18 As the enemy came down towards him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, ‘Strike this army with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. 2 Kings 6
We said previously that Elisha had prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened and then he prayed that the eyes of the enemy, coming towards them, would be closed. The Church of today hasn’t realised the authority that the Lord has delegated to us, but the prophet took his authority to stop the enemy army in its tracks. I also said that the opening remarks of the speaker at a meeting we attended was that God was going to SHARPEN THE PROPHETIC. I say Amen to that, may we all stand in the authority given us and see the enemy become powerless before the God’s people.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN ME. 19 THEREFORE GO and make disciples of all nations, Matthew 28
These are incredible words of the Lord before He ascended into heaven. We call them the Great Commission, but often there appears to be a disconnect between Jesus’ statement that ALL AUTHORITY IS HIS and the actions of His Church. I have been hearing Jesus’ words earlier in Matthew’s Gospel of late,
7 ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.’ Matthew 7
Lord help us not to live far below our entitlement as children of the Great King here on the earth, help us to walk out our lives in all that you have for us.
Elisha prayed one final time that the Lord would open the eyes of the enemy after he’d led them into the city of Samaria. What a shock that must have been, but he wouldn’t allow the king of Israel to kill them. Instead Elisha told him to feed them before they were released and sent on their way. God had delivered Israel’s enemies into their hands but the prophet instructed that they be shown mercy and even blessed as guests of honour.
54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Luke 9
Jesus later rebuked two of His closest disciples who did understand their authority for wanting to destroy a Samaritan village, in the same area, because they didn’t recognise nor honour the Lord.
The authority of believers is to be used with mercy and not in harsh judgment.
Elisha’s actions stopped the raids from Aram without the shedding of blood. They probably realised that further attacks would result in confrontation with the God of a people much too strong for them.
God give us boldness and open our eyes to know our authority in You.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.