River Church NOLA
Wed Jan 14 Prayer Service
  • Rest On Us
  • Your Love Defends Me
  • Set A Fire
  • Breathe
  • Intro
    Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling you are surrounded… like everything was closing in on you?
    Maybe the doctor’s report wasn’t what you wanted ot hear.
    Maybe a family situation feels tense and has not been resolved.
    Maybe the future looks uncertain.
    That’s the situation we find here in 2 Kings 6:8-22. This passage is not just a story about the prophets and war, it’s a revelation of how God works in our lives when we are afraid, overwhelmed and out numbered.
    If you have ever said, “Lord what are we going to do?” This is for you.
    2 Kings 6:8–22 NLT
    8 When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.” 9 But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.” 10 So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he would be on the alert there.
    2 Kings 6:8–22 NLT
    11 The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?” 12 “It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!” 13 “Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” 14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.
    2 Kings 6:8–22 NLT
    15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
    2 Kings 6:8–22 NLT
    18 As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. 19 Then Elisha went out and told them, “You have come the wrong way! This isn’t the right city! Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to the city of Samaria. 20 As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, now open their eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they discovered that they were in the middle of Samaria. 21 When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?” 22 “Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.”
    Here are some things we need to know about our situations we find ourselves facing.

    1. God is a work before the battle begins.

    I think we are all worried that our problem might surprise or shock God, but they don’t. It’s almost like we think that God is going to say something like, Boy Robert, I sure didn’t see that coming. That doesn’t happen.
    2 Kings 6:8–10 NLT
    8 When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.” 9 But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.” 10 So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he would be on the alert there.
    The King of Aram plans military ambushes against Israel. Each time his plans fail. Why? Because Elisha God reveals them to Elisha who warns the king of Israel . God was at work on behalf of Israel even though they didn’t know it.
    2 Kings 6:11–12 NLT
    11 The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?” 12 “It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!”
    Here is what we need to learn from this.

    God knows the enemy’s plans before the enemy carries them out.

    Long before you realized any danger or difficulty, God was already intervening. Long before you prayed that desperate prayer, god was already positioning protection around you.
    Application
    You may never know, until heaven, how many accidents God has prevented, how many attacks never reached you, or how many doors He quietly closed to protect you.
    Faith grows when we trust not only what God does visibly, but what he does invisibly.

    2. Fear comes from what we see.

    In response to Elisha warning the King of Israel, he sends horse, chariots, and a big army to surround the city of Dothan. They move in by night, quietly and strategically.
    In the morning Elisha’s servant wakes up, steps outside and freezes with fear. The city is completely surrounded. He runs back to Elisha crying out, Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?”
    2 Kings 6:13–16 NLT
    13 “Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” 14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”
    Notice the contrast between the servant and Elisha
    The servant sees the armies.
    Elisha see assurance

    Fear always magnifies what we see.

    Fear speaks in numbers, reports, images, and probabilities.
    Application
    Fear is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of limited vision. When all you can see is the problem, fear will dominate your heart. When you only count what’s against you, you will forget who is for you.

    3. When faced with difficulties, do not be afraid.

    Elisha responds calmly.
    2 Kings 6:16 NLT
    16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”
    What a statement!
    At that moment, nothing in the natural realm supported Elisha’s statement. The enemy was real. The danger was real. The servant’s fear was understandable.

    Elisha was not denying reality, he was declaring a greater reality.

    Application
    Faith does not deny the problem, it acknowledges God’s presence with in the problem. Faith is not pretending things are ok. It’s trusting that God is greater.

    4. Pray for open eyes.

    2 Kings 6:17 NLT
    17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
    Elisha doesn’t pray for protection… escape… for angels to come. He prays for the Lord to open his servant’s eyes so he could see.
    Suddenly the servant’s eyes are opened and he sees the hills full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.
    Here is what we need to know.

    God’s protection was there before the servant saw it.

    The armies of heaven didn’t arrive after the prayer, they were already there.
    Application.
    Often our greatest need is not a change in circumstances but a change in perspective. We ask God to remove what scares us, when God wants to reveal what surrounds us.
    What if this became our prayer? What if every time we become challenged or attacked, we ask God to open our eyes so that we can see we are surrounded by His power and protection?
    What happens next is not what we would expect.

    5. God provided victory without violence.

    As the enemy advances, Elisha prays again,
    2 Kings 6:18 NLT
    18 As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked.
    He asks the Lord to blind them, not kill them. They are blind and confused.
    Elisha then leads them directly into Samaria, right into the presence of the king of Israel.
    2 Kings 6:19–20 NLT
    19 Then Elisha went out and told them, “You have come the wrong way! This isn’t the right city! Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to the city of Samaria. 20 As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, now open their eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they discovered that they were in the middle of Samaria.
    What a reversal.
    The hunters became the captured.
    The confident became helpless.
    The threat became an opportunity.
    Application
    God doesn’t always defeat the enemy by force. Sometimes He neutralizes it through confusion, redirection, or exposure.

    When God fights your battles, He does not need your aggression. He needs your obedience.

    6. God’s Mercy ends the conflict.

    2 Kings 6:21–22 NLT
    21 When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?” 22 “Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.”
    Twice the king of Israel asked if he should kill the army but Elisha tells him no. Instead he instructs the King to feed them and give them water. After they eat and drink, he sends them back to their master.
    What’s the result? The raiding bands from Aram stopped invading Israel’s territory.

    Mercy accomplished what violence could not.

    Application
    Sometimes the greatest victory God gives us is not destroying our enemies, but transforming the situation through GRACE. God’s ways are higher than ours, and His mercy often brings peace where retaliation never could.
    Wrap up
    This passages teaches us 4 life-changing truths.
    God is already at work before we realize we’re in danger.
    Fear focuses on what is seen; faith rests on what is unseen.
    God’s presence often surrounds us long before we recognize it.
    Mercy is one of God’s most powerful weapons.
    When you feel surrounded, remember this:

    You are not surrounded by problems, you are surrounded by God’s power.

    When fear whispers “look how outnumbered you are”; faith declares, “Look how protected I am.”

    Closing prayer
    Lord, open our eyes to see what You are doing around us. Calm our hearts when fear rises. Help us trust You when circumstances overwhelm us. Teach us to walk in faith, to rest in Your protection, and to respond with grace even when we have the upper hand. In Jesus’ name, Amen
    Pray…
    God is already at work before we realize we’re in danger.
    Fear focuses on what is seen; faith rests on what is unseen.
    God’s presence often surrounds us long before we recognize it.
    Mercy is one of God’s most powerful weapons.
    Praise God because He is always working on our behalf…
    Pray for those you know are sick
    Pray for those you know do not have a relationship with Jesus.
    Prayer time.

      • 2 Kings 6:8–22ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:8–22ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:8–22ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:8–22ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:8–10ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:11–12ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:13–16ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:16NKJV

      • 2 Kings 6:17NKJV

      • 2 Kings 6:18NKJV

      • 2 Kings 6:19–20ESV

      • 2 Kings 6:21–22NKJV

  • Build My Life
River Church NOLA
robert@riverchurchnola.com
504-578-8317
https://riverchurchnola.com
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