Against All Odds - One Year Devotions for Women

Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. - 2  Kings 6:17

Are you ever greeted in the morning with a situation where you feel you are facing unbelievable odds? Do you feel surrounded by unfriendly faces? Perhaps you, too, have cried out, “Ah, Lord, what will I do now?”

Christ, who is captain of the Lord’s host, encamps around those who fear him. Sometimes the Captain commands those unseen hosts to intervene, as in Elisha’s case, and a miracle of deliverance takes place. At other times, in God’s infinite wisdom, the heavenly host is restrained. But it’s still a comfort to know that they are there!

We can learn to “see” God’s resources for ourselves through faith and revelation. Reading the Word of God helps us when we are overcome with fear. We learn that many people who served God were frightened. Elisha’s servant was frightened when he saw the Aramean army. Joshua must have been frightened when Moses died and he had to take over (Joshua 1:6-9). David must have been frightened when Saul was chasing him and all he could see was the human army (1 Samuel 23; Psalm 35). In each instance, God encouraged his servants and told them not to be afraid. Once God gives us courage, we can then become an Elisha for our friends and family when they are frightened or worried. We can pray, “Oh, Lord, open their eyes, and let them see!” God is on our side, and it will be all right

For Further Study: 2 Kings 6:8-23

Excerpted from The One Year Devotions for Women, Copyright ©2000 by Jill Briscoe. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

For more from Jill Briscoe, please visit TellingtheTruth.org.

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