
Choose to Stand in the Power of God
Scripture Reference 2 Kings 6 : 8-12
8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.
10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” 12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.
Today’s passage opens with the enemy’s intention of war as well as insights from God to enable God’s people to out manoeuvre the enemy. I am always amazed in my walk of faith at how the Lord God goes before us and protects us by preventing what could have been a catastrophe from actually occurring. This is a matter of discernment for the child of God because many will experience God’s protection and deliverance in this way without necessarily recognizing that their protection was from God.
The enemy, of course in this text is infuriated by the apparent cunning of the people of the Lord who always seem to sidestep his traps. This can be true in our walk of faith today. The enemy is constantly strategizing as to how and when to attack especially at the point where we will be most vulnerable. What the above text demonstrates or should reveal to us is that we have a resource in our relationship with the Lord that makes it possible to out manoeuvre the enemy on an ongoing basis. I’m not suggesting that we will never suffer attack or violence from the enemy, even our Lord suffered in this way, yet He overcame due to His reliance on God and His obedience to the Word of God.
Unfortunately many or most fail to rely on the Lord in this way and therefore suffer not only attacks from the enemy but also defeats. The king of Aram asked how Israel could be evading his attacks so frequently and was subsequently told about the prophet of God. He was informed that Elisha had insights that seemed impossible for any person to possess. Are you aware that through faith in God you have access to power that would seem impossible for any normal person to actually possess? Unfortunately many relegate such wonderful works of God in and through His people to bygone days, therefore never embracing the relevance of God’s Word for our lives today. God can and does give us insights into the strategies of the enemy so that we are not only prepared for his attacks, we are also equipped to overcome.
You have a tremendous resource in the Word of God! You have the power and the protection of the Holy Spirit at work within you! You have access to the full armor of God Eph. 6:13 “…so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” You have the opportunity to remain alert! How? By praying in the Spirit constantly on all occasions for all the Lord’s people, 6:18! Elisha was not the source of his power, God was! God is the Source of your power! Stand then in His great power!