I'm Surrounded

Main Idea - Once you know who is with you it doesn’t matter what is against you

English Standard Version Chapter 6

15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.

2 Kings 6:15–23 ESV

When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.

We all face opposition (storms)

Freak out

Run Away

Handle it ourselves

Keep the faith

Elisha was surrounded

Army of horses and chariots from Syria

But....

He was also surrounded by the army of God

He was also surrounded by the power of God and the army of God

God has never been outnumbered

The purpose of storms:

Discipline - getting you back in God’s will

Destruction - punishment for rebellion

Development - building your faith and your testimony

The servant

We freak out

We run away

We pray

The servant

What are we going to do?

Elisha

Don’t be afraid, we are surrounded.

Jesus had times where He couldn’t do miracles because the people didn’t have faith.

Elisha offered two opposite prayers.

Open my servant’s eyes to see you

Close my enemies eyes to make them blind

Are you in God’s way?

Mark 6:5–6 ESV

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Matthew 13:58 ESV

And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:5 ESV

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

aith activates God’s hand.

Faith activates God’s hand.

Jesus had times where He couldn’t do miracles because the people didn’t have faith.

God allows storms

He wants to open things in you

And close areas where the enemy operates

The thunderstorms provide the water to the vegetation and also to the lakes and the reservoirs , They can happen anywhere with two conditions which are the air near the Earth’s surface must be warm and moist ( with lots of liquid ) , and the atmosphere must be unstable .

The storm winds distribute the seeds and the pollen , and they help remove the old and weak vegetation and so they make way for new growth , The lightning strikes liberate nitrates that fertilize the soil, The lightning produces about 20 percent of the nitrogen to the soil per year.

The lightning helps fertilize the soil , The  heat and the pressure from the lightning turns nitrogen and other gases in the air into useful compounds that are a natural fertilizer which help the plants make vital proteins , And it produces the ozone that is a vital gas in our atmosphere .

God has a bigger plan!

Satan thought he Jesus at a place called calvary

Satan tried to kill Jesus when He was a baby but God intervened

Now this time Satan thought he had Jesus again

As the Savior bled, the devil laughed

As he hung there dying, hell was rejoicing

But they didn’t realize that God had a bigger plan.

He wants to open things in you

And close areas that enemy operates