X-Ray Vision

I. ENEMY PLANNED AN AMBUSH

8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

II. EVERY ATTACK WAS PREEMPTED BY PROPHETIC PREPARATION — EAVESDROPPING ON HELL

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

∙ NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER

III. THE ENEMY MOVED FROM ATTACKING NATION TO ATTACKING THE PROPHET THAT WAS MAKING HIS WARFARE INEFFECTIVE

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

∙ HELL’S HIT LIST

IV. CIRCLED THE CITY WITH A GREAT ARMY FOR ONE MAN

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

V. FEAR OF THE SERVANT

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

∙ WHAT SHALL WE DO?

∙ HE COULD ONLY SEE THE ATTACK / PROBLEM

∙ COULD NOT SEE THE GLORY THAT SHALL BE

∙ COULD NOT SEE THE VICTORY

∙ COULD NOT SEE THE ARMY THAT WAS FOR HIM (ONLY THE ONE AGAINST HIM)

∙ BEFORE YOU SEE THE MIRACLE, YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON

∙ PROBLEM WAS IN THE PERCEPTION OF THE PHYSICAL INSTEAD OF SIGHT IN THE SUPERNATURAL

∙ PROBLEM WAS NOT THE BATTLE BUT HIS PERCEPTION OF HIS CONDITION

∙ VISION IS NOT FORESIGHT INTO YOUR GOALS BUT FORETASTE OF COMING GLORY YOU’VE GLIMPSED

∙ GOALS DEPEND ON MAN’S ABILITY AND PERSISTENCE

∙ VISION IS GROUNDED IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

∙ SEER — PROPHETIC EYES

∙ QUIT LOOKING AT THE HELL THAT IS ON THE HORIZON AND LOOK TO THE HILLS FROM WHENCE COMETH HELP WHERE THE HEAVENLY HOST IS

∙ VISION NOT OF THE BATTLE OF WHAT ENEMY IS DOING BUT THE BEAUTY OF WHAT GOD IS DOING

VI. GREATER POWER IS ON YOUR SIDE

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

VII. HE SAW THAT THE ENEMY THAT SURROUNDED HIM WAS SURROUNDED

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

∙ ONE FIGHTING FOR YOU IS MIGHTIER THAN THE ONE FIGHTING AGAINST YOU

∙ BATTLE IS TEMPORARY

∙ VICTORY IS ETERNAL

∙ SUFFERING IS FOR A MOMENT

∙ GLORY IS EVERLASTING

∙ FIGHT IS EARTHLY

∙ CELEBRATION IS HEAVENLY

∙ Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:34-39

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

∙ 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.