Walking by Faith and Not by Sight
“So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. 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. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ 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 6:14-17 (NLT)
People who walk by faith and not by sight have the miraculous ability to see what is unseen! They see what others cannot see. Elisha had that kind of vision because he walked with God. In 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV), the bible says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” But what does that really mean and how do we live by such faith today? It’s a matter of focus. What are you focused on - what you see around you, or God? Elisha was focused on God. His servant could only see what was happening around him. His servant saw the hillside covered with enemy troops and their horses and chariots surrounding them. His heart was immediately filled with fear. Based solely on his circumstances he knew that he and the prophet, Elisha, were outnumbered. He cried out to Elisha, “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” 2 Kings 6:15b (NLT)
That’s a great question. When your heart is overwhelmed with fear and the odds are against you, it’s only natural to be afraid. We can learn a lesson from this servant. It’s ok to cry out. We can ask God for help, “What will we do now?” We can take our fears to God. Over 450 times, God says in the Bible, “Do not be afraid.” This is exactly what Elisha tells his servant. “Don’t be afraid!” What did Elisha know that the servant didn’t? Couldn’t he see all the troops with their horses and chariots surrounding them just as the servant did? It must have confused the servant when Elisha said to him that there were more on our side than on theirs. I can almost see the look of wonder on this servant’s face as he counts out loud – one, two, (just you and me?) versus all those troops that are about to attack us! Then Elisha prays, “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.” (Vs. 17)
God had not left them alone. Even when you feel in the minority, surrounded by those who may oppose you, you are in greater company than your opponents. The Bible says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31b (NIV) You and God are a majority! Keep your focus on God and not the circumstances around you. This is why the apostle Paul could write in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV) “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
This is the life of faith! It’s what makes faith such an adventure! The writer of Hebrews tells us the nature of this kind of faith in Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Which are you living for – the things you can see around you or that which is unseen? Ask God for the faith to see the unseen! That’s what the Psalmist prayed in Psalm 119:18 (MSG), “Open my eyes so I can see what You show me of Your miracle-wonders.”
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.