strike. The servant ran back inside and—sounding a lot like the
guy with the lost ax—started going all to pieces, stammering to
his boss about their imminent danger.
Elisha, cool as ever, told him not to worry because “those
who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2
Kings 6:16). Then setting the same lifestyle tone that Paul
would exhibit so naturally in Ephesians 1, his next words to his
servant were not a list of next steps to follow or a battle
strategy to implement but a prayer to the Father: “O LORD, I
pray, open his eyes that he may see” (v. 17).
When the terrified servant turned back around after hearing
Elisha’s prayer, what he saw was not the physical reality of fire-
breathing army troops itching to attack but rather the spiritual
reality of a mountainside filled to the brim with angelic chariots
of fire, surrounding, protecting, and preventing any warrior of
the Aramean army from taking a single shot or making even
one step toward them.
Prayer made him aware of all the resources and strength
and protection that God had already placed on their side.
Without this renewed perspective he was already defeated