When Eyes Are Opened!

2 Kings 6:17-And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then 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. NKJV

Fear is a weapon the devil has been using for a long time against the people of God. It doesn’t matter that God has encouraged, even commanded, us not to be afraid. Somehow, fear still wages war against us.

Such was the case with the servant of Elisha. Syria decided to go to war against Israel. Every time the king of Syria came up with a strategy to trap the armies of Israel, Elisha would find out from God and tell the king of Israel. Then one day, the king of Syria heard that Elisha was telling his plans to the king of Israel and prepared to destroy him.

The king of Syria sent an army with horses and chariots to surround the city, and when Elisha’s servant spotted them, he said:

“Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

2 Kings 6:15 NKJV

Elisha’s servant had been privy to the fact that God was with Elisha. He was already aware of at least 12 miracles that God had done through Elisha, and yet, he looked at the army surrounding the city and asked Elisha what they were going to do!

Before we criticize him, we need to stop and think about all the things that we have heard about God: the miracles of healing, protection, and provision! And all the things that we have seen Him do, and yet, when we see a difficult situation, fear tries to grip us and paralyze us!

Elisha didn’t blink! He told his servant that there were more with them than were against them!

“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 

2 Kings 6:16 NKJV

Then Elisha said something that is the point of my blog today!

And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then 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.

2 Kings 6:17 NKJV

Elisha prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened by the Lord so that he could see that God had already sent protection for them. The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha! Did Elisha see this angelic host of protection, or did he just trust that they were there? I don’t know! But when God opened his servant’s eyes, he was able to see the plan that God had in place for their deliverance!

This was not the first time that God opened someone’s eyes to see something that they were missing! Remember when Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away?

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 

Genesis 21:14 NKJV

Hagar and Ishmael had nowhere to go after they left the company of Abraham and Sarah. They wandered in the wilderness until their provisions came to an end:

And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

Genesis 21:15-16 NKJV

Hagar and Ishmael were in a desperate situation. I can imagine the fear Hagar felt at having once lived a life of nomadic luxury, to now be an outcast with no provisions and no way of obtaining help. But God was with them, and they didn’t even know it! As a matter of fact, God spoke to Hagar and told her to not be afraid:

 “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

Genesis 21:17-18 NKJV

God knew what was wrong with her, yet He asked her what was her problem? He told her that He had heard Ishmael’s prayers and had a plan for her son, to make a great nation of him. Then something amazing happened! God opened her eyes:

Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 

Genesis 21:19-20 NKJV

Fear caused her to throw the towel in. Her plan was to accept the death that seemed imminent. But then God opened her eyes, and she spotted a well that provided the water they needed to survive in the desert. Not only that, God was with Ishmael! He grew up in the wilderness and became an archer. Later, becoming the father of twelve sons who were the forefathers of a great nation.

One of the psalmists understood the benefit of having God open his eyes because he prayed:

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

Psalm 119:18 NKJV

We may not experience the jaw-dropping events that Hagar and Elisha’s servant experienced, but we can experience what happens when God opens our eyes. Fear blinds us to the possibilities of trusting God, but when we stop in the midst of our fears and ask Him to open our eyes, anything can happen!

If you have been walking with God for any length of time, I am sure you can remember a time when God opened your eyes to see wonderful things in His word. I have had to teach the word on numerous occasions, and sometimes I have been given topics that I was unfamiliar with. But as I studied, I asked God to open my eyes to see what He was saying in His word, and He would speak to me! There have been personal times of direction, comfort, and encouragement as I have prayed for my eyes to see what was hidden in His word, but there were also times of fear, when He opened my eyes to His truth!

I clearly remember when God opened my eyes to see the truth of His word regarding healing. It happened after my second daughter was born with physical issues that the doctor said could kill her. I asked the Lord if He healed when we prayed or if it was more of a “que será, será” type of thing with Him? God helped me to see through the counsel of His word that He is the Healer! It matters if we pray because whatever we can believe is possible in Him! We learned to put our children’s welfare in the hands of the Lord!

People are still trying to figure out if tithing is for the believer today! When God opened my eyes to tithing, it was a settled matter, and I have never hesitated to tithe! We even taught our children to tithe!

The word of God is filled with wonderful truths! Would I rather have a visitation from an angel or hear donkeys talk, or see the waters part? Who wouldn’t! But I have learned when trials and tribulations come knocking at my door, that’s the time to stop and pray, “Lord, open my eyes so that I can see what your word is saying or what is happening around me.” Because when God opens the eyes of His children, great things happen on their behalf!

Don’t allow fear to overwhelm you! Don’t become paralyzed, incapable of moving forward because of a situation that has the potential to destroy you. Stop, and ask God to open your eyes, or the eyes of anyone else, so that you can experience His protection, provision, or deliverance!

Remember that army that surrounded Elisha? Well, Elisha prayed for them to be made blind, took them to the king of Israel, and then prayed for their eyes to be opened. Yes, He can open our eyes, but He can open the eyes of others who are not seeing correctly. Next time you can’t see what is going on in a situation, have no fear, the One who sees can help you to see, because things begin to happen when God opens our eyes! Wonderful Jesus!