Years ago my wife and I took a vacation down to the Gulf Coast and did something we’d always wanted to do: parasailing. After being at the beach and enjoying the water for a few days, we ventured several hundred feet above the ocean to see if the view looked any different from up top, and boy did it.

Besides the almost deafening quiet of sailing 400 feet above the water, my wife and I were at the same time transfixed and horrified by what we saw: jellyfish. Millions and millions of jellyfish, all near the surface, just pass the waves, an invisible barrier of pain waiting for hapless swimmers who ventured too far. Needless to say, my wife stayed by the pool for the rest of the week.

In 2 Kings 6 the prophet Elisha is under attack by the enemies of Israel. Trapped in a city and surrounded by an army, Elisha still remains unnaturally calm. Finally he lets his servant in on a little secret:

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

Are we like the servant, ignorant to the spiritual forces around us, naively playing in the surf with hidden dangers just out of reach? Or are we like Elisha, aware of the devil’s schemes and actively engaged in the spiritual war around us? Whether you see it or not, the spiritual world surrounds you. If you want to stop being a victim and start being a victor, look at your world from a higher perspective, see the battle waging around you, and join the fight with the weapons given to you.