A Note from DT

What would it feel like to experience the complete absence of fear?

Take a moment and imagine it…allow yourself to feel it…

Last week’s message came from a story recorded in 2 Kings 13 where the king of Israel is paying his last visit to Elisha as the prophet is lying on his deathbed.

 “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”, exclaimed the king. This title of  “Father” and, “the chariots and horsemen of Israel” had been used by Elisha in speaking to Elijah as he left in a whirlwind and now it was being spoken of him.  This title represented the authority and power of heaven that this old prophet had come to embody. Indeed he was so powerful in the spirit that he was credited as being Israel’s defender as if he were a one man army.  The king was expressing his fear that without Elisha Israel would become vulnerable to their enemies. Elisha responded to the king’s concern by giving him some odd instructions: 

“Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”  (2 Kings 13:15-19)

When we zoom out and look at the story from the beginning it seems that this King was pursuing the Lord’s guidance out of a place of fear and anxiety almost in a panic mode of “what are we gonna do if you’re not here?” As strange as the prophet’s instructions seem at face value it was a prophetic act meant to encourage the king that God would be with him hand-in-hand delivering the nation from their enemies as long as the he would do his part. In those days to fire an arrow in the direction of the enemy was symbolic of initiating war (shots fired!) The prophet was showing the king that he had to be committed to engaging the enemy, facing his fear rather than running from it. The story takes a turn when he asks him to shoot more arrows out of the window onto the ground.  The king shoots only 3 and then puts down the bow leaving Elisha angry and disappointed. The fact that he only shot 3 arrows went to show that he wouldn’t fully lean in to his role and the task God had for him. Reading on after the story we find that Israel did indeed defeat the Syrians in 3 battles but they never were able to achieve full victory over their foe.  

So what’s the point?  …The fearful king wasn’t shooting he was troubleshooting and there’s a big difference.  

Walking in this life of faith is sometimes as simple as following through in simple obedience and having the resolve to fully put our hands to the simple things the Lord has called us to walk through. There were many more people who depended on the king to step fully into his calling but he could not see it.  Nearsightedness is selfishness.  The three victories were great for the king in the short term but in stead of leaving a legacy of faith and victory for his children they would in stead inherit the issues he didn’t fully face.  They would end up inheriting future battles with a dark foe that could have already been completely overcome and should have been. The things we run from and refuse to deal with will end up as a mess that our lineage will be left to deal with.  Lean in! 

The Encouragement.  

For us, this story is actually about hope.  God wanted the fearful king to step into His hopeful forecast and to lead His people into an abundance of peace. God was promising him that He would not leave him alone.  It was actually God’s will that the nation would experience victory and peace.  It was His plan!  He even went as far as to command the king to actively engage the enemy rather than fearing them.  This same truth is relevant to us today.  God is with you and will never leave you. He is in you!  With Him all things are possible, our job is to believe.  What would it feel like to experience the complete absence of fear? What if God’s plan for your life was that you would live in an abundance of peace and joy with a complete absence of fear?  What if the will of the Lord for you was that you would thrive in every sphere of your life?  What if the way to step into that hopeful forecast was to faithfully follow through with whatever the Lord put in your hand even in the face of fear?  Could it be that simple? This is the way, He is the Way. 

-DT