183
THE K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S
my master, how shall we do?" What should it have been? (2 Chron. 14: iff “ Lord, it is notking w ith thee to kelp, wkether w itk many, or w itk tkem tkat kave no pow er; kelp us, O Lord our God; fo r w e rest on tkee, and in tky name w . g o against tkls multitude.” The unwavering answer of faith is “ Fear not.” Faith knows no fear. Faith knows only Jesus. Faith sees the un seen and can say (Rom. 8:31), “ If God be for us, who can be against us?” Elisha was certain he was God’s man and this made him bold (Isa. 41:10-14) “ F ear tkou not, fo r I am w itk tkee; ke not dismayed fo r I am tk y God; I w ill strengthen thee; yea, I w ill help tkee; yea, I w ill uphold thee w ith the righ t hand o f m y righteousness.” Faith is calm in facing danger. Noth ing so insures quietness and assurance as prayer. To speak of God reminds the weak ones that God still lives. Ben- hadad’s trust was in chariots and horses (Psa. 20:7). Elisha trusted in the Lord (Psa. 11:1) “ In the Lord put I my trust; how say ye to m y soul, F lee as a bird to your mountain?” Elisha made a short, simple prayer: “ Lord, open his eyes.” He had a con scious vision of the hosts of heaven. They were realities to him. He did not live a vague, dreary life. The true follower of Christ is sure of HI b pres ence. He knows the Spirit of God is within and the mighty hosts of God are all around. Jesus said, “ Thinkest thou not that I cannot pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) The young man’s eyes were opened, he saw and was satisfied. He saw the danger, but he saw also the defence. The natural eye is blind to spiritual things. The god of this world has blinded many Christians. Prayer is the availing power for closed eyes (Psa. 34:7). Let us be much in prayer that God may reveal the unseen things to those who sit in darkness. In a jungle, build a fire around you
tried it and failed. Herod tried it and failed. The persecutors of the early church tried it and failed. The devil’s agents have tried it and failed. Satan seeks to entrap the saints, but the Word of God gives warning. (Luke 21:34, 35) «Take heed to yourselves lest at any time you r hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares o f this life, .and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it com e on all them that dwell on the face o f the whole earth.” (Mark 13:33) “ Take ye heed, w atch and pray, fo r ye kn ow not when the time is.” (2 Cor. 2:11) «Lest Satan should g et an advantage o f us; fo r w e are not ignorant o f his de vices.” Satan’s devices are known to God and revealed to faith. Jesus under stood the conflict with Satan. The Word of God warns us (Psa. 19:11) “ By them is thy servant warned; and in keeping o f them there is great reward.” The question asked by unbelief is (Psa. 73:11) “ H ow doth God kn ow ? and is there know ledge in the most H igh?” The answer is found in Heb. 4:13: “ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in H is sigh t; fo r all things are naked and open unto the eyes o f him w ith whom w e have to do.” We have been saved from Satan s snares hundreds of times by the power of God through, perhaps, the prayers of others. The devil got Gehazi to the camping ground of covetousness and slew him there. He drew Samson to the camp of lust and captured him there. The Word of God says, “ Beware that thou pass not such a place, for thither the devil comes down.” (2) FACING DANGER, vs. 13-17. The king of Syria seeks to capture Elisha. He hears that he is at Dothan, sends an army and surrounds the city by night. Why should he send so many soldiers to capture one man? How did he think he could trap a man who saved Israel from being trapped? The devil sometimes outwits himself. The cry of the servant was, “ Alas,
Made with FlippingBook Online document