And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
– 2 Kings 6:17
Based on his study of warfare, military historian T.N. Dupuy observed that one reason Napoleon Bonaparte was successful as a commander was his commitment to amass superior numbers of resources – more troops, more artillery, more supplies. Napoleon knew that superior numbers tended to help determine the outcome of confrontations.
Elisha’s servant, too, understood the importance of superior numbers. He was filled with fear after realizing that he and Elisha faced an Aramean army equipped with more soldiers and even chariots.
But Elisha was not worried. He knew that God was with them and that His army was infinitely superior to the Arameans or any other force on earth.
Many Christians become discouraged when they realize their adversaries seem to have advantages. They worry because they do not feel that they can compete against the forces that oppose them. For those with this attitude, defeat can seem inevitable.
But the Bible urges us to be like Elisha and know that God is on our side. If we serve Him, we always are in the majority. With faith, we can see how His army surrounds us and is ready to fight for us and defend us.
Right now, do you feel outnumbered? Overwhelmed? Put your trust in God and realize that His heavenly army is surrounding you. You don’t have to accept defeat. Rejoice in the Lord, and commit your needs to Him. Then believe Him for victory! Allow God to open your eyes that you might see the spiritual army all around us and the resources we need.