How often do we do the same thing? Maybe we don’t know everything an opposing
force is trying to do to us. Maybe we
don’t have someone in our lives who’s actually trying to get rid of us. But, do you ever feel like your circumstances
are too much to bear? Maybe your bank
account is empty; your kids are not making the right decisions; you’re
struggling in your marriage; you’re unhappy with your job; you’re sick. Or maybe some combination of all of this and
you just feel like there is no hope.
That’s what I think Elisha’s servant must have felt. He saw all of the things that were
surrounding them – a vast army, no way out, a mad king.
Elisha knew something important, though. He could see beyond his current
circumstances. He says to his servant in
verse 16 “Don’t be afraid. Those who are
with us are more than those who are with them.”
The servant is probably thinking “Are you crazy? There are only 2 of us! Can’t you see all these horses, weapons, and soldiers?” Then Elisha prays that God would open his
servant’s eyes so “that he may see.”
Immediately, the servant sees that the hills are filled with horses and
chariots of fire ready to defend Elisha.
Gives me chill-bumps every time I imagine it! If you keep reading, there’s even more
awesome stuff that happens (but you’ll have to read that on your own)!
Elisha could see that God was bigger than his
circumstances. God was MORE than what
Elisha and his servant feared. Elisha
had a relationship with the Lord that allowed him to see what was “unseen” to
his servant. When the servant’s eyes
were opened, he also saw his salvation in the hills. This theme is repeated several more times in
scripture.
In Ephesians 6:12, Paul writes “For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Our struggle seems very much like it’s
against flesh and blood, doesn’t it? All
the difficulties we face seem like people
are the problem – our boss, our kids, our husband, our government, maybe even
ourselves! But God says the real battle
is against “spiritual forces of evil”!
Wow! What if you put your earthly
circumstances on hold and asked God to open your eyes so that you “may see”
just like Elisha’s servant? Would you
see an angel army surrounding your enemy ready to protect you? I believe every struggle we face here on
earth is a spiritual battle. Satan wants
to exploit our human nature – doubt, mistrust, selfishness, pride,
self-righteousness, fear, anxiety. When
our eyes are looking at our circumstances – the armies surrounding our city
with weapons that are too powerful for us to overcome – we cannot be useful for
God.
Paul writes again in 2 Corinthians 4:18 “So
we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is
temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Everything we can see here is temporary. Our troubles will not last; our triumphs will
not last. Fix your eyes on Him and allow
His armies to battle the forces of evil that try to destroy you.
It is only when we look to God for our
salvation and trust that He is on our side that we can overcome. This is when we see miracles. Can you trust God for a miracle? I’d encourage you…pray Elisha’s prayer for
his servant. Make a choice. Choose to look past the circumstances that
threaten to overtake you and look to the army God is waiting to unleash for you! Open your eyes and truly SEE what He has for
you. He longs to hold you in His arms
and comfort you when you are sad and lonely.
He longs to encourage you when you doubt yourself. He longs to provide for you. He longs to show you a miracle in your own
life. Will you let Him? He will never let you down.
Love, Monica
