“FROZEN WITH FEAR”
INTRODUCTION:
Romans 8:31 - "31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
2 Kings 6:8-23 - " 8Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” 9And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.” 10Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice. 11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 12And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.” 14Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria. 20So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria! 21Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” 22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel."
BACKGROUND:
A. The "United" Kingdom Of Israel Stands No More;
1. It’s now the "divided" kingdom
2. Our text today deals with the Northern kingdom
3. The Northern kingdom has had nine kings since the split
4. Not one king has been a good king
5. Bible say’s they all did "...evil in the sight of God "
6. The king referred to in ours text is none other than King Jehoram
7. He’s the ninth king of Israel
B. In The Midst Of It All God Still Has A Shepherd Over His People;
1. He is none other than the prophet Elisha
2. Now Elisha is truly a man of God
3. He is a great man of God
4. His predecessor was ELIJAH
5. As a matter of fact - just 4 chapters back that we find Elijah caught up by God into Heaven and Elisha carrying on in Elijah’s stead – a powerful story in and of itself
C. It Is A Time When Israel Has Many Enemies;
1. Among them are the SYRIANS
2. The Syrians are a great power to be reckoned with
3. A great military force the which none can stand before
4. Another name for them would be the ASSYRIANS
5. Enough cannot be said about their great military power
D. The King Of The SYRIANS Is None Other Than BEN-HADAD;
1. BENHADAD is at best ungodly, ruthless and just all around a bad man to have as your enemy
2. His very name would strike terror into the hearts of men
3. He is a type of the devil
4. BEN-HADAD hates God’s people
5. He will do anything he can to destroy them and to enslave them into his kingdom
E. To Bring You Up To A Current Understanding Of The Text:
1. Benhadad has brought a small army up to trouble Israel
2. His plan is to place his commandos in a strategic location in order to ambush the people of the Lord
3. Everything was going according to plan until God’s man - Elisha - got involved
4. Elisha, being shown of God just where the trap would be warns king JEHORAM -- who listens and is SAVED
5. Benhadad suspects one of his own men as a traitor
6. It’s revealed to the Benhadad that it’s really the prophet ELISHA who is "Ratting him out"
7. So Benhadad sends for Elisha to be captured by his army, (quite possibly to use his talents and gifts for evil)
8. Elisha’s servant walks out the next morning (vs.15) and he sees that they are surrounded by the forces of an evil and powerful king Benhadad.
NOTE: Re-read vss. 15-17
2 Kings 6:15-17 - "15And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha "
NOTE: There are several things I want you to pay particularly close attention to this morning;
Three of those ways God’s proven his love for us…
I. Notice The State Of Mind Of God’s Servant:
A. He Was Frozen With Fear;
1. "..Alas, My Master! How Shall We Do ?"
a. i.e., "what are we going to do now"
b. It’s a horrible situation
1) At best it is grave
2) Certain death with no way out
3) Nothing new for him to see miracles
4) Nothing new for him to see divine protection
5) Yet he was Frozen with fear
2. No place to flee - no freedom - soldiers everywhere
3. It was an impossible situation - no hope of help
a. Imagine his position
b. He doesn’t know what to do
c. HE IS AFRAID - of MANY things
d. All sorts of thoughts run through his head
B. Many Christians Like This Today;
1. God is calling for you to live for Him
2. "Fear of what might happen has gripped you"
God’s Word has the answer we so desperately need
II. Notice The Advice Of God’s Man:
A. "Fear Not";
1. Good advice for any Christian who is seeking God’s will
2. Unbelievable advice under the circumstances
3. Elaborate on the insanity of it
B. "They That Be With Us Are More Than They That Be With Them";
1. No where to be seen
2. Elaborate - Hard to believe in that which you can’t see
God’s man didn’t just give advice . . . .
III. Notice The Action Of God’s Man:
A. "And Elisha Prayed" - (I believe that was good advice)
1. Always good advice
2. Elaborate
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 - "17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
3. Difficult times are when majority of praying is done
2 Kings 6:17 - "17And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”
B. Elisha Encouraged Him To Trust God
IV. Notice How God Responded:
A. "And The Lord Opened His Eyes"
What did he see ?
1. The mountains full of God’s army
2. It was not enough for him to hear it - he had to see it to believe
3. He needed a personal experience
4. The mountains were FULL !!
B. Our Eyes Need To Be Opened Spiritually Speaking
What will we see ?
1. God’s army round about us
Hebrews 13:5-6 - " 5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”6So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”"
2. He told us this so that we might not fear
3. God is waiting to reveal Himself to you in power and might
4. God wants you to drink of Him - taste Him
CONCLUSION:
A. There Are No Doubt People Here This Morning Who Can Relate To This Servant;
1. At times frozen with unexplainable fear in serving & obeying God
2. It seems like everywhere you turn there are obstacles
B. To The Christian; (frozen with fear)
Romans 8:31 - "31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Hebrews 3:12-19 - " 12Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."
Hebrews 4:6-11 - " 6Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. "
C. To The Un-Saved ; (frozen with fear)
D. When His Eyes Were Open;
1. He saw
2. Mountains full of God’s divine assistance
E. We Need To Be Praying - "Help Thou Mine Unbelief"
Mark 9:24 - "24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”"
Luke 17:5 - "5And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”"
