Peace – the Gift of God

On more than one occasion Elisha warned the King of Israel when the nation was in danger of attack from the king of Syria, and this in turn put his own life in danger. When the Syrian king found out that Elisha was in Dothan he sent a large band of men with horses and chariots to surround the town. Early the next morning Elisha’s servant got up and was dismayed to find they were in mortal peril. (2 Kings 6:8-16).

However, Elisha was completely at peace. “Don’t be afraid” He told his servant “We have more on our side than they have on theirs”. Then he asked the Lord to open his servant’s eyes so that he could see, and suddenly the servant saw what was really going on.

Often, we don’t understand what’s really going on because all we see is the natural. But God, who never sleeps or slumbers, is always on the alert on our behalf.

In the New Testament, we are reminded that God’s army of angels are ever ministering to the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). As we invite the Lord into our situations, God’s unseen army are at work fending off dangers seen and unseen, many of which we will never know about until we reach Heaven’s shores.

The question is, which state of mind are you in today? Are you worried and afraid like Elisha’s servant, or completely at peace like Elisha? They were both in the same set of circumstances, but initially, had totally different reactions.

Being imperfect beings, it can be said that we are all caught off guard sometimes by different circumstances (like Elijah who won a mighty victory over the prophets of Baal one day, and then ran from Jezebel the next). On other occasions God allows us to go through difficult situations (like the three men in the fiery furnace) and our faith is tested as we walk through them with the Lord. Whatever the trial, the key is remembering to invite the Lord Jesus into our circumstances instead of going into panic mode. We would be safer in the fiery furnace with the Son of God, than outside with the crowd who are bowing down to the statue.

One thing we can be certain of. When we walk in obedience to the Lord and look to Him, there will always be “more on our side than they have on theirs”. For one with God is a majority! Peace is the gift of God given to those who bow their knees to Jesus Christ.