God Is Greater Than Our Enemy

(Read 2 Kings 6:8-23)

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This is a fascinating Bible story! The king of Aram was at war with Israel. Elisha the prophet kept warning the king of Israel as to the whereabouts of Aram's army. Aram thought he had a traitor among his officers, but they informed him that it was Elisha. So the king sent horses, chariots, and a strong force at night and surrounded the city of Dothan, where Elisha was staying. The servant of Elisha was terrified when he got up the next morning and saw the powerful enemy surrounding them.

I love Elisha's response. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (verse 16) That's odd. Two people are more than an army?

And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so 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. (verse 17)

Now the story continues. Elisha prayed, and the enemy was struck with blindness. While they were blind, Elisha led them right to the king of Israel. Then he prayed again that their eyes would be opened so they could see the vulnerable position in which they were placed.

Elisha could have had them killed then and there. But instead, he ordered the king not to kill them. Not only did he not kill them, but he had a great feast served to them! After this, Elisha released them to go back to their king, and they stopped raiding that territory.

There are several important points to consider here. First of all, Elisha was on God's side. That is all important. When he was surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy, he was totally calm and unafraid. He prayed, and the Lord answered whatever he asked. He didn't lift a finger to fight the battle. The battle was the Lord's. When given a perfect opportunity for revenge, he showed the enemy kindness.

What is your enemy today? Is it sickness, financial need, or rebellious children? Perhaps you have real enemies - hateful people who are trying to destroy you, your reputation, or your family. Maybe your enemy is anger, discouragement, or despair. This passage is rich in advice for anyone who feels that they are going down in defeat.

First of all, like Elisha, we can be calm and unafraid. We don't have to panic like his fearful servant. With God, one is a majority. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Our enemies or difficulties may seem to outnumber us, or be more powerful or influential. On our own we may be powerless to change the situation, but God isn't. He is in control of it.

Next, prayer is a vital factor. Instead of falling apart, Elisha calmly prayed. That was his first response, and it got dramatic results. He defeated a whole army with a prayer! We need to make prayer our first reaction and be confident that God can and will answer.

Elisha also prayed that his servant's eyes would be open so he could see. Sometimes we are blinded by fear or doubting. We don't see the armies of angels and God's hedge of protection all around us, forming an impenetrable shield. Ask God to open your eyes.

Interestingly, Elisha didn't fight the battle. He prayed and God defeated. We don't always have to fight it out either. Often, we can just lift our need in prayer, relinquish it to the Lord, and watch Him defeat it. He will probably do it in an equally amazing way. "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalms 46: 10)

Finally, Elisha could have easily destroyed his enemies, but he didn't. He actually showed them kindness. The Bible tells us not to take revenge. It only destroys us and blocks God's blessing in our lives.

So the next time your are surrounded by whatever your enemy is, try these things. Pray. Don't be afraid. Let God fight the battle. Remember that "those who are with you are more than those who are with them"!

© Inez Haythorn

Credits: Family Content