21 Days of Fasting and Prayer - Heaven Come Downনমুনা

In 2 Kings 6:17, Elisha prays a simple prayer that results in one of the most startling spiritual pictures we get in the Old Testament. It’s a powerful reminder that spiritual sight often changes long before our circumstances do. Elisha’s prayer leads to a dramatic shift from fear to faith, as Elisha’s servant shifts from seeing only the physical threat to the ability to see the spiritual defense surrounding them.

Leading to this moment, the Lord had been revealing the enemies plans to Elisha resulting in the protection of God’s people from their attacks. Elisha’s intel from the Lord that thwarted the plans of the enemy had now led the enemy to surround them. Elisha’s servant was terrified and for good reason. It seemed inevitable that Elisha and his servant would be taken as prisoners.

Elisha’s servant is the first to discover their seemingly dire situation and says to Elisha, ““Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 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.”

And suddenly everything changed. Elisha’s servant saw not only the physical threat, but the spiritual reality behind it. The hills were filled with horses and chariots of fire, heaven’s armies, surrounding the enemy that surrounded them. Although the servant’s physical situation looked unchanged, his spiritual confidence was transformed. It lifted his eyes from the enemy’s threat to God’s protection.

This is what happens when we pray: God opens our spiritual eyes. He helps us see past what’s visible into the invisible. And the clearer our spiritual sight, the calmer our spirit. Fear turns to faith as we spend time in God’s presence and allow Him to speak peace to our storm.

Today ask God to open your eyes to the spiritual realities which are the greater realities. Instead of praying for the problem to disappear, ask for spiritual insight into the situation. The closer we walk with the Lord and the more time spent in His presence, the more we’ll gain insight and be strengthened by the fact that God’s power is surrounding us on every side.

As we fast, we train our spiritual vision to see what flesh can’t perceive, so pray today like Elisha prayed for his servant - “Lord open my eyes.”