“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” [17] 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 6:16-17 NLT
We are in dark days and the days are about to get even darker. Isaiah 60:1-2 says gross darkness shall cover the people and darkness the earth. We are about to enter times Jesus spoke about where iniquity shall abound and the love of many will wax cold Matthew 24:12. Because of the darkness of the times, Jesus said there will be great deception such that if it were possible, even the very elect will be lost. This is the time where people who have trusted in the arm of flesh will be swept away. These people will turn aside and even betray their brethren. Yet in all these God is the saving strength of His people.
When Israel was coming through the wilderness, they were coming against nations that were engrained in witchcraft. They needed more than weapons to face them and God was in the midst of them as a wall of fire around them, or as Elisha and Elijah experienced, there was an army of horses and fiery chariots among them. We see this when they faced Jericho, Joshua 5:13-6:27. Joshua was the captain of the army of Israel, however, before this seemingly impossible battle, he met the captain of the host of heavens army and knew they were not alone. It seemed like they simply marched around a wall, but they had a whole spiritual army doing more damage. Their obedience was simply an avenue for this army to act.
Elisha in 2 Kings 2 and 6 also had an encounter with this heavenly chariot. Elijah was about to be taken up and before his eyes, he watched Elijah taken away by a chariot of fire and a whirlwind. Elijah was gone, but his anointing in a double portion remained with Elisha, but not just that. The chariots of fire came back to be with him. Right after Elijah left, we see the manifestation of these chariots and whirlwind when he was about to cross the Jordan and through various obstacles he faced. One, particularly of note, was when the king of Syria came after him in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Here was we saw again this chariot of fire that never left him, but helped him perform supernatural tasks.
The bible says the angels of the Lord encamp around the righteous, Psalm 34:7. This is not just an old covenant reality. We in the new covenant have more than the chariots of fire to help, we have the Spirit of the Living God living on the inside of us, hence John said greater is He that is in us than he that is the world, 1 john 4:4. It was this power that enabled Philip to outrun a chariot while on foot, Acts 8:29-30. This power in them enabled them to heal the sick, raise the dead and walk in the newness of life. Though the times get darker, God is not taken by surprise. However, it takes an opening of the eyes to see the help readily available to us. In the times coming, the only currency for survival would be your knowledge of God, Your faith in Him, Daniel 11:32, Habakkuk 2:4. Those who know their God and choose to live by the strength of the one who has all the power and might will be strengthened not only to live through the times but to do exploits.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, thank you for being my ever-present help in times of trouble. Lord, I realize that the days ahead will be dark, such that many will turn aside and lose faith. I also realize that these people will be deceived and perish simply because of the lack of knowledge and faith in the provisions you have given. Lord open my eyes to see the help You are to Me in these times. Even though it will be extraordinarily difficult to leave in, You are committed to being a supernatural strength for me. Teach me how to live my every day by faith, that in those times, I will stand.
0 Comments