Open Eyes

The situation looked bad.

The king of Syria warred against Israel, but each time he set an ambush, Elisha — the man of God — warned the king of Israel of the pending attack. So Syria’s king decided to deal with the troublesome prophet. One night, he sent a great army to surround the city where Elisha lived.

When the horses and men in chariots surrounded Elisha’s city, his servant panicked. He asked Elisha what they should do. "[Elisha] said, 'Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them'” (2 Kings 6:16).

Just like Elisha’s servant, we can face circumstances that seem overwhelming. We feel powerless over our enemy, whether it is an illness, joblessness, or vindictive people. Yet, there is more to the situation than what we see with our eyes.

Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes to the spiritual realm. Suddenly, the picture looked very different. The enemy troops didn’t disappear, but now the servant also saw God’s army — horses and chariots of fire — surrounding and protecting them.

Jesus promised to send his followers the Holy Spirit to be with them forever ([John 14:16]https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A16&version=NIV()). When we accept Jesus as our Lord, he gives life to our spirits. We now live in both the physical and the spiritual world.

The Holy Spirit’s power opens our eyes to a bigger reality. God is greater than every enemy we face.

Almighty God, open my eyes to see beyond the physical. Remind me of your power, so that I will trust in you and not be afraid. Amen.

Go Deeper — Sometime today, shut your eyes very tight. Listen to the noises that surround you as if you’ve never heard them before. Do any sound strange? Now open your eyes and see what was making the noise. How does seeing anew change your attitude?