Seeing The Unseeable

SEEING THE UNSEEABLE

1 Kings 19:19-21 -- ll Kings 2:9-14

Illust: years ago a quarterback at the University of Alabama was told to run out the clock. But seeing a receiver wide open he threw the ball, but it was intercepted. The cornerback known for his speed was racing down the sideline for the winning touchdown, but was tackled by Alabama’s quarterback not known for any great speed. Bear was asked, how come your boy was able to catch that cornerback. Bear said, their boy was running for a touchdown, my boy was running for his life.

INTRODUCTION – ELISHA

I. YOU HAVE TO STAY CLOSE TO GOD'S MAN

A. -Elisha, the prophet with the double portion. The double anointing. He was a spiritual man, he was a godly man, and he was a praying man.

B. -His request of Elijah was so farfetched that it seemed preposterous. “Give me a double portion of your success, of your ministry, of the

anointing of God that has touched your life.” But what Elisha was really asking for was a fulfillment of the ministry that had taken him from the

fields.

C. -When the mantle fell on Elisha’s shoulders (1 Kings 19:19) it became a sign and a sealing of his adoption. The adopted son always has

allotted to him the double portion that belonged to the first-born.

D. -All the while that Elijah was sitting beneath the juniper tree contemplating the weakened state of Israel, God was working on Elisha, preparing

him to carry forward the work of Elijah with a vengeance.

E. -THERE WAS ELISHA, CAREFULLY WATCDHING THE MINISTRY OF ELIJAH AMONG THE PEOPLE

.

1. He listened to his instruction.

2. He submitted to the role of the servant because he knew that his whole future depended upon it.

3. He heard the old prophet pray.

4. All the while it was preparing his heart for a tremendous work of God.

F. -From those early moments, Elisha began, with the help of God, to see the unseeable. He began to develop those spiritual gifts to become

visionary.

G. -History has always had it’s men who could see beyond the ordinary. History has had men who could look at the ordinary and see the hidden

treasures, the sparkling potential that lay hidden within an object.

a. James Watt and his steam engine.

b. John Fitch and his steamboat.

c. Eli Whitney and his cotton gin.

d. George Stephenson and his locomotive.

e. Samuel Colt and his revolver.

f. Rene Laennec and his stethoscope.

g. George Westinghouse and his air brake.

h. Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone.

i. Thomas Edison and his light bulb.

j. The Wright Brothers and their airplane.

-All of these men contributed to the world in a material sense, because they saw something out of the ordinary,

they saw beyond, they saw the unseeable. Yet in the spiritual world there are other men who made strides in the

Gospel because they could see beyond the obstacles.

I. You Have To Stay close to God –Look at Elisha and the rest of the prophets

II. YOU HAVE TO GO A LITTLE BIT FARTHER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE

A. Jehoram was now the king of Israel

1. Was ungodly and far from God.

2. During his reign, there was a Syrian king by the name of Benhadad who began to threaten Israel despite an earlier alliance and receiving and

favor from the Israelites.

3. –Y0U can never make worldly alliances or make concessions with the enemy of the soul.

A. He is never satisfied-will always come back

B. -So Benhadad began to try to attack Israel at her weak portions in the territory.

1. But there was a man of God who was still in touch with God.

2. During this time, God would reveal to Elisha the setting of the Syrians. He would convey this information to King Jehoram.

3. -Jehoram would respond by sending out scouts to the valleys where the ambush would lay.

a. He would send troops to the place pointed out and perhaps a small skirmish might occur, but the Syrians were never

able to fulfill their wicked plans.

4. -In verse 10, “not once, nor twice.”

a. This event with God revealing the battle plan to Elisha happened numerous times. Thus, Israel was safe.

C. -Benhadad became enraged at this niche in his plans.

1. The first thing that he suspected was treachery among his troops.

2. He suspected that somewhere among the Syrians was a spy who was delivering the information to the Israelite armies.

How otherwise could the king of Israel know of his intentions over and over again?

3. -Finally one of his men told him that there was not a spy in the camp, just a man in touch with God on the other side.