I Keep Asking God

1. Text: Ephesians 1:16-19

Intro - There’s a TV show called Antiques Road Show. It’s pretty simple - they show up with a bunch of antique experts. People show up with their old stuff. The experts appraise the peoples’ stuff. Usually, the ones they show you are the people who find out something they own is really valuable. After hearing what it’s worth, they all say the same thing: I had no idea! I think that’s kind of the way this text from Eph 1:16-19 is. (please turn to it.)

The king of Aram was mad - "enraged" the NIV says. He was at war with Israel, but every time he would plan to attack the armies of Israel, they’d somehow learn it ahead of time. It was like there was a spy, a mole, who was telling them every time he made a plan. "Alright," he finally said, "Which one of us is on Israel's side?!" "None of us is on Israel’s side, but Elisha, the prophet, he can tell the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom."

So, the king sent huge forces after one man - 2 men really: Elisha, the prophet, and his servant Gehazi. The Arameans learned that Elisha was in Dothan, so they went and surrounded it at night.

2 Kings 6:(8-)15-23

15 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, 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, "O LORD, open his eyes so 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. As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. Elisha told them, "This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for." And he led them to Samaria. After they entered the city, Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men so they can see." Then the LORD opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

And sure enough, there was Elisha, the man they were looking for! Only, they were smack in the middle of the capital city of their enemies!

What I want you to remember about this story this morning is the prayer of Elisha, and how the Lord answered it. Here was poor Gehazi, scared out of his wits. What do you do? Elisha prayed. He prayed for his servant. But I want you to notice, that the prayer wasn't to change their situation. Elisha didn't pray that the army of Aram would be swept away. He just prayed that Gehazi's eyes would be opened to see what he already had around him. And there, in the hills, were horses and chariots of fire all around them - the armies of heaven, who have been there all along.

This sermon may apply to you directly this morning. It may be that you’re needing just to be able to see what you already have at your side. And it may be that you have a loved one who you know that needs the same kind of help Gehazi needed. Once again, I want to turn to one of the letters that Paul wrote, to a church of people very dear to him, and consider what he prayed for them.

Paul had been praying for the Ephesians. He must have realized that in Ephesus, there were too many Christians whose Christianity wasn’t "working" for them. The Ephesians are Christ-followers trying to live out their faith in the middle of a very not-Christian city.

Now, we can relate to that. We know a little of what it’s like to live in a world that’s post-Christian. We know that God’s word is as relevant and vital to our lives as it ever was. And we know that being a Christian somehow addresses the great needs of the world we live in, but many of us are like Gehazi. We get to feeling surrounded and overwhelmed. We know that being in Christ is better, but we’re not sure how it’s better. Or, we get bogged down with doubts about whether it really is better. And we need someone to pray for us that the Lord will open our eyes to what's already around us. That's what Paul says he was doing in

Ephesians 1:17-19a

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.