2 Kings 6:8-23. 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.”
13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16 “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.
18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
God works through those who believe in Him and trust in His power. Throughout Scripture, He fulfills His Word by sending His angel armies to protect, guide, strengthen, and advance His purposes for His chosen people. What appears invisible to human eyes is often the very arena where God is most actively at work.
From the beginning, God has revealed His power through angelic ministry. He sent angels to Abraham to promise a son through whom Christ would come (Genesis 18:1–15). He sent angels to Lot to rescue him and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1–29). He sent the commander of the Lord’s army to Joshua to encourage him before the battle of Jericho (Joshua 5:13–15).
When Elijah was exhausted, discouraged, and on the run for his life, God sent an angel to provide food and water to strengthen him for the journey ahead (1 Kings 19:1–9). And in Today’s Word, when a vast Aramean army surrounded the city where Elisha was staying, God answered Elisha’s prayer and revealed His angel armies—horses and chariots of fire filling the hills around them (2 Kings 6:17).
In a moment of national crisis, when King Hezekiah cried out to the Lord, God sent an angel who struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (2 Kings 19:35). When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the blazing furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar testified:
“Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25).
God had sent His angel to protect them. Likewise, God sent an angel to Daniel to shut the mouths of the lions: “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight” (Daniel 6:22).
To prepare the way for the coming of His Son, God sent the angel Gabriel to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11–20). After Jesus overcame the devil’s temptation, angels came and attended Him (Matthew 4:11).
The ministry of angels intensified as the gospel spread through the Early Church. Angels announced Christ’s return (Acts 1:11), opened prison doors (Acts 5:19), guided missionaries (Acts 8:26; 10:3), delivered believers (Acts 12:7), executed God’s judgment (Acts 12:23), and strengthened servants of God in moments of danger (Acts 27:23).
Only when we grasp the spiritual reality of our Triune God can we speak with the confidence of Elisha: “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). And only then can we pray as Elisha did: “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see” (2 Kgs 6:17).
Who was this man who could see what others could not? How could he pray with such authority and confidence?
Elisha heard God’s call through Elijah during one of the darkest periods in Israel’s history—a time dominated by idolatry and spiritual compromise. Elijah was being hunted by a ruthless queen determined to kill him. To follow Elijah was to embrace danger and potential death. Yet Elisha did not hesitate:
“He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant” (1 Kings 19:21).
Elisha eliminated every safety net. He destroyed anything that could draw him back. He went all in for the kingdom of God. That day, Elisha received a heavenly mandate. He embraced God’s urgent call to confront idols and restore the covenant and true worship. He discovered his life’s mission and pursued it with unwavering devotion.
While others were distracted by worldly interests, Elisha followed Elijah faithfully to the very end. When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha boldly asked for a “double portion” of his spirit (2 Kings 2:9). Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, Elisha became a mighty spiritual leader in Israel.
Most importantly, Elisha devoted his life to raising up the next generation of leaders. The city of Dothan—where the angel armies appeared—was not random. God’s attention was fixed on that place because His servant was faithfully carrying out His mission. And God surrounded it with horses and chariots of fire.
May God open our eyes so that we, too, may see, declare, and pray like Elisha. May He fill us with a double portion of the Spirit so that we may carry out the task the Lord Jesus has given us—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Let us go all in, considering our lives worth nothing to us, so that we may finish the race and complete the work God has entrusted to us (Acts 20:24).
Too often, our vision for worldly things is stronger than our vision for spiritual realities. As a result, we “wander from the true faith and pierce ourselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). When we prioritize temporal gains over eternal truths, we inevitably lose sight of the divine guidepost intended to lead us toward lasting peace.
Remember that your enemy, the devil, seeks to blur your spiritual vision. Resist him, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Ask God to sharpen your spiritual sight so that you can see beyond present circumstances into His eternal purposes. That is exactly what Elisha did.
You possess Christ—the source of true strength. Do not be anxious about anything. You are precious and honored in the sight of your Father. Begin today to pray the prayer of Elisha. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in all you do (Matthew 6:33).
When you do, you will be like Elisha—winning without fighting (2 Kings 6:18–23).
Prayer. Father, open my eyes to see the reality of the heavenly realms. Help me realize that those who are with me are more than those who are with them. Fill me with Your strength so that I may stand firm against the enemy and help save this generation from idols. In Jesus’ name, Amen.