Paul spoke to the
Corinthians about a third heaven – a place where the throne of God is located. That
heaven is where you and I now sit in Christ at the right hand of the Father. A
third heaven assumes the existence of a first and second heaven. The first
heaven is the realm of Earth – the visible creation. The second heaven is the
unseen spiritual world where demonic beings with dark agendas wage war with the
angels of God in an attempt to exert their authority over the affairs of Earth
and the minds of people. In this realm our prayers, declarations and decrees
rise to become weapons of devastating force in a spiritual battle.

Spiritual warfare
is waged primarily in the second heaven.  Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers and authorities in the unseen realm of the spiritual world.
When we acknowledge the existence of this battle and allow the expression of our
faith to merge with that reality, our lives become a living testimony advertising
our faith in the substance of unanswered prayers yet to be seen, but soon to be
delivered on Earth.

Choose your battle
plan wisely. Many are attempting to fight spiritual battles empowered only with the limited and Earth-bound components of human emotion, natural resources and short-term solutions. The victories in these conflicts will not survive over time. If
your first instinct is to be reactive battling only what you can see without
first combating the demonic forces that oppose you in the second heaven, your battle plan will produce frustration and disappointment, not faith and hope.  

Ask God to open
your spiritual eyes to see the real battlefield in this conflict. When God reveals
the battlefield He will also help you to see that those who are with you in the
battle greatly outnumber those who oppose you. You will walk in victory only if
you can see the victory.