Most everyone
I know would like to face life with greater confidence and assurance. Elisha said to his servant, Don’t
be afraid!....For there are more on our side than on theirs![1] This brings
to mind John's great and oft-quoted "Greater is He that is in you...,"(1
John 4.4) and Paul's "If God be for us, who can be against
us?" (Romans 8.31)
These verses encourage us to live our lives in
light of faith that overcomes.
The great problem with living an assured, confident life (by faith)
is that it is against our human nature to walk by faith. God says we should live that way, but often we
miss it entirely – by a mile. We have
the faith to get saved, and then live miserably by sight.
The fact is -- in spite of the problem -- that it is impossible to
live a life of confidence and assurance apart from faith in God. The question, therefore, becomes:
"How can I have that faith, and 'fear not,'
like Elisha said?"
The Story
The King of Samaria had a problem...every time he would plan a
military campaign against Israel his army would get whipped. He began to suspect he had a spy in the camp,
revealing his secrets. When he checked
it out with his advisors he found out he didn't have a Samaritan Spy – he was
up against a “Supernatural Saint”.
Elisha the prophet knew the king's innermost thoughts, because God was
speaking to him.
The King decided to get rid of his problem (How do you "get
rid" of God, anyway?). Well, the king
set a trap for Elisha at Dothan. The
plan was a good one – send twelve billion troops to circle the city! It would have worked, except Elisha was
connected to the King of Kings!
In the morning Elisha's servant went out to do early morning
servant-type chores. Can you imagine the
assault on his adrenal gland when he sees Samaritans – everywhere? As many as the sands of the sea! Matthew Henry makes the ultimate
understatement: "What a consternation he was
in."[2] My terminology would've been considerably
more demonstrative -- and probably less religious! "Yeow!
Hey Boss -- Elijah, get out here man -- we're history -- Oh My -- Good
night, Elizabeth! We're done for! Woe is me"
Elijah did come out, and he calmly prayed for his servant to have
his eyes opened. No fuss, no calamity,
no fear -- confident, assured.
What a contrast we have here; one man living by faith, the other,
frantic, frenetic, frenzied, living by sight.
Learn the lesson of being spiritually balanced like Elisha. It comes from and through prayer.
Then Elisha
prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young
man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was
filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2
Kings 6:17 (NLT)
If you are looking for answers to life's problems, your solutions
will come from having the presence of God a reality in your life. The servant saw the chariots of fire
and horses. You don't suppose those
chariots were empty, do you? They were
filled with fierce fighting angels. The
servant's confidence level changed when he saw!
Isaiah (26.3) tells us that God will keep us in perfect peace when
our mind is stayed (fixed) on Him.
Anxiety has to go when we submit ourselves to God in prayer.
As a young boy I can remember going to relative's houses for
Christmas. We would return home late --
in the dark. I would always be
encouraged to fall asleep in the back seat of the family car. It wasn't easy. Merrick Parkway was narrow, and the cars went
fast. And it was dark, and lights
flashed everywhere. Lying down, I could
see the dark roof of the car, lights playing, jumping off every shiny
part. Each curve, bump and swing in the
road brought a new fear that at any time we'd crash into something.
But then I would look, and Dad was behind the wheel. My father was in control. When I saw that I could drift off to
sleep. Elisha could show his servant
that the Father of all was in control.
But you have to see it in prayer!
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