The way you see things makes a big difference. Do you see the glass half empty or half full. You know the story of two shoe salesman that went to a primitive tribe to sell them shoes. One of them says that they are all barefoot. No one will be interested in shoes. The other salesman says they are all barefoot. All of them need a pair of shoes. The second salesman saw the possibilities.
2 Kings chapter 6 speaks to us about how we look at a situation. This is more than just having a good attitude or thinking positively. This is about seeing the possibilities when we consider the power of God in the situation. This is about looking at every situation with spiritual eyes of faith.
In these times we live in troubles can surround us even overcome us. We may be blind to God’s resources to overcome. If you want to remain victorious then 2 Kings 6:8-23 is just what you need.
What we see for Elisha was that the troubles were surrounding them.
Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 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 no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. (2 Kings 6:14-15)
We find Israel at war with the Arameans or Syrians. The Arameans tried on several occasions to catch Israel off guard with a surprise attack. Every time they launched a surprise attack they failed. Somehow Israel already knew their plans and they were ready for battle and there was no element of surprise.
The king of Aram was furious. He concluded that one of his close inside confidants was a spy. He thought someone must be leaking the battle plan information to their enemy. His men told the king what was happening. It was not a spy. The surprise attack was known because of the prophet Elisha.
Elisha had this superpower to spy on the king even in his most private moments. As we really understand how God used Elisha, we realize that what Elisha’s superpower really was amounted to faith in God. His superpower was to trust God when the troubles surround him.
Elisha knew the kings’ words even when spoken from the privacy of his bedroom. When King Ben-Hadad found this out he was determined to take out Elisha. They figured out where Elisha was and put in place their plan to capture him.
“Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” (2 Kings 6:13) King Ben-Hadad sent an army to surround Dothan. Elisha’s servant got up the next day and looked around. They were completely surrounded by enemy troops.
Elisha’s servant saw the troubles and he anticipated certain death. Wake up Elisha! We are surrounded. What are we going to do now?
It may be that you feel surrounded by troubles. Your troubles could be financial troubles, health or your family relationships breaking down. Elisha trusted God when he was literally surrounded by troubles. This passage should lead us to trust God when troubles surround us.
Elisha was a great prophet, but his servants, not so much. His last servant Gahazi just left him. He tried to exploit the miracles Elisha did. Elisha healed a soldier of Aram named Naaman of leprosy. Elisha refused a gift and Gehazi the servant said that was crazy to refuse the gift. He went back and collected some loot and stashed it. Elisha rebuked him and Gehazi was cursed with the leprosy Naaman was healed of. (2 Kings Chapters 4 & 5)
Now this unnamed servant is in a panic. But that is the experience of so many of us. We see only the troubles and that is what we are guided by. Thank God, for men of faith like Elisha.
We must know our resources when we are surrounded by troubles.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)
Picture Elisha’s servant in hysterics and here is Elisha with enemy troops surrounding him and they are all after him specifically and he says, don’t be afraid. The scripture never tells us, but I would think Elisha already knew the armies were there. After all the reason they have surrounded him is because he knew everything the king thought about and did.
Elisha was calm because his trust was in God. It wasn’t that he didn’t face troubles. He was in the most terrifying battle situation imaginable. It was because Elisha looked beyond the situation. Elisha looked to God.
I love to be around people who are like Elisha. They are in what would be for everybody else overwhelming difficulties and they do not see the troubles, but they see the Lords army. They look to God’s resources. We all need to see the powerful resources of God when we are surrounded by troubles.
Elisha saw what his servant did not see. That God’s army was there. Elisha had the eyes to see the chariots of fire that surrounded them. Elisha knew that the army of King Ben-Hadad did not stand a chance against the power of God. Elisha was a man of God and he was able to depend on the resources of God.
When you know God and are walking closely with God you will look past the troubles. You see God’s horses and his chariots of fire.
We need to open our eyes and see the resources of God.
And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that 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. (2 Kings 6:17)
Elisha saw God and his resources when his servant saw the troubles. Elisha prayed that his servants’ eyes be opened so he could see the resources of God all around them. When Elisha prayed the servant could see with the eyes of faith.
God’s army was there all the time. The difference was now he could see it. He saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire. With eyes of faith, he saw that they did outnumber the army of Aram.
This may be the time you need to open your eyes to see with the eyes of faith. You may have been blinded to the resources of God because you have been looking at your troubles and not to God. What do you see on the hills? Do you see the troubles all around you waiting to destroy you or do you see the army of God? Can you see the power of God and his chariots of fire?
God’s resources are available to you if you will look with the eyes of faith. Elisha was used to seeing God’s resources. Elisha was with Elijah when the chariot swooped down and carried Elijah to heaven. That was the day Elisha became Elijah’s successor.
Elisha could see God working when the troubles surrounded him. One person sees themselves with a needless delay and another sees a divine opportunity. When a servant of God had troubles and her van would not start when she needed to cross the Rio Grande River for ministry, she had eyes of faith. That delay opened the door for ministry, and it changed a mom’s life. When she again tried to start her van, it started. Others might have seen it as a setback. She saw it as the hand of God.
There is victory for the faithful.
As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike this army 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. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory. (2 Kings 6:18-23)
The clearer we see God in faith the less we fear dangers all around us. There is an expression that says, God and I can handle any problem. There is victory for Elisha and God.
Elisha prayed the Lord strike the enemy with blindness. Then he just walked up to the surrounding army and told them follow him and he said, I will lead you to the man you are looking for. They just responded OK and followed him. This was not from a war strategy manual. This was faith in God that gave the victory. Elisha led the army straight into the hands of the king of Israel.
God blinded the army with a distorted reality. The victory was God’s miracle. What is it for you that will mean victory in your surrounding troubles. Ask God to open your eyes of faith to see his resources.
Men of faith see these days as the most exciting opportunities of history. There is no greater opportunity to serve Christ Jesus than now. Open our eyes Lord to see your spiritual resources.
