A few months ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to a congressional hearing on UFOs. Yes, you read that correctly. Have you noticed how much attention UFOs have gotten in recent years? Government hearings, leaked military footage, podcasts, and countless headlines speculating about what might be “out there.” People are fascinated by the unseen realm. We want to know if we’re alone in the universe, if there’s life beyond what we can see.
Here’s the irony, Scripture has been saying all along that there is an unseen realm. It’s not filled with aliens, but it is filled with very real and powerful spiritual beings. There are angels, there are demons, and there is an archenemy called Satan. Paul put it this way, “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 6:12). That’s quite the statement if you really take it in; the true battle, the battle underneath every other battle, is actually spiritual in nature.
Revelation 11 pulls back the curtain on this conflict. John describes the beast rising up to wage war against the people of God. For a moment, it looks like he wins. The witnesses are struck down, silenced in the street. That’s the enemy’s tactics of intimidation, destruction, and fear. He wants us to believe he’s in control. But the story doesn’t end there. God raises His witnesses. He breathes life into His people. He proves once again that the beast may roar, but his time is short. He is not ultimate.
That’s why Peter exhorts us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8–9). That’s our call. Resist the beast. Stand firm. Put on the armor of God. Keep testifying to Jesus. Yes, there is an unseen realm, and yes, we have an enemy, but we also have a King who has already triumphed. And His victory means we can stand.
Pastor Ryan Paulson