This morning as part of my study time, I read 2 Kings 5-8. I thoroughly enjoyed this section of Scripture. There was practical spiritual truth to be gleaned. Here are a few of the things that found their way into my journal. I pray this encourages your heart as much as it did mine. Ok! Here we go!
In chapter six, the king of Aram and his army was set to attack Israel. The army had surrounded the city of Dothan during the night. In the morning, the servant of Elisha awakened, looked out, and saw the horses and chariots surrounding the city. He was terrified!
Ok, here’s where the coolness starts to happen!! Elisha said to him, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (vs.6), and then Elisha prayed “LORD, please, open his eyes so that he may see. And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE #1
God has set in place protection for us.
God’s unseen protection (being that we can’t physically see it) causes many to miss out on the peace that resting in this truth provides. You see, having your spiritual “eyes” opened by the Lord is necessary to be encouraged by this truth.
It requires a work of the Spirit of God within us to truly believe that we are protected from anything and everything that God doesn’t want to enter our lives. Simply put, this mindset requires FAITH – “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. (Hebrews 11:1 AMP).
“Walk by faith, not by sight”
2 Corinthians 5:7
SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE #2
God’s ways are not our ways.
At the end of chapter six, it tells of the fact that there was a famine in Samaria. It was so bad that “a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver” (6:25). When the king, accompanied by his royal officer, came to Elisha, he reassured the king that “Tomorrow about this time a measure of finely-milled flour will sell for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria” (7:1). When promised there would be food tomorrow (instead of continued famine), the captain holding the king’s hand didn’t believe it. His thought process excluded God – “If the Lord should make windows in heaven [for the rain], could this thing take place?” (7:2).
God’s way to fulfill His word was to allow the army of Syria to “hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, the sound of a great army” (7:6), frightening them away from their camp so that four lepers could begin to plunder the camp and then send word to the king of Samaria that the Syrian camp was deserted and could be plundered, leading to much food being available to the people. God didn’t need the conventional means of time for food to be grown in order to fulfill His promise.
GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”
Matthew 19:26
I absolutely LOVE, when I’m studying, and the Spirit brings to mind different passages of Scripture to reinforce what He is teaching me. God’s Word is such a treasure!
Our God is so wonderful and powerful and faithful to His word. And just think, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you were chosen to be His, and you have the privilege to serve a God like we read about today. Aren’t you grateful? Doesn’t this just supercharge your spirit?!!
Please take time to give this song a listen and worship God!