Elisha was a prophet of God.
He had served Elijah, and when God took Elijah to heaven, Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, granting Elisha a double portion of his anointing. Elisha knew God. He listened to His voice.
God spoke to Elisha, warning him of an ambush that had been set up against the king of Israel. Elisha warned the king and saved Israel from the attack. This happened over and over again. God spoke to Elisha, Elisha told the king, and Israel gained victory. This made Israel’s enemy furious!
The king of Aram called his officers together, demanding to know the spy among their ranks. How else could Israel possibly know their plans every single time?
One of the men answered him, “No, my master, dear king. It’s not any of us. It’s Elisha, the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel everything you say, even what you whisper in your bedroom” (2 Kings 6:12, my paraphrase).
The king ordered that they find Elisha, and scouts delivered a report that the prophet was in the city of Dothan. So the king of Aram ordered his army to surround the city with horses and chariots, with men armed with swords and spears.
Elisha’s servant awoke to that terrifying sight and ran to his master in fear. But Elisha calmly replied, “Don’t worry about it — there are more for us than there are against us.” Then Elisha prayed, “O God, open his eyes and let him see” (vv. 16-17, my paraphrase).
So God did. He opened the servant’s spiritual eyes to see a ring of horses and chariots and fire surrounding the entire army. The whole mountainside was filled with the army of the Lord, leaving the army of Aram incredibly outnumbered. (Please read the full story in 2 Kings 6.)
God had been there all along.
The situation looked pretty bad. It looked like the enemy had won. Enemy soldiers surrounded the city of Dothan, leaving no hope of escape.
But God.
God knew the end from the beginning. God knew the enemy’s plans. God knew Elisha’s heart. God knew the servant’s fear. He had the whole situation in His loving, capable, powerful hands. Elisha didn’t try to convince the servant of God’s power. He didn’t try to lift him up with positive thinking. He didn’t quote Scripture to him or offer him spiritual principles. Instead, he prayed a simple prayer: “Lord, open the eyes of my servant that he might see.”
That’s all it takes. Once God opens our spiritual eyes, we see His glory! We recognize the protection of God. The provision of God. The power of God. And once you have seen it for yourself, no one needs to convince you that God is real.
Cristina Baker shares more encouragement this Tuesday on LIFE TODAY. Excerpted from Hope In 60 Seconds by Cristina Baker. Copyright ©2022 Cristina Baker. Published by W Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
