Have you ever felt like the weight of the world is crushing in around you and you’re about to be overwhelmed, the the armies of fear, doubt, concern, and dismay are encamped around you? Maybe it was financial concerns or relationship issues or health problems or “fill in the blank” that you were being confronting with. For some of you, it may not even be a past tense situation because you are going through it right now. You’re fighting with all that is within you to simply keep your head above the waves of the tumultuous sea called your life at this moment. What do we do when we find ourselves here, in those times when it is even a struggle to focus our mind enough to pray to the Lord for help and guidance and wisdom?

The servant of Elisha experienced one of those times and we read an account of it in 2Kings 6 beginning in 8. The king of Syria is making war against Israel but his attempts are being thwarted by Elisha who is advising the king of Israel where the Syrians are making camp thus allowing Israel to avoid them. This happened not once or twice, as the account says, meaning it happened multiple times. The king of Syria, becoming increasingly frustrated and believing there may be a “rat” within their camp spying for Israel, summons his servant and basically asks who it is that is sending information to the king of Israel regarding their location. His servants inform him that it isn’t anyone in their camp but, rather as the account says, it is that “Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” The king of Syria therefore sends a great army to surround Elisha in Dothan and this is where we pick up the story of the servant of Elisha. 

As the verse above relates, waking early in the morning, the servant sees the army with chariots and horses surrounding the city with them – the servant and Elisha – inside. Imagine if that was you… there is a literal “fighting machine” encircling you with no way of escape, the fear of literal death welling up inside you. It’s no wonder the first word out of his mouth when he comes to Elisha is a fearful, overwhelmed, helpless, and deeply emotional “Alas…” There is no way out and the crush of the army surrounding them is pressing in. I can almost hear his saying in an emotional and fearful rasp, barely able to get the words out as fear constricts his voice, “What shall we do?”  I don’t know about you but I have been there before, and I am so glad at that moment I knew what comes next in this story, which I have found is the first and most important step to finding victory in times like this. I am not sure I can relate it any better than the words of the text as Elisha comforts , encourages, and exhorts his servant – “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  In the New Testament those words are given to us in this way – “… He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1John 4:4) Here is a simple and plain truth – when confronted with difficulties and struggles that life brings our way, most often our sense of being overwhelmed, feelings of fear or concern or dismay, comes from the realization that whatever resources WE can bring to bear upon the situation will not suffice. What the text in 2Kings and 1John remind us of is that, as believers, it’s not OUR resources that matter but rather the truth that God is in the midst of the battle with us and HIS resources are limitless. He is greater than whatever we may be faced with and He has all the wisdom, direction, and resources we can possibly need. We simply need an “eye adjustment” like Elisha’s servant. Elisha prays that his servants eyes would be open to able to see as God sees and, low and behold, the servant comes to realize that the “problem” that he could see, that they were surrounded by the enemy, was actually surrounded itself by God’s army. 

The story concludes with an incredible account of Elisha pulling what appears to be, for you Star Wars fans, a Jedi mind trick… think of the following two exchanges from Star Wars episodes:

From Star Wars: A New Hope:
Luke: I can’t understand how we got by those troops. I thought we were dead.
Ben: The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.

From Attack of the Clones:
Dealer: You wanna buy some death sticks?
Obi-Wan: You don’t want to sell me death sticks.
Dealer: I don’t wanna sell you death sticks.
Obi-Wan: You want to go home and rethink your life.
Dealer: I wanna go home and rethink my life.

As we read, Elisha relies on the Lord – the only REAL Force… sorry Star Wars fans – to blind the Syrians, tells them the man they are seeking is not there, leads them Samaria where they would be surrounded by the army of Israel, and then prays that God would open their eyes. The story concludes with Elisha not allowing the army of Israel to kill the Syrians but rather serving them water and food then releasing them. It says they, the Syrians raiders, came no more into Israel. Imagine the testimony that went forth about God to both sides of the conflict… a testimony of God’s power and presence, of God’s grace and mercy, of God’s ability to overcome the most overwhelming of situations, done in such a way that resulted in Him receiving glory as He worked out the penultimate solution as Elisha and his servant looked to Him.

The next time you find yourself facing an “enemy” that seems overwhelming, or right now if you’re in the thick of the battle, take a breath, ask God to open your eyes so that you can see clearly, know that He is bigger than anything you are facing, and trust Him to fight on your behalf. In the end, you will find He is greater, He will show you the way to navigate the battle, and you will grow in trust and wisdom such that the enemy you are facing will no longer be a threat to you. Remember these five things – identify the “enemy”, pray that God would open your eyes to see as He sees, look to His Word and listen to the Spirit’s leading for guidance, seek counsel from Godly people if need be, and follow His “battle plan.” If you do, He will fight on your behalf and see you on through to the other side in victory!

Until next time, keep up the good fight of faith!