Mini Sermon 3: From Surrounded to Secure

When God Reverses the Surprise

Welcome back to the Garden. I’m Minister Adrianne Watson your Bible study teacher. This is the last of the four mini sessions for this series Tackle the Surprise that Show up.

I’m so glad you’re here for this week’s lesson as we continue exploring how gardening teaches us about spiritual growth. If you missed the full livestream session or the first three mini-sessions, I suggest that you go back and watch them first as it will give you the big picture behind this final lesson in this series.

Just so you know, I’ll be teaching from the Christian Standard Bible but feel free to use your translation of choice to follow along.

“Lord, thank You for this time. Help us to recognized that we might be surrounded but we are secure in You. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Let me tell you something that I’ve learned from over 25 years of gardening. Sometimes the moment you think everything is about to fall apart is actually the moment something new is about to break through.

I remember one spring when I walked outside to find my garden bed covered in weeds. It seemed like it happened overnight! It looked like the garden bed had been overrun. I stood there thinking, “This is it. I’m never going to get this garden bed under control.”

In that moment, I felt surrounded by weeds. I felt overwhelmed and outnumbered.

But something surprising happened as I started pulling the backbreaking weeds. I realized at least the weeds hadn’t killed anything. The plants that I thought were threatened were actually doing fine. and under the surface, the roots were much stronger than I had expected.

What felt like a loss turned into a reminder. Being surrounded doesn’t mean you are defeated.

And that’s exactly what we see in our passage today in 2 Kings 6. God takes a moment where His people are surrounded and He reverses the surprise.

2 Kings 6:13–23 “So the king said, “Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him.” When he was told, “Elisha is in Dothan,” he sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Please strike this nation with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, according to Elisha’s word. Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you’re looking for.” And he led them to Samaria. When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open these men’s eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Should I kill them, should I kill them, my father?” Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared a big feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiders did not come into Israel’s land again.”

First we see that the Arameans came to capture the Prophet Elisha in verses 13-14. An entire military unit of mercenaries was sent specifically for him. This was not an accident but an assassination attempt.

Next in verse 15, the servant is panicking because he was blindsided by fear.

In verse 17, God revealed His heavenly army so that the servant’s shock was met with spiritual sight. Now here comes the biggest surprise reversal.

In verse 18, the enemy that came to blind Israel was blinded by God.

In verse 19, God leads the army into Samaria. The enemy army is helpless, guided by the very prophet that they had planned to eliminate.

In verse 20, God opens their eyes in front of Israel’s army. They suddenly realize, they are the ones surrounded.

In verses 21-23 God shows the army mercy and not destruction. The King of Israel wants to kill the Arameans but Elisha commands something shocking. He says, “feed them and send them home.”

This act of mercy ended Aram’s raiding campaign against Israel for years. God didn’t just reverse the surprise. He used it to reveal His character, His control, and His compassion.

When God reverses the surprise, He turns danger into deliverance.

1: GOD CAN DISARM WHAT TRIES TO DESTROY YOU

2 Kings 6:18 “When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Please strike this nation with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, according to Elisha’s word.”

The enemy came to kill Elisha. But they didn’t realize that they were walking into God’s hands.

In gardening terms, sometimes weeds look like they are taking over but one deep pull reveals they had shallow roots the entire time.

God can disarm attacks, lies, fears, threats, and unexpected problems that arise. Surprises feel powerful but God knows how to drain its power.

Once God disarms what tries to destroy you, He does something even more surprising.

2. GOD CAN REDIRECT WHAT CAME TO RUIN YOU

2 Kings 6:19 “Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you’re looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.”

Elisha led the blinded army straight into Samaria, which was Israel’s capital at the time. He led them into the very hands of the people that they wanted to destroy.

This is a great reversal.

The enemy is the one who is confused.

The attacker becomes the one who needs to be guided.

The threat becomes harmless.

Sometimes the storm that threatens your garden ends up watering the very soil that brings your next harvest. God knows how to turn setbacks into stepping stones, obstacles into openings, enemies into opportunities for His glory.

But God doesn’t stop at redirecting the danger, He reveals something deeper about His heart in the process.

3: GOD CAN REVEAL HIMSELF THROUGH UNEXPECTED MERCY

2 Kings 6:22–23 “Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared a big feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiders did not come into Israel’s land again.”

The King of Israel expected bloodshed but God chose mercy.

Surprising mercy, undeserved mercy, mercy that changed the relationship between the two nations.

Vs 23 says, “The Aramean raiders dis not come into Israel’s land again.”

God’s mercy ended the conflict.

Sometimes the best way to heal the soil is not to tear it apart but to enrich it gently. Mercy can be the fertilizer of God’s kingdom.

Has God ever shown you mercy in a moment when you expected judgement?

Has God ever extended kindness when you deserved confrontation?

God’s mercy doesn’t ignore the danger, it transforms it.

Conclusion

When the servant looked out, he saw danger. But when the story ends, it’s the enemy who realizes that they are surrounded.

God flipped the script.

He took a frightening situation and turned it into deliverance, protection, and peace.

And He can do the same for you.

You may feel surrounded, confused, blindsided, outnumbered, or worn down by circumstances that came out of nowhere.

But the God of 2 Kings 6 can:

disarm what tries to destroy you

redirect what tries to derail you

and reveal His love in ways you never expected

It reminds me of the song, “This is how I fight my battles.” In the chorus, there’s a line that says, “It may feel like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.

You may feel surrounded but you are surrounded by God.

Let us pray,

Father, thank You that You are the God who reverses surprises. When danger comes against us, You disarm it. When problems surround us, You redirect them. And when fear rises, You surround us with Your mercy.

Today, help us trust that You are in control, even when we cannot see the outcome. Turn our surprises into testimonies. Turn our fears into faith. And turn what the enemy meant for harm into the very thing that reveals Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I always like to end my sessions with a practical gardening tip that relates to our study.

Use companion plants to protect your garden. Plants like marigolds, basil, and nasturtium naturally repel enemies that come to harm your garden.

Spiritual connection: Just as companion plants guard a garden, God surrounds your life with protection, people, and unseen help. You may not always see the support but God has planted it around you.