When Your Business Strategy Isn't Enough: What "The Ice Road" Reveals About Unseen Forces in Leadership

A couple months ago, I watched The Ice Road with my husband, and it sparked some profound insights about leadership challenges that go beyond what we see on spreadsheets and strategy boards.

In the film, experienced ice road truckers had everything calculated perfectly—mechanical checks, weight distributions, weather protocols. They knew exactly what they were doing and were executing flawlessly...until they weren't. An unexpected engine failure triggered a cascade of deaths, deception, and violent attacks—all orchestrated by corporate leaders working behind the scenes to sabotage the mission for their own gain.

The moment Liam Neeson's character realized what was really happening, everything changed: "This isn't about money now. This is personal."

This perfectly illustrates something many leaders experience but struggle to identify: spiritual warfare in business.

Two Warning Signs Every Leader Should Recognize

Most leaders are blindsided by spiritual warfare, even though it shows up in predictable patterns:

Pattern #1: The Stealth Drain

Everything appears solid—productivity is high, goals are being met, team morale is good, finances are healthy. Then suddenly, for no logical reason, you feel drained. Confidence plummets. Something feels "off" but you can't pinpoint it. You might find yourself tempted to compromise on values-based decisions you'd normally make with clarity.

Pattern #2: The Assault Attack

Everything breaks simultaneously. Relational conflicts emerge from nowhere. Random obstacles appear. Revenue takes unexpected hits. You troubleshoot every logical issue and adjust your business strategy, but the cycle continues. Team members or family get sick without clear cause.

The critical question: Are you paying attention to these patterns? Sure, you can pretend that the never ending onslaught of "coincidental" major setbacks is just bad luck.

I've experienced these dynamics personally. I've also observed them across various leadership contexts—high-performing executives who suddenly find themselves second-guessing fundamental decisions they'd normally make with confidence. The common thread is often described as strategic moves requiring significantly more effort for diminished results, even when external conditions remain stable.

There's also the paradoxical scenario where leaders make what they know are the right decisions—ethical choices, strategic pivots aligned with their values, difficult but necessary personnel changes—only to watch circumstances seemingly deteriorate with each correct move. It's as if doing the right thing triggers increased resistance rather than the expected positive momentum. In other words, "no good deed goes unpunished," right?

Whether you view this through a spiritual lens or recognize these as complex organizational and psychological dynamics at work, the patterns remain consistent and the solutions require going beyond traditional business troubleshooting.

What Scripture Teaches About Strategic Warfare

Paul's words in Ephesians 6:12 weren't written to monks—they were written to believers operating in Ephesus, a major commerce hub. These were leaders embedded in influence, running businesses in territory that was both a trade center and a hotbed of competing spiritual forces.

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)

Three key insights for business leaders:

1. This is close-contact engagement—if you don't actively participate, you'll be overwhelmed whether you acknowledge it or not.

2. The fight uses deception—unseen forces strategically use people you can see as instruments of disruption.

3. There's method to the opposition—the unseen realm operates with strategic planning and hierarchical execution.

When Paul tells Timothy to "wage the good warfare," the Greek word comes from the same root as "strategy"—defined as the science and art of command exercised to meet opposition under advantageous conditions.

Internal vs. External Battles

Most leaders only recognize warfare when external circumstances fall apart. But it often begins internally—disorientation, mental fatigue, pressure that defies logical explanation. Some things can be resolved by tightening business strategy, but others you won't be able to "system" your way out of (though I'm sure there are many consultants with a fancy framework who'll gladly take your money trying).

Here's a counterintuitive leadership principle: Not every fight is won by pushing harder. Some battles must be won in the spiritual realm first, and your strategies must originate from a place of divine wisdom rather than human effort alone.

The most skilled leaders know how to avoid unnecessary battles and win others with minimal energy expenditure, preserving resources for what truly matters. Sometimes the most powerful move is strengthening your foundation first—what I call fighting the good fight of faith.

What breakthrough looks like: Leaders who master this approach report a return to clear decision-making, renewed energy for strategic initiatives, and an uncanny ability to navigate challenges that previously would have derailed entire quarters. They describe experiencing divine favor and alignment where their efforts produce exponential rather than diminishing returns.

Your Strategic Reflection

As we close, consider this question: What warfare patterns might you be overlooked in your leadership?

This week, try this: Create space for both natural observation and spiritual discernment. Track your energy patterns and decision-making clarity, but also begin each day asking the Holy Spirit to highlight areas where opposition might be at work. Notice when you feel unexplained resistance to moves that align with your Kingdom values, then pause to pray before reacting with purely strategic solutions.

Additionally, consider dedicating one day this week to fasting (even just a meal) while specifically asking for wisdom about unseen dynamics affecting your leadership, then implement whatever insights you receive alongside your regular business planning.

If you're a leader operating with Kingdom intent—where your primary goal is displaying Gospel values through your business and drawing others to transformational leadership—you're likely experiencing this dynamic more than you realize.

What patterns have you noticed in your own leadership journey? Have you experienced unexplained challenges that traditional business strategy couldn't resolve? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Ready to go deeper? If you're navigating complex leadership challenges that seem to go beyond traditional business solutions, consider joining The Disruptor's Council™ alongside other high-performing leaders who understand that Kingdom business requires both strategic excellence and spiritual discernment.