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II Kings 6:17
II Kings 6:8-23 – the entire story.
We need our eyes open to clear purposes, plans and desires of God for us. We
need to clearly know and understand where God wants us to be and how we are to
get there. Elisha had his eyes opened. This is not something he did, but
something God did for him.
The trouble (Elisha really did not consider this trouble at all.) Elisha
found himself in was because he did the will of God.
It is possible to be with a person whose eyes are open, yet our eyes are
closed.
When our eyes are closed, we will be filled with fear, but when God opens our
eyes, we will be filled with peace in the midst of the storm.
We cannot open our eyes to see the blessings of God, or the future with God.
We are completely, totally dependent on God to open our eyes. We do not and
cannot operate on physical, fleshly, earthly wisdom. We need God’s directions.
Without his directions, we are as lost as the Syrians in verse 18.
We should pray that God open our eyes to see and believe:
Opportunities for service.
What our work is. (When I surrendered to the ministry, I had already
asked the Lord what he wanted me to do – that was pastoring, not being a
missionary, or whatever else. God has richly supplied for my family and me.)
What God wants us to do daily.
What God wants our church to do.
To our faults.
To the needs of others – not their faults!
To our talents.
What the devil is doing.
What God will do.
What God is doing.
Be aware of the times and the seasons.
Verse 18 – While Elisha prayed that his servants eyes be opened, he also
prayed that his enemies eyes be closed. Then he led them to Samaria, where they
were fed and released. The king of Syria did not bother Israel any more. A war
was averted and many lives saved.
Verse 20 – Elisha prayed again and the eyes of the army were opened. I
imagine great fear entered them.
Psalms 119:18 – Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law.
Proverbs 20:13 – Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open
thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Isaiah 42:7 – To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners
from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Acts 26:18 – To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in
me.
Balaam
Numbers 24:3 – And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the
son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Numbers 24:4 – He hath said, which heard the words of God, which
saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes
open:
Numbers 24:15 – And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the
son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Numbers 24:16 – He hath said, which heard the words of God, and
knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
We want God to be aware of our circumstances and help us. God wants no less
from us.
II Kings 19:16 – Hezekiah prays that God will open his eyes to see
and hear what Sennacherib has declared in reproaching the living God.
(Hezekiah does not mention the reproach upon themselves – they have no
pride.) It is not that God did not hear or see, but Hezekiah wants God to do
something about the situation they are in.
At the end of this message, sing the song, "Open My Eyes That I
May See" |