There’s More With Us, Than With Them

THERE’S MORE WITH US, THAN WITH THEM

2 Kgs. 6:16

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: DOING A GOOD DEED

1. A young pastor (trying to live a holy life) was sitting in a restaurant eating lunch. He opened a letter he’d just received that morning from his mom. As he opened it a twenty-dollar bill fell out. He thought to himself, "Thanks, Mom, I sure needed that right now."

2. He noticed a beggar outside on the sidewalk leaning against the light post. Thinking that the poor man needed the $20 more than he, he crossed out his name on the envelope and wrote across the top in large letters, PERSEVERE!

3. He went out and dropped it as he walked past the man. The man picked it up and read the message and smiled. The next day the same man tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a big wad of bills. Surprised, the young pastor asked him what that was for.

4. The man replied, “These are your winnings. 'Persevere' came in first at the Kentucky Derby yesterday and paid thirty to one.”

B. TEXT

15 When the servant of [Elisha saw] the...army had surrounded the city; [said] “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” 16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 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. 18 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. 23 So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

C. SETTING THE SCENE

1. The King of Aram was trying to ambush the army of Israel. So he secretly moved his troops into Israeli territory. But the prophet Elisha, who operated in the word of knowledge, told the King of Israel where the ambushes would be laid – and to avoid them.

2. The King of Aram found out the intel about his movements was coming from Elisha the prophet, so he sent a large army unit to capture or kill him. Elisha blinded the troops, led them to Samaria (where they became prisoners of war), restored their sight and sent them back to their country in disgrace.

D. THESIS

1. In this message, we’re going to look at three things: 1) Whether the people of God are weak and vulnerable, 2). If God Himself is our shield, and 3). Has God placed an invisible army around His people?

2. Title: “There’s More With Us, Than With Them.”

I. GOD’S PEOPLE LOOK WEAK & VULNERABLE

A. ELISHA & HIS SERVANT UNPROTECTED?

1. People in this world usually conduct their lives according to what they see with their eyes. Invisible things are generally thought to be imagination or superstition.

2. King Ben Hadad II of Aram* thought a spy must be among his officers, for every time he ordered an ambush, Israel seemed to have knowledge of it – they did, through Elisha!

3. Ben Hadad was humorously told, “Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (We have that concern today with our phones and computers and the NSA!)

4. From hundreds of miles away, God gave Elisha words of knowledge about what Ben Hadad was planning. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” Prov. 15:3.

5. God knows what we’re going to say before we say it. Do we really think we can hide anything from the Lord? Can we outsmart God? How foolish. Job 5:12 says, “He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.”

6. Ben Hadad decided to send the army and capture him. Israel’s army was too weak and inferior to defend Elisha from attack. Ben Hadad believed a swift surgical strike of a massive army unit under the cover of darkness would capture the prophet and take care of the problem.

7. But you have to wonder, if the prophet knew of all Ben Hadad’s earlier movements, wouldn’t he know about this one too? Surely Ben Hadad knew there was a possibility.

B. CHRISTIANS APPEAR WEAK TODAY

1. Elisha and his servant represent us, the people of God. Are we outnumbered? Outgunned? Weaker than the world? Vulnerable? Defeated? At times it looks that way.

2. You may feel alone and that your enemies outnumber you. In many areas of the world there is persecution of Christians. They suffer, their homes and goods are taken, often they are beaten or killed. Why does God allow persecution? Does God care about His people? Yes, He does!