Passage: 2 Kings 6:8-17

The Big Idea

Whenever someone comes to faith or grows in trusting God, expect the enemy to attack. Right after Naaman’s healing, the king of Syria launched raids on Israel, and God revealed his plans to Elisha, who warned the king again and again. So the king sent a great army by night to surround Elisha’s city. Elisha’s young servant saw the enemy and panicked: “What shall we do?” Elisha calmly said, “Don’t be afraid; those with us are more than those with them,” and prayed, “Lord, open his eyes.” The hills were full of fiery chariots. The protection was there all along; the miracle was the opened eyes. We walk by faith, not by sight, trusting that if God is for us, no one can stand against us.

Expect Attack

Paul says to take up the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

The enemy loves to oppose God’s people. Whenever someone is saved or makes progress in trusting God (like the floating axe head), we need to watch for the enemy’s attacks.

More experienced believers need to watch out for younger believers.
We need to give “shield of faith” lessons.

Warnings (6:8-10)

The king of Syria was at war with Israel. He planned with his officers, “My camp will be in such-and-such a place.” But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, for the Syrians are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked the place, and Elisha warned him again and again, not just once or twice.

The enemy has one focus: to destroy you.
The king of Syria pictures how the enemy comes after us.
Naaman from Syria had just been healed and converted. Now the king of Syria launches attacks on Israel.
But Elisha knows the enemy’s plans and schemes. So he warns the people he’s responsible for, the people he loves.
Those of us who know the enemy’s flaming arrows need to be involved in the lives of younger believers.
A church with many new believers will face a lot of attacks.
It takes time to learn how to respond to attacks with faith.
“But what if they don’t like it? What if I’m meddling?”
- If you come in love, to help them trust the Lord, you’re not meddling. You’re serving them.
- And wise people welcome loving counsel (Proverbs 12:15).
Don’t date an unbeliever. Don’t get drunk. Don’t get high. Don’t be obsessed with money or popularity. Don’t hold on to bitterness.
Young believers need to hear these warnings, because each is a flaming arrow the enemy will shoot. He picks off the easy targets first.
We’re responsible to train and encourage one another to live by faith.
Not just once or twice. The enemy will come back several times before he gives up. Resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7). It may take a little while, but if you keep trusting the Lord, he’ll move on.

The Enemy Targets Faith (6:11-13)

The king of Syria was enraged. He summoned his officers: “Tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel!”

“There must be a spy!”
“We can’t be beaten! We have the upper hand! We have the element of surprise!”

One officer said, “None of us, my lord the king. It’s Elisha, the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel the words you speak in your bedroom.” The king said, “Go find out where he is, so I can send men to seize him.” They reported, “He’s in Dothan.”

The enemy hates God’s servants.
Whenever he finds a believer walking in victory, that person becomes a target.
He’s called the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10).
He doesn’t need to accuse those who don’t know God. They’re already dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1).
He targets believers who want to live by faith.
“Then I just won’t live by faith.” But without faith it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
“I don’t care about pleasing God. I find my joy elsewhere.” Then you need a new heart, by God’s grace and love!

Surrounded (6:14-15)

He sent horses, chariots and a great army. They came by night and surrounded the city.

The enemy’s strategy:

Night: darkness. But God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).
Surrounded: no way out.
Horses, chariots and a great army: the enemy has real power at his disposal.

When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, there was an army surrounding the city with horses and chariots. “Oh no, my master! What shall we do?”

This is a picture of a young believer who hasn’t yet learned to trust the Lord in every attack.
He sees the problem clearly:
An enemy army that hates him and has power.
Surrounded, with no way out.
He can’t fight well enough or try hard enough to win.

So the young believer’s natural reaction is fear.

He’s just had his self-confidence shattered in coming to God, and doesn’t yet know how to respond to attacks.
If he can’t trust himself, where can he put his trust?
His first thought is a self-sourced solution: “What shall we do?”

But the man of God teaches him the ways of faith.

He doesn’t scold him for his lack of faith. He isn’t harsh or unkind. He’s strong for him. The young man’s fear isn’t a nuisance to the older one.

We who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves (Romans 15:1).

Sometimes believers are quicker to criticize young believers’ mistakes than to serve and bear with them.
We need to show them how to live by faith and respond to the enemy’s attacks.
“But that’s a hard conversation to start. I’m afraid of rejection.” Here are some helps:
Ask permission: “Can I speak into your life?”
“Would it be OK if I shared how I’ve dealt with that?”
“Can I show you some verses about that?”
Avoid “Well, I think…”
Focus on the truths of God’s Word, God’s promises, and what a response of faith looks like.

“Those with Us Are More” (6:16-17)

Elisha answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes so he can see.” And the Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw: the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Elisha wasn’t afraid. He understood the Lord’s love for him. He was confident in both God’s power and God’s love.

Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).
You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3).
Elisha had kept his mind and heart on the Lord.
So he had perfect peace even under attack.

Trust. Faith. That’s the key to perfect peace. So many of God’s precious people are stressed and worried, running here and there, coming to Jesus only as a last resort.

Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

The miracle was that the servant’s eyes were opened, not that protection suddenly appeared.

The fiery army was there all along.
His eyes were simply opened to see it.
God is with every believer! But many eyes are still closed to that reality.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them (Psalm 34:7).

Many believe the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament was the Lord Jesus Himself, before His birth in Bethlehem.
This is God’s lasting promise for us today.
God is your strong tower of protection.
He promises to deliver you from the enemy. You never have to figure your own way out.
You call on the Lord and wait for His salvation.
“Those who fear Him” are the humble: those who know their deep need for God, and are afraid of trusting themselves.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

John says you’ve already overcome the enemy! You’ve already won, because God is in you, and He’s greater.
How do you have God in you? Believe the gospel and welcome the Holy Spirit to live in you. Surrender to God’s will, which is that you believe and receive Him.
The enemy can’t overpower Him. As I understand Scripture, a true Christian, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, cannot be possessed by a demon.

Walking by Faith

“How do I stay in God’s protection? I don’t want to wander off on my own and leave it behind.”

We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Most of us won’t see God’s army with our physical eyes like the servant did.
We’re called to a higher way of living: a life of faith.
God has promised His protection is real and powerful. We only need to believe it and rest in it.
Notice: the Bible never says Elisha saw the army. He knew it was there! He prayed for the servant’s eyes to be opened.
What faith! He simply believed what God had said.
Faith comes by hearing and believing God’s Word (Romans 10:17).

Need another version of this promise? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

God’s army surrounds you. His angels serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
His promise is clear, and it’s our joy to rest in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:1).

The greatest problem in any church is unbelief. Unbelief keeps us from praying and from resting in His promises.

Unbelief can’t be beaten out of us. We need to be taught and shown how to trust the Lord.

Elisha is a great example of skillful teaching:

He gives a calm, “Don’t be afraid.”
He explains the spiritual reality and God’s promise.
He prays for the miracle of opened eyes.

That approach teaches the heart that fear is unnecessary, and shows complete dependence on the Lord for the miracle of spiritual sight.

God will answer these prayers! He delights to be depended on. He’s glorified when we call on Him. His name and reputation are on the line when we depend on Him, and He will respond!

More Than Conquerors

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who didn’t spare His own Son, how will He not also freely give us all things? Who can bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It’s God who justifies. Who condemns? Christ Jesus died, and more, was raised, and is at God’s right hand interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Trouble, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).

When you can stand firm in God’s love even while the enemy attacks everything you hold dear, you’re victorious!

You can have a battle cry:

“Devil, I don’t care what you do. I am loved by God, and that’s better than anything in this world!”
“He makes me glad!”
“He protects me!”
“He equips me to stand against you!”
“I won’t sink to hating people, even when they hate me!”
“I won’t believe your lie that when I suffer, it means God hates me or has abandoned me.”
“I won’t live in unbelief!”
“I will stand on the promises God has made to me in Scripture. He doesn’t lie!”

Grace Takeaway

Are you afraid? Don’t be. Don’t doubt. You may feel surrounded, but those who are with you are more than those who are against you. God’s protection is already there; you just need eyes to see it. Ask Him to open your eyes, and help someone younger in the faith see it too. God is with you, He loves you, and He will supply everything you need.

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Spirit Vision Goggles: Walking by Faith Under Attack