Day 298.
15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So 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 6:15-17)
12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” (Daniel 10:12-14)
Every once in a while the Scripture pulls the curtain back and allows us a glimpse of the spiritual world. There is war going on and it appears that these spiritual forces of evil have their own ranks and control over particular cities. The New Testament confirms this view as Paul teaches in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” On the one hand it is a frightening though to think about spiritual forces out there that we cannot see and know so little about. On the other hand it is amazing to know that, as one who has been made a child of God through faith in Jesus, we have been enlisted into Jesus’ army, taking the offensive against the gates of hell, and our weapon is the Word of God, the gospel. Jesus confronted the spiritual forces of evil when he came, and “bound up the strong man (Mt 12:29)”. As the church, you are the battalion of God marching against the enemies of God. Powerful stuff!
Did you know that your mission is to engage in spiritual battle? How are you learning how to use the spiritual weapons of war (See Eph 6:10-20 for help)?
Ask God to “lead you not into temptation and deliver you from evil” as you enter this battle.
McCheyne’s Bible Reading Plan: 2 Kings 6, 1 Tim 3, Da 10, Ps 52-54
Praying to God and listening to God’s word.
Yes. By telling others about Jesus with the Word.