2 Kings 6:8-23. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (vv. 16-17)
Many believers fall into unbelief and despair when they face hardships in life. In reality, the way they respond to problems is often not very different from that of unbelievers.
What do you do when you are alone, in trouble, or when your circumstances seem hopeless? What happens when you feel like you cannot go on any longer?
You are not alone.
All the remnants who came before you faced the same struggles—many endured even greater hardships (Hebrews 11:1–40). Yet it is written, “the world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38). How, then, did they overcome the world?
They saw the covenant of God in advance. Because of this, they were able to embrace their hardships within God’s absolute sovereignty rather than be shaken by them. They also held onto God’s vision in advance. That is how they overcame difficulties: with strength from above, not their own.
With this covenant and vision, they moved forward while enjoying in advance what was to come—their God-given dream. Even in suffering, they held the conviction that God’s absolute covenant and plan would surely be fulfilled.
So do not be deceived by what is happening in your life. What you see now is only a part of the covenant journey God has prepared for you. Your Father does not make mistakes. His hands have been guiding you, are guiding you now, and will continue to guide you until you reach the destination He has set.
Start small. Make the gospel truly your own. Stop dwelling on the past or blaming others. Instead, begin to ask why you need the gospel 24 hours a day.
Discover “your prayer.” Do not pray like unbelievers, chasing after temporary things. Pray as a child of God—enjoying your identity and authority in Christ.
Discover “your evangelism.” Start where you are: your family, workplace, and school. When you find your gospel and your prayer, living as a witness will no longer feel heavy, but natural and joyful.
God has already prepared your future. What lies between now and that future is your dream. Everything in your life—even hardships—will become part of that dream. Since God Himself will fulfill it, cherish and enjoy it in advance.
Along the way, God will give you a specialization—answers that only He can give, something only you can do, and a masterpiece that only He can create through your life. Through this, you will bring healing to your field with the strength that comes from God alone.
To walk this path, prepare the right attitude, like Elisha. When God called him through Elijah, he did not hesitate (1 Kings 19:21). It was one of the darkest times in Israel’s history. Idolatry and corruption filled the land under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who opposed God and sought to kill Elijah.
Yet in that moment, Elisha heard God’s calling. He discovered his lifelong mission and chose a path no one else was willing to take. While others pursued worldly success, Elisha followed Elijah to the very end. And he asked for something no one else desired: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9).
Filled with the Spirit of God, Elisha became one of Israel’s greatest spiritual leaders. More importantly, he devoted his life to raising the next generation. The place was Dothan. There, God revealed His power—surrounding the place with horses and chariots of fire.
May God open our eyes to see that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). May He fill us with a double portion of the Spirit so that we may fulfill the mission given by the Lord Jesus—to testify to the gospel of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).
Too often, our vision for the world is stronger than our vision for the throne of the Triune God and the spiritual blessings given by the Holy Spirit. As a result, we often wander from the faith and bring unnecessary sorrow upon ourselves (1 Timothy 6:10).
Remember your enemy, the devil, who seeks to blur your spiritual vision. Resist him in the name of Jesus, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
Ask God to widen your spiritual eyes so that you may see beyond your present circumstances. This is what Elisha did. To Elisha, the crisis at Dothan was not a threat, but part of God’s plan. That is why he was not afraid. He experienced victory without fighting: “So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory” (2 Kings 6:23).
Open your eyes to the reality of the world and stand before God. Like Elisha, lay down your own plans and take hold of God’s desire for this age. Let that become your dream.
With the filling of the Spirit, bring renewal to your church. Together with your pastor and church leaders, take hold of the mission God has given—to equip His people and bring the message of reconciliation to your community (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Stand as a spiritual commander in your field, holding onto the victory of Christ. Begin a life of spiritual prayer like Elisha. Stop fighting against people (Ephesians 6:12). Do not repay evil for evil (Romans 12:17). Win without fighting—that is the way of the children of God.
Your God-given dream is absolute. God will fulfill it. Therefore, do not be discouraged. Connect everything in your life to that dream.
Prayer. Father, we lay down all our dreams before You and make Your dream our own. Open our eyes to see Your covenant, and fill us with strength from above. Use every part of our lives to fulfill Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.