King Asa 3of4: Man’s Reliance On God Is For God’s Glory, Part 1of2, Evans Olang

2Chronicles 16:1-14, “7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand… 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

In the last message we saw how God promised to give king Asa and the people of Judah peace and victory over their enemies if they remained with and in God. 2Chronicles 15:12, reads “Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; …15 – And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around“. This is God’s promise to those who remain (abide) in Him.

The Lord Is With Us, Part 5of5, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

As we conclude, we see Elisha pursued and God causing his enemies to be blind, and instead of taking advantage of the situation to revenge, he chose to be different.

Without releasing and letting them go as they came, the king was encouraged to show kindness to them. They set food before them, and not tiny little food but a great feast as the bible puts it. Read and you will discover, they ate, drank and had a good time and thereafter they were released to go back to their master and so the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. Here is what we are encouraged to do, Romans 12:20, “Therefore if thine enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink: for in doing so thou shall heap coals of fire on his head”. Elisha was able to treat these men well because of God, and the more he also showed kindness the more the people around him became affected and they changed their ways too.

The Lord Is With Us, Part 4of5, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

And Elisha called on God to cause the Syrian men on chariots and horses be blind vs. 18. If someone was pursuing you then all of a sudden something happens to them, they will stop pursuing you and begin to worry or attend to what has just happened to them. Here we see men pursuing Elisha and because they became blind, their priorities changed, they needed to be led by someone. Elisha prayed his servant’s eyes would be opened and then he prayed that the Syrians Armies eyes would be made blind.

The Lord Is With Us, Part 3of5, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

To add to the last previous part, let me add in Mark 4:35-38, vs. 35, Jesus had been teaching on parables, He then told His disciples to cross with Him to the other side. As they sailed by boat, “…a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow”

Comparable to Elisha, Jesus was aware that the moment they began crossing to the other side there was going to be a great windstorm. And knowing life threatening experience awaited them, He went down at the bottom of the boat and fell fast asleep. In the midst of the storm beating the boat and the water beginning to fill the boat, He was very comfortable in the storm and slept through it. Instead of His disciples remaining encouraged by the presence of the creator (Jesus) in the boat, they panicked and became hysterical.

The Lord Is With Us, Part 2of5, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

1John 4:4, “Ye are of God ye little children for you have overcome them, for greater is He that is in you that he that is in the world“. Elisha was an ordinary man with an extraordinary anointing. There was nothing good in him but the Power and the presence of God, and so when you begin to see enemies scattered and put to shame, it is not because they are threatened by you, it is because of the One greater in you. The bible says, in Psalm 68:1, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered”.

The Lord Is With Us, Part 1of5, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

Our God is a great God, something we need not to forget. He knows how to battle His enemies in the battlefield. He does not fight according to men’s ways but His. There are days He battles for us and there are days He equips and teaches us to battle. Many times we may not be prepared for the battle but He is. We may be caught unaware, He is always aware. Psalm 46:1, “…He is a very PRESENT help in trouble”.