SWHW Two Year Bible Reading Plan: February, Year 2预览

Top Takeaway from Caren Fehr:

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ 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." 2 Kings 6:15-17

I want you to really put yourself into this story this morning: Both as Elisha and as his servant.

In these verses, we see natural human fear and we see supernatural human faith. When Elisha's servant saw the great army surrounding the city, he was struck with fear. His natural eyes told him that there was little to no chance of escaping or surviving an attack from an army this big.

Elisha's perspective was radically different. He had spiritual vision and could see the invisible spiritual protection around him.

Elisha doesn't keep what he could see to himself, so he encourages his servant by saying, “Don’t be afraid….Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Then Elijah does something beautiful. He prays. Not for God to change the circumstance, but for Him to open his servant's eyes to see the real reality.

God answers and opens the eyes of the servant. Anyone else flash forward to the many times we see Jesus open the eyes of the blind in the New Testament?

Our God loves to open both physically and spiritually blind eyes. 

And the servant finally saw the real reality that there were more with them and for them than those against them.

The chariots, horses, and massive army were still there. Faith doesn't negate the threat we might be facing. Faith simply redirects our focus to Who is with us instead of who or what is against us. Faith magnifies God while fear magnifies the threat.

The truth is, whether we see the spiritual forces around us or not, they are there.

If you are facing a storm or a giant today, don't wait for someone to pray for your eyes to be opened. Ask the Lord for spiritual vision right now and for your faith in Him to be bigger than your fears. Remember the One who is with you, for you, behind you, and beside you is bigger, and He promises the words from Psalm 91:14-16 for you (I encourage you to put your name in these verses):

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Father, You are the Almighty and Most High God! Open my eyes today to see Your glory surrounding me. When I face real giants and my human eyes see real threats, help me magnify Your presence with me and in me. Protect me from forgetting what You’ve said because of what my human eyes see, and may my faith in You be an encouragement to those around me. I love You! Amen.