Title: Open My Eyes
1. Introduction
Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eyes are clear, your whole body will be bright, and if your eyes are cloudy, your whole body will be dark. So, if the soul within you is dark, how deep is that darkness? Matthew 6:22-23> He said.
He said that there are many things in the eyes. There is 肉眼. There is 慧眼. There is 靈眼. And there is 開眼.肉眼 is also precious, but 慧眼 is more precious, and 靈眼 is even more precious than 肉眼 or 慧眼.
This text is a record of a classic event in which Elisha's servant witnessed fire horses and chariots of fire in the army of the living God when he died. As we meditate on these words today, I earnestly pray that the blessings of these opening eyes will come to all of us.
2. 起 - Find the spies!
Northern Israel The king of Syria, north of Samaria, attacked Israel several times by surprise, but each failed. The king of Aramae decides that there is probably a spy in the palace and sells their military secrets to the Israeli side, and orders the spies to be searched out. Then the loyal servant of the king of Syria said to him, “King, we do not have spies among us. In Israel, there is a prophet of God named Elisha, who knows everything the king is saying while wearing a blanket in his bedroom, and tells the king of Israel in advance, so that he can defend himself from all attacks.”
3. 承 - Then, catch Elisha first!
As the saying goes, “Shoot the horse first if you want to capture a general!”, the king of Aram thinks that he must first catch and kill Elisha, and follow Elisha’s whereabouts. Finally, we get information that Elisha is staying in the castle of Dothan.
The king of Aram dispatches the fastest and most powerful elite troops. Arameans arrived at Dothan in the middle of the night and completely surrounded the city of Dothan, waiting for the morning. Because we decided to wait until we could recognize human faces. It was because he was afraid that he might miss Elisha in the middle of the attack at any time in the dark.
Aram's most elite troops sharpen their spears and swords and wait for their blades to be erected.
4. 轉 - Those who are with us are more than those who are with them!
Meanwhile, when Elisha's servant wakes up in the morning, he has a strange feeling. The servants carefully look around the castle. Ouch, what is this! The city of Dothan is completely surrounded by the Arameans. The servant is overcome with extreme fear and rushes to Elisha.
With fear and bewilderment, the servant exclaims <Alas, my lord, what can I do?>. “Oh, dear Elisha, you are dead now.” But Elisha is calm. And what they say is, <Do not be afraid, see that our soldiers have more than theirs!>. But there was nothing in the servant's eyes.
Elisha prays for the servant <O Lord, please open my eyes so I can see!>. Jehovah opens the servant's eyes. After the servant was swept away, he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
5. 結 - What is the message of this event?
first. Don't be afraid, there are more who have been with us than they have.
In real life, there are times when we find ourselves in the same situation as Elisha's servant. There are times when the waves of this world rise like a mountain and you feel you can't handle it. There are times when I am very scared and afraid. Ah, now it's over! There are times to do it.
But he tells you not to be afraid. This is because the horses and chariots of fire that are encamped around to help the children of God are holding up stronger than the waves of this world.
second. Then, how can we see the horses and chariots of fire?
You must receive the blessing of 開眼.靈眼 should open.靈眼 opens when you cast out fears through prayer. All the power that comes from God comes from prayer. Through prayer, we too can see the army of God all around us. When the 靈眼 is opened, it starts to be visible. Therefore, earnestly long for the blessing of 開眼.
third. Blessing of Dogs
When our gates are opened and we can see the fire horses and chariots of fire in the sky, our lives that were struggling in fear and discouragement can be completely different. The desperate cry of <Ah, my lord what can I do!> is converted into a hymn of <Ah, my lord, thank you!>. Therefore, the psalmist writes, “My soul, why are you discouraged, and why are you troubled within me? Look to God, and I will rather praise my God, who helps my face! Psalm 43:5> said. Amen!
fountain of words