Fear, Faith & Eyes to See

And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”  He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 

2 Kings 6:15-17

What frightens you?  What horrific situation are you facing today that keeps you awake at night?  God’s holy word demonstrates that fear moves inversely with faith.  As faith grows fear diminishes.  Faith erases fear.

I know… that horrific situation keeping you awake at night is so imminent, and the threat is so real, and the consequences are so profound, and whispers in your mind tell you that God does not hear or care and He will not act to help you.  I know because I have been there.  But we also know the whispers are lies from the enemy, and God hears the prayers of His children who genuinely seek Him and know Him, and He responds, and His power and love and compassion are beyond our wildest imagination.  The holy creator of the universe can do anything and everything, and He is with those who know Him through Christ Jesus.

But how do we know?  How do we trust, particularly when the event feared and its associated risks are real, tangible and imminent, and our holy protector is invisible and at times seems distant?  How do we choose faith and allow faith to destroy our fear?

As I recently read accounts of the prophet Elisha’s many adventures in 2 Kings, I once again saw this remarkable story of Elisha’s faith while he was surrounded by the Syrian army sent to capture (or kill?) him.  The threat was real, tangible and imminent.  It took the form of soldiers, horses, chariots, swords, bows and arrows, all focused on Elisha, yet he trusted God and he asked God to open his servant’s eyes so that his servant might see and have faith as well.  And God responded in remarkable ways.

In the context of Elisha’s faith demonstrated, I recalled nights spent tossing and turning, unable to turn off my mind long enough to sleep, analyzing every horrific possibility and the frustrating limits of my options to act.  Elisha had faith, he knew God was with him, and his immediate response to the situation was to pray.  In my times of desperation, I ponder where God was on my list of potential helpers.  Was He first and primary?  Or way down the list, the prayer of last resort?  Do we trust ourselves, our resources and other humans more than God?  Or do we involve God, trust Him and follow His lead to people doing His will?

2 Kings 6 records a period when Israel and Syria were at war.  When the king of Syria made plans, God told Elisha what the Syrians were planning, and Elisha informed the king of Israel.  The king of Syria knew he had a spy in his midst, so he investigated.  One of his servants told him it was not a spy within the Syrian ranks, rather, it was Elisha, the prophet of Israel, who heard the king’s thoughts.  The king of Syria devised a plan to capture Elisha.  His men located Elisha in Dothan, and the king sent a vast army to the city one night.  Elisha woke the following morning, went outside and saw the vast Syrian army surrounding the city.  Elisha’s servant was terrified.  Scripture continues the story as follows:

And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”  He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.  And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.  2 Kings 6:15-19

When they arrived in Samaria, the Syrians were surrounded by the Israeli army.  The king of Israel asked Elisha if they should kill the Syrians.  Elisha instructed the king to feed the Syrians and let them go.  The king ordered a great feast, and after the Syrians ate and drank, they returned home.  The story concludes saying,

And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.  2 Kings 6:23

The king of Syria and his army saw God’s power and His goodness.  God conveyed the king’s plans to Elisha, rendered his army blind at Elisha’s request, and carried them deep into enemy territory.  They should have been slaughtered.  But they were treated with mercy and kindness, and that combination of power and kindness earned the Syrian’s respect and brought the war to an end.

The entire story is amazing, but let’s back up and consider verse 17:

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  2 Kings 6:17

Elisha’s servant walked outside and saw the Syrian army surrounding Dothan, but he was unable to see the vast army of spiritual beings on the mountain sent to protect him.  Elisha knew the spiritual army was there and he asked God to open his servant’s eyes so he would be able to see them.  The servant suddenly saw what had been there all along, and his fear turned to confidence.  When he saw, he understood and believed.

Before seeing the heavenly warriors, the servant was afraid, and his fear revealed his lacking faith.  Faith erases fear, but faith is believing things we cannot see.  God’s holy word says,

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.  By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.  Hebrews 11:1-2

Faith is “the conviction of things not seen.”   The servant had no idea the unseen warriors were even possibly there, until he saw them.  But we have the benefit of God’s holy word and His description of who He is and His promises.  He presents angels as mighty warriors who serve His will.  They accomplish what He orders them to accomplish.  In this account, they protect Elisha and the people with Elisha.  However, in other stories, like the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, angels unleash God’s wrath on the region.  Either way, they accomplish God’s will.

We know God is here with us and we know His angels do His bidding, but we cannot see them.  We know by faith, the conviction that unseen things exist.  The question is not whether they exist, but whether we are on the side of God’s will.  If we are also doing God’s will, we are on their team.

As soon as they saw the Syrian army surrounding them, Elisha said,

“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  2 Kings 6:16

He knew.  His faith reminds me of the powerful conclusion to Romans 8, which Paul begins writing,

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

Did Elisha know because he saw the heavenly host or because he had faith without seeing?  We do not know.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to have eyes to see the spiritual realm surrounding us?  Prophets record heavenly visions.  John records his as Revelation.  Paul mentions a heavenly visitation too awesome to record.  While we may pray for eyes to see the heavenly realm to strengthen our faith, Jesus tells us it is better to believe without seeing.  After that first Easter morning, Jesus appeared to Mary, then to the disciples walking to Emmaus, and then He appeared to a group meeting in the upper room.  Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared.  When those who were present told Thomas what had happened, he said he would only believe if he saw Jesus with his own eyes and touched Jesus’ wounds.  John continues the account writing,

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  John 20:26-29

Jesus showed Thomas great compassion and mercy, but He praised those who believe without seeing, because that is faith. 

No matter what horrific situation you face, it is not too big for God.  I encourage you to make God your primary first responder, and after you pray seeking Him, His help and His guidance, follow His lead to the humans doing His holy will.  As faith grows fear diminishes.  Faith erases fear.  May your faith continually grow.  May you face every obstacle knowing fully that He is with you.  Amen.