of God and reshape how we think about truth, identity, and justice. These influences aren’t neutral; they often carry a spiritual undertone meant to pull us away from God’s wisdom and authority.

That’s why discernment matters—because not everything that feels natural or sounds popular is spiritually neutral.

But let’s also keep that balanced perspective. Not everything we disagree with in our world is a spiritual attack, and not every personal struggle is spiritual warfare. Sometimes it’s just a difference of opinion that needs wisdom and grace. Sometimes it’s stress, exhaustion, or biochemical reality. Those are all real.
But here’s the thing to keep in mind: the enemy will often use those moments—confusion in our world or challenges in our lives—as an entry point, a foothold, to plant lies, stir division, or derail our faith. That’s why we need discernment—to recognize what’s really happening so we can stand firm in God’s truth and call on His power for the battle at hand.

Spiritual discernment for the unseen realm is key. Over the next few weeks, we’ll dig deeper into how to test the spirits and respond to false and evil spirits like Jesus did. But today is about awareness—and being prepared for battle.

So, what does this look like right now, this week? Let me give you something simple to remember. What you can do right now to prepare and be armed for battle:

A — Accept the battle is real.
Ignoring it won’t make it disappear. The Bible reminds us we’re not just wrestling against human challenges—there’s a spiritual dimension at work. Awareness is the first step.

R — Refuse fear.
Fear is one of the enemy’s favorite weapons because it blinds us and paralyzes us. But we can refuse fear because in the unseen realm, we are never outnumbered. And we can’t lose—no matter what it looks like in the physical.

M — Mobilize prayer.
Pray like Elisha: “Lord, open my eyes.” Ask God for spiritual clarity—so we can see His presence and power already at work around us. And as He opens our eyes, pray for courage to trust Him and faith to follow where He leads.

Prayer doesn’t just give us sight; it strengthens our hearts to be courageous—no matter what battle we may be facing.

As we close, I want to invite us to see what Elisha’s servant saw. He thought they were surrounded by the enemy. But when his eyes were opened, he saw the truth: the enemy was surrounded by God.

And that’s just as true for you and me. When it looks like we’re surrounded—we are. We’re surrounded by Him.

As we journey through this series, we will close each message by returning to worship—because worship shifts our focus. Worship is one of our greatest battle strategies because it reminds us of what’s true: God is greater, and He is with us.

So as we worship, let’s declare what Elisha knew and what the servant came to see: it may look like we’re surrounded, but we’re surrounded by the living God!