When the king of Syria wanted to seize the prophet Elisha, his army of horses and chariots surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha lived. The prophet’s frightened young servant asked, “What shall we do?” Elisha asked God to open the servant’s eyes to see the heavenly host with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha! No wonder the prophet was so fearless!

We can be fearless like God wants us to be if we, like Elisha, remember who is on our side—The Lord of Hosts and his mighty angelic army! The Bible is filled with examples of God granting victory to those who appear to be weaker than their enemies. The account of the shepherd David slaying the mighty Goliath is one well-known example. David’s fearlessness because of his utter trust in God is humbling when I let fear paralyze me.

This year, the world has been turned upside-down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, violent protests, riots, and hatefulness directed against those who believe in Jesus Christ. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and allow fear to gnaw a hole in our faith.

But God is on his throne, no matter how powerful the demonic forces in the spiritual battle appear. Satan has already been conquered by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those who place their trust in the Lord are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). We need not fear anything or anyone on earth. Instead, we should strive to honestly say, “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Dear God, please forgive me for allowing fear to keep me from serving you wholeheartedly. May I never forget that you are all-powerful and desire more than anything to save souls. Help me see your chariots of fire so I can always remember you are with me to protect me from the evil ones. Amen.

Go Deeper — When was a time that God came to your rescue? Tell someone else, who may be feeling fearful or anxious, about it today.



Tags: Daily Devotional 2 Kings 6
Photo Credit: Jakob Owens