God With Us – May 31, 2020

God is With Us – Even When We Cannot See Him

Intro: In life we are constantly challenged with situations and difficulties that seem impossible. As a Christian we must remember that our Mighty God is always with us and will fight for us.

2 Kings 6:14-17  The King of Syria was trying to capture Elisha

“Therefore the king sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 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.”

As Elisha prayed, the  enemy became blind, and in the end there was a great victory.

1. What was the REAL PROBLEM in this story?

• Was it the enemy? – a huge army of men with horses and chariots? This great army completely encircled the city. They came by night, so as to not be detected. They were determined not to let Elisha escape.

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning…probably to take care of his ordinary chores – had no idea until he went outside, that there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. He was totally unprepared for what he saw. This was a big problem.

The young man cried out to Elisha,  “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” The servant was terrified.

• …Or could the real problem have been that Elisha’s servant could not see that God was there in all His power…surrounding them.

Elisha was so calm. Elisha knew God’s protection. Seeing God’s REAL world, Elisha was not afraid. Even though the servant was NOT aware of the ‘spiritual army’, it didn’t matter….because one man, named Elisha, knew that God was there to help them.

With faith he believed God to be true to his word. He knew God was with them and HE would protect them.

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

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

Elisha did not pray that God would change anything in the situation. His only request was that his servant could actually see the reality of the situation. The servant could not have had this explained to him – nor could he be persuaded into believing it. God needed to open his eyes to see things as they really were.

“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.”

There really WERE more with them – than with the enemy. And God fought for them that day.

2. Our battle is also very real.

The army of spiritual powers that opposes us today are just as dangerous as the physical army that surrounded Elisha. We can quickly feel overwhelmed and afraid. We must remember that just as the chariots and horses of fire appeared for the prophet Elisha, God is ALSO with us – by his Spirit. We may not see Him with our physical eyes, but he has promised to never leave us.

Hebrews 13:5,6 …for[God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

He it tells us that the Lord will not leave us and is our helper, so we will have NO fear! Just as the power of God was displayed in Elisha’s story, the Almighty God is the one who will fight the forces of darkness for us – as we cry out to him.

We all have our battles to fight. We definitely have spiritual enemies. We should take our spiritual warfare very seriously. Are Satan and his kingdom asleep?  Do we think that the enemy won’t try to cause us problems? One thing we know for sure – he is not sleeping.

This is why it is so important to know what the Word of God says and use the Sword of the the Spirit, so we can be victorious:

Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!”

3. How can we help others who are facing difficult battles?

• The greatest kindness we can do for people who are fearful and discouraged is to pray for them to be able to see God at work in their lives.
• Ask God to open their eyes to see that HE is with them, and to claim God’s promises for their situation.

4.  God’s Presence ALWAYS surrounds each of us like a wall or a shelter.

“If our eyes were opened, we would see the angels as an encircling fence of fire; but whether we see them or not, they are certainly there.”                                

When we really ‘see’, like Elisha’s servant did, then we won’t need to fear. Of course if we don’t believe that God is with us, we will be frightened. The more we focus on God’s supreme power and authority, the less we will fear any calamities that we could ever experience.

Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.”

Elisha’s servant felt like it was just the two of them against a huge, impossible situation. Sometimes we feel alone. The enemy wants us to feel that we are up against insurmountable odds. He wants us to see our situation as impossible.

In reality, though we are weak, God is so strong.  The enemy’s power is nothing compared to the power we can experience through the Holy Spirit.

5. Don’t fear – Remember the awesome POWER of the Living God

Psalm 27 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.

Psalm 3:6  “ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”

We need the Lord to open our eyes as He did for Elisha’s servant and realize that “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Jeremiah 10:10 “The Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

El Roi

• One of the names of God is El Roi which means, “The God Who Sees” – He is the one who sees us when we feel lonely, all on our own, or when we just need the reminder that God is close. He is one who chases after us, who follows us with goodness.
• The name El Roi says to us that God is watching over all of us all the time.

Pentecost Sunday

On this Pentecost Sunday we want to experience God’s presence in a greater way. We want to be filled more and more with The Holy Spirit and power.

Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Illustration:

There’s an illustration from years ago of the great evangelist Charles Finney who wrote about how he experienced mighty infillings of the Holy Spirit:

“The Holy Spirit … seemed to go through me, body and soul,” he later wrote. “I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love, for I could not express it in any other way.” This powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit began the new career of the man who would become the leading revivalist in the nineteenth century.

It is estimated that during the year 1857-58 over a hundred thousand persons were led to Christ as the direct or indirect result of Finney’s labors, while five hundred thousand persons professed conversion to Christ in the great revival which began in his meetings. The autobiography of his life is perhaps the most remarkable account of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power since apostolic days. It is crowded with accounts of spiritual outpourings which remind us of the day of Pentecost.

God wants us to see that He is the Almighty God. He wants us to be filled with His Spirit. He wants whole earth to see how great He is and experience Him in their lives!

Conclusion:

Elisha’s servant trusted in what he could see and understand. He recognized that they faced an obstacle too great for them to overcome.  He didn’t realize that there was a living God on his side. Elisha, on the other hand, was fully convinced that the situation was in good hands! God was with him.

Where do we put our faith? When we encounter problems in life, do we react like Elisha, or do we react like his servant?

Are my eyes opened to see that God is with me and that His awesome power is working in my life?

Though I may not see him with my natural eyes, will I remember that God is with me? He wants to continually fill me with his Holy Spirit, and be convinced that all the powers of heaven are on my side!

Coming of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

…16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’

Kasama Natin ang Diyos – Kahit Na Hindi Natin Siya Nakikita

Panimula: Sa buhay tayo’y palaging kumakaharap ng mga pagsubok at paghihirap na tila imposible. Bilang mga Kristyano dapat nating alalahanin na ang ating Diyos ay dakila at palagi natin Siyang kasama at handang lumaban para sa atin.

2 Hari 6:14-17  Ang Hari ng Syria ay nais dakpin si Eliseo

“14 nagpadala siya roon ng maraming sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe. Gabi na nang nakarating sila sa Dotan at pinaligiran nila ito.

15 Kinabukasan, gumising ng maaga ang katulong ni Eliseo, nakita niya ang mga sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe na nakapaligid sa lungsod. Sinabi niya kay Eliseo, “Ano po ang gagawin natin, amo?” 16 Sumagot si Eliseo, “Huwag kang matakot. Mas marami tayong kasama kaysa sa kanila.” 17 Nanalangin si Eliseo, “Panginoon, buksan po Ninyo ang mga mata ng katulong ko para makakita siya.” Binuksan ng Panginoon ang mga mata ng katulong, at nakita niya na puno ng mga kabayo at karwaheng apoy ang kaburulan sa paligid ni Eliseo.”

Matapos ang panalangin ni Eliseo, ang mga kaaway ay nabulag, at nagkaroon ng katagumpayan.

1. Ano ang TUNAY NA PROBLEMA sa kuwentong ito?

• Ang kaaway ba? – ang malaking hukbo ng mga sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe? Sila’y nakapaligid sa buong lungsod. Gabi ng sila’y dumating upang hindi sila mapansin. Determinado silang dakpin si Eliseo.

Nang ang lingkod ni Eliseo ay gumising ng maaga…maaaring aasikasuhin niya ang kanyang ordinaryong ginagawa – wala siyang kaalam-alam hanggang siya’y lumabas at nakita niya ang mga sundalo, mga kabayo at mga karwahe. Siya’y nabigla sa kanyang nakita. Ito’y malaking problema.

Ang lingkod ay nagsabi kay Eliseo, “Ano po ang gagawin natin, amo?” Talagang natakot siya.

• …O maaaring- ang tunay na problema ay ang lingkod ni Eliseo na hindi niya nakita na ang Diyos ay naroon at lahat ng Kanyang kapangyarihan…nakapalibot sa kanila.

Si Eliseo ay kalmado lamang. Alam ni Eliseo ang proteksyon ng Diyos. Ang TUNAY na mundo ng Diyos, hindi natakot si Eliseo. Kahit na HINDI nakikita ng katulong ang ‘espirituwal na hukbo’, hindi ‘yun mahalaga…dahil may isang tao, ang pangala’y Eliseo na alam na naroon ang Diyos upang tulungan sila.

Sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya’y naniwala siya na ang Diyos ay totoo sa Kanyang mga Salita. Alam Niya na ang Diyos ay kasama nila at pinoprotektahan sila.

Kaya’t siya’y sumagot, “Huwag kang matakot. Mas marami tayong kasama kaysa sa kanila.”

Nanalangin si Eliseo, at sinabing, “Panginoon, buksan po Ninyo ang mga mata ng katulong ko para makakita siya.”

Hindi nanalangin si Eliseo na baguhin ang anuman sa sitwasyon. Ang kanyang tanging hiling ay makita ng kanyang katulong na kung ano talaga ang mayroon sa sitwasyon. Hindi kailangan ng lingkod niya ang pagpapaliwanag – gayundin na pilitin siyang maniwala. Kinailangang buksan ng Diyos ang kanyang mga mata upang makita ang katotohanan.

“Binuksan ng Panginoon ang mga mata ng katulong, at nakita niya na puno ng mga kabayo at karwaheng apoy ang kaburulan sa paligid ni Eliseo.”

Tunay ngang mas marami silang kasama – kaysa sa kaaway. At lumaban ang Diyos para sa kanila noong araw na iyon.

2. Ang ating laban ay totoo.

Ang hukbo ng espirituwal na kapangyarihan na lumalaban sa atin ngayon ay mapanganib ding tulad ng pisikal na hukbo na nakapalibot kay Eliseo. Maaaring mabilis tayong makaramdam ng pagkagapi at pagkatakot. Dapat nating tandaan na kung paanong nagpakita sa propetang si Eliseo ang mga apoy na karwahe at mga kabayo, ang Diyos DIN ay nasa atin – sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang Espiritu. Maaaring hindi man natin Siya nakikita ng ating pisikal na mga mata, ngunit ipinangako Niya na hindi Niya tayo iiwan.

Hebreo 13:5,6 …sinabi ng Diyos, “Hinding-hindi ko kayo iiwan o pababayaan man.” Kaya buong pagtitiwalang masasabi natin, “Ang Panginoon ang tumutulong sa akin, kaya hindi ako matatakot. Ano ang magagawa ng tao laban sa akin?”

Sinasabi ritong ang Panginoon ay hindi tayo iiwan at Siyang tumutulong sa atin, upang HINDI tayo matakot! Kung paanong naipakita ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos sa kwento ng buhay ni Eliseo, ang Makapangyarihang Diyos ay SIya ring lalaban sa pwersa ng kadiliman para sa atin – sa pagtawag natin sa Kanya.

Lahat tayo’y may laban. Mayroon talaga tayong espirituwal na kaaway. Kailangan nating seryosohin ang ating espirituwal na pakikidigma. Si Satanas ba at ang kanyang kaharian ay natutulog? Palagay ba natin ay hindi susubukan ng kaaway na magkaroon tayo ng problema? Ito ang siguradong alam natin – hindi siya natutulog.

Kaya’t napakahalaga na alam natin kung ano ang sinasabi ng Salita ng Diyos at gamitin ang Tabak ng Espiritu, upang tayo’y maging matagumpay:

Deuteronomio 20:1 “Kung kayoʼy makikipagdigma, at makita ninyo na mas marami ang mga kabayo, karwahe at sundalo ng inyong kalaban, huwag kayong matatakot, dahil kasama ninyo ang Panginoon na inyong Dios na naglabas sa inyo sa Egipto.”

3. Paano natin matutulungan ang iba na kumakaharap sa mga mahihirap na laban?

• Ang pinakamabuting gawa na maaari nating gawin para sa mga tao na natatakot at pinanghihinaan ng loob ay ang ipanalangin na makita nila ang Diyos ay may ginagawa sa kanilang buhay.
• Hingin sa Diyos na buksan ang kanilang mga mata na makita na SIYA ay kasama nila, at angkinin ang mga pangako ng Diyos sa kanilang mga sitwasyon.

4. Ang presensya ng Diyos ay PALAGING nakapalibot sa atin tulad ng pader o kanlungan.

 “Kung ang ating mata’y nakabukas, makikita natin ang mga anghel na nakapalibot na tila apoy na bakod; makita man natin o hindi, ang sigurado naroon sila.”                            

Kapag talagang ating ‘nakita’, katulad ng nangyari sa katulong ni Eliseo, hindi na natin kailangang matakot. Siyempre kapag hindi natin paniniwalaang kasama natin ang Diyos, tayo’y matatakot. Kapag tayo’y mas tutuon sa dakilang kapangyarihan at awtoridad ng Diyos, hindi tayo matatakot sa anumang kalamidad na ating mararanasan.

Awit 141:8 “Subalit ang mga mata ko, O Panginoong Diyos, sa iyo’y nakatuon; sa iyo ako nanganganlong; huwag mo akong iwang walang kalaban-laban!”

Pakiramdam ng lingkod ni Eliseo na sila lang dalawa laban sa napakalaki at imposibleng sitwasyon. Minsan nararamdaman natin na tayo ay nag-iisa. Gusto ng kaaway na maramdaman natin na tayo na tayo ay kumakaharap sa hindi masukat na kaaway. Gusto niyang makita natin na ang ating sitwasyon ay imposible.

Sa realidad, kahit na tayo’y mahina, ang Diyos ay malakas. Ang kapangyarihan ng kaaaway ay hindi maikukumpara sa kapangyarihan na maaari nating maranasan sa pamamagitan ng Banal na Espiritu.

5. Huwag matakot – Alalahanin ang nakamamanghang KAPANGYARIHAN ng Buhay na Diyos

Awit 27 Ang Panginoon ang aking ilaw at Tagapagligtas. Sino ang aking katatakutan? Siya ang nagtatanggol sa akin kaya wala akong dapat katakutan. 2 Kapag sinasalakay ako ng masasamang tao o ng aking mga kaaway upang patayin, sila ang nabubuwal at natatalo! 3 Kahit mapaligiran ako ng maraming kawal, hindi ako matatakot. Kahit salakayin nila ako, magtitiwala ako sa Diyos.

Awit 3:6  “Sa sampung libu-libong tao ako’y hindi natatakot, na naghanda ng kanilang mga sarili laban sa akin sa palibot..”

Kailangang buksan ng Diyos ang ating mga mata katulad ng Kanyang ginawa sa lingkod ni Eliseo at malamang “…Kung ang Diyos ay kakampi natin, sino ang laban sa atin?” Roma 8:31

Jeremias 10:10 ” Ngunit ang Panginoon ang tunay na Diyos; Siya ang buháy na Diyos at walang hanggang Hari. Sa Kanyang poot ang lupa’y nayayanig, at hindi matatagalan ng mga bansa ang kanyang galit.”

Isaias 41:10 “Huwag kang mangamba dahil ako ang Diyos mo. Palalakasin kita at tutulungan. Iingatan kita sa pamamagitan ng Aking kapangyarihan na siya ring makapagliligtas sa iyo.”

El Roi

• Isa sa mga pangalan ng Diyos ay El Roi na ang ibig sabihin ay, “Ang Diyos Na Nakakakita” – Siya ang nakakakita sa atin kung tayo’y nalulungkot, mag-isa, o kaya’y mapaalalahanan na ang Diyos ay malapit lang. Siya ang humahabol sa atin, sinusundan tayo ng Kanyang kabutihan.
• Ang pangalang El Roi ay sinasabi sa ating ang Diyos ay palagi tayong tinitingnan sa lahat ng oras.

Linggo ng Pentecostes

Ngayong Linggo ng Pentecost nais nating maranasan ang presensya ng Diyos sa dakilang kaparaanan. Gusto nating mas higit na mapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu at Kanyang kapangyarihan.

Gawa 1:8 Sinabi ni Jesus, “Ngunit pagdating ng Banal na Espiritu sa inyo, bibigyan Niya kayo ng kapangyarihan. At ipapahayag ninyo ang mga bagay tungkol sa Akin, mula rito sa Jerusalem hanggang sa buong Judea at Samaria, at hanggang sa buong mundo.”

Illustrasyon:

Mayroong isang ilustrasyon ilang taon na ang nakararaan patungkol sa isang ebanghelistang si Charles Finney na nagsulat sa kanyang naranasang pagkapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu:

“Ang Banal na Espiritu… ay tila pumasok sa aking katawan at kaluluwa,” ang kanyang sinulat. “Naramdaman ko Siyang parang kuryente sa aking katawan. Para bang daloy ng pag-ibig, dahil hindi ko maipaliwanag sa iba pang paraan.” Ang makapangyarihang pagkapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu ay nagsimula ng bagong tungkulin sa buhay ng isang taong nanguna sa pagpapanumbalik sa ikalabing siyam na siglo.

Tinatantiyang noong mga taong 1857-58 ay higit isang daang libong mga tao ang nadala kay Cristo mula sa direkta at hindi direktang ministeryo ni Finney, habang limang daang libo naman ang nagsabing binago sila ni Cristo na nagmula sa kanyang mga pagtitipon. Ang kanyang talambuhay ang pinakapambihirang kuwento patungkol sa pagpapahayag ng kapangyarihan ng banal na espiritu Noong panahon ng apostoliko.  napakaraming kuwento ng kapuspusan na nagpapaalala sa atin ng araw ng pentekostes.

Nais ng Diyos na makita nating Siya ay Makapangyarihang Diyos. Nais Niyang mapuspos tayo Kanyang Banal na Espiritu. Gusto Niyang makita ng buong mundo ang Kanyang kadakilaan at maranasan Siya sa kanilang mga buhay!

Konklusyon:

Ang lingkod ni Eliseo ay nagtiwala sa kanyang nakikita at nauunawaan. Nakita niyang kumaharap sila sa pagsubok na sobrang malaki para kanila itong mapagtagumpayan. Hindi niya napagtantong may buhay na Diyos sa kanyang tabi. Samantalang si Eliseo naman ay sigurado sa sitwasyong kanilang kinakaharap na sila’y nasa mabuting kalagayan! Ang Diyos ay sumasakanya.

Saan natin inilalagak ang ating pananampalataya? Kapag tayo’y kakaharap ng mga problema sa buhay, katulad ba tayo ng reaksyon ni Eliseo, o ng kanyang lingkod?

Bukas ba ang ating mga upang makita na ang Diyos ay kasama ko at ang Kanyang nakamamanghang kapangyarihan ay kumikilos sa aking buhay?

Bagamat hindi ko nakikita sa aking natural na mga mata, maaalala ko kaya na kasama ko ang Diyos? Nais Niyang patuloy akong mapuspos ng Kanyang Banal na Espiritu, at makumbinse na ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ng langit ay kakampi ko!

Ang Pagdating ng Banal na Espiritu

Gawa 2 Nang sumapit ang araw ng Pentecostes, silang lahat ay nasa iisang pook na nagkakaisa. 2 Sila ay nakaupo sa loob ng isang bahay. Biglang may umugong mula sa langit tulad ng humahagibis na marahas na hangin at pinuno nito ang buong bahay. 3 May nagpakita sa kanila na nagkakabaha-bahaging mga dila tulad ng apoy at ito ay lumapag sa bawat isa sa kanila. 4 At silang lahat ay napuspos ng Banal na Espiritu at nagsimulang magsalita sa ibang mga wika ayon sa ibinigay ng Espiritu sa kanila na kanilang sasabihin.

…16 Subalit ito ang sinabi ng propetang si Joel: 17 Mangyayari sa mga huling araw, sabi ng Diyos: Ibubuhos ko ang aking Espiritu sa lahat ng mga tao. Ang inyong mga anak na lalaki at mga anak na babae ay maghahayag ng salita ng Diyos. Ang inyong mga kabataang lalaki ay makakakita ng mga pangitain. Ang inyong mga matandang lalaki ay mananaginip ng mga panaginip. 18 Sa mga araw na iyon, ibubuhos ko ang aking Espiritu sa aking mga aliping lalaki at mga aliping babae. At sila ay maghahayag ng salita ng Diyos. 19 Magpapa­kita ako ng mga kamangha-manghang gawa sa langit na nasa itaas at mga tanda sa lupa na nasa ibaba. Ang mga tanda na ito ay ang dugo, apoy at sumisingaw na usok. 20 Ang araw ay magiging kadiliman at ang buwan ay magiging dugo. Ito ay mangyayari bago dumating ang dakila at hayag na araw ng Panginoon. 21 Mang­yayari na ang bawat isang tatawag sa pangalan ng Panginoon ay maliligtas.

God is With Us – Even When We Cannot See Him

Intro: In life we are constantly challenged with situations and difficulties that seem impossible. As a Christian we must remember that our Mighty God is always with us and will fight for us.

2 Kings 6:14-17  The King of Syria was trying to capture Elisha

“Therefore the king sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 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.”

As Elisha prayed, the  enemy became blind, and in the end there was a great victory.

1. What was the REAL PROBLEM in this story?

• Was it the enemy? – a huge army of men with horses and chariots? This great army completely encircled the city. They came by night, so as to not be detected. They were determined not to let Elisha escape.

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning…probably to take care of his ordinary chores – had no idea until he went outside, that there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. He was totally unprepared for what he saw. This was a big problem.

The young man cried out to Elisha,  “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” The servant was terrified.

• …Or could the real problem have been that Elisha’s servant could not see that God was there in all His power…surrounding them.

Elisha was so calm. Elisha knew God’s protection. Seeing God’s REAL world, Elisha was not afraid. Even though the servant was NOT aware of the ‘spiritual army’, it didn’t matter….because one man, named Elisha, knew that God was there to help them.

With faith he believed God to be true to his word. He knew God was with them and HE would protect them.

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

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

Elisha did not pray that God would change anything in the situation. His only request was that his servant could actually see the reality of the situation. The servant could not have had this explained to him – nor could he be persuaded into believing it. God needed to open his eyes to see things as they really were.

“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.”

There really WERE more with them – than with the enemy. And God fought for them that day.

2. Our battle is also very real.

The army of spiritual powers that opposes us today are just as dangerous as the physical army that surrounded Elisha. We can quickly feel overwhelmed and afraid. We must remember that just as the chariots and horses of fire appeared for the prophet Elisha, God is ALSO with us – by his Spirit. We may not see Him with our physical eyes, but he has promised to never leave us.

Hebrews 13:5,6 …for[God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

He it tells us that the Lord will not leave us and is our helper, so we will have NO fear! Just as the power of God was displayed in Elisha’s story, the Almighty God is the one who will fight the forces of darkness for us – as we cry out to him.

We all have our battles to fight. We definitely have spiritual enemies. We should take our spiritual warfare very seriously. Are Satan and his kingdom asleep?  Do we think that the enemy won’t try to cause us problems? One thing we know for sure – he is not sleeping.

This is why it is so important to know what the Word of God says and use the Sword of the the Spirit, so we can be victorious:

Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!”

3. How can we help others who are facing difficult battles?

• The greatest kindness we can do for people who are fearful and discouraged is to pray for them to be able to see God at work in their lives.
• Ask God to open their eyes to see that HE is with them, and to claim God’s promises for their situation.

4.  God’s Presence ALWAYS surrounds each of us like a wall or a shelter.

“If our eyes were opened, we would see the angels as an encircling fence of fire; but whether we see them or not, they are certainly there.”                                 

When we really ‘see’, like Elisha’s servant did, then we won’t need to fear. Of course if we don’t believe that God is with us, we will be frightened. The more we focus on God’s supreme power and authority, the less we will fear any calamities that we could ever experience.

Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.”

Elisha’s servant felt like it was just the two of them against a huge, impossible situation. Sometimes we feel alone. The enemy wants us to feel that we are up against insurmountable odds. He wants us to see our situation as impossible.

In reality, though we are weak, God is so strong.  The enemy’s power is nothing compared to the power we can experience through the Holy Spirit.

5. Don’t fear – Remember the awesome POWER of the Living God

Psalm 27 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.

Psalm 3:6  “ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”

We need the Lord to open our eyes as He did for Elisha’s servant and realize that “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Jeremiah 10:10 “The Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

El Roi

• One of the names of God is El Roi which means, “The God Who Sees” – He is the one who sees us when we feel lonely, all on our own, or when we just need the reminder that God is close. He is one who chases after us, who follows us with goodness.
• The name El Roi says to us that God is watching over all of us all the time.

Pentecost Sunday

On this Pentecost Sunday we want to experience God’s presence in a greater way. We want to be filled more and more with The Holy Spirit and power.

Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Illustration:

There’s an illustration from years ago of the great evangelist Charles Finney who wrote about how he experienced mighty infillings of the Holy Spirit:

“The Holy Spirit … seemed to go through me, body and soul,” he later wrote. “I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love, for I could not express it in any other way.” This powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit began the new career of the man who would become the leading revivalist in the nineteenth century.

It is estimated that during the year 1857-58 over a hundred thousand persons were led to Christ as the direct or indirect result of Finney’s labors, while five hundred thousand persons professed conversion to Christ in the great revival which began in his meetings. The autobiography of his life is perhaps the most remarkable account of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power since apostolic days. It is crowded with accounts of spiritual outpourings which remind us of the day of Pentecost.

God wants us to see that He is the Almighty God. He wants us to be filled with His Spirit. He wants whole earth to see how great He is and experience Him in their lives!

Conclusion:

Elisha’s servant trusted in what he could see and understand. He recognized that they faced an obstacle too great for them to overcome.  He didn’t realize that there was a living God on his side. Elisha, on the other hand, was fully convinced that the situation was in good hands! God was with Him.

Where do we put our faith? When we encounter problems in life, do we react like Elisha, or do we react like his servant?

Are my eyes opened to see that God is with me and that His awesome power is working in my life?

Though I may not see him with my natural eyes, will I remember that God is with me? He wants to continually fill me with his Holy Spirit, and be convinced that all the powers of heaven are on my side!

Coming of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

…16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’

Kasama Natin ang Diyos – Kahit Na Hindi Natin Siya Nakikita

Panimula: Sa buhay tayo’y palaging kumakaharap ng mga pagsubok at paghihirap na tila imposible. Bilang mga Kristyano dapat nating alalahanin na ang ating Diyos ay dakila at palagi natin Siyang kasama at handang lumaban para sa atin.

2 Hari 6:14-17  Ang Hari ng Syria ay nais dakpin si Eliseo

“14 nagpadala siya roon ng maraming sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe. Gabi na nang nakarating sila sa Dotan at pinaligiran nila ito.

15 Kinabukasan, gumising ng maaga ang katulong ni Eliseo, nakita niya ang mga sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe na nakapaligid sa lungsod. Sinabi niya kay Eliseo, “Ano po ang gagawin natin, amo?” 16 Sumagot si Eliseo, “Huwag kang matakot. Mas marami tayong kasama kaysa sa kanila.” 17 Nanalangin si Eliseo, “Panginoon, buksan po Ninyo ang mga mata ng katulong ko para makakita siya.” Binuksan ng Panginoon ang mga mata ng katulong, at nakita niya na puno ng mga kabayo at karwaheng apoy ang kaburulan sa paligid ni Eliseo.”

Matapos ang panalangin ni Eliseo, ang mga kaaway ay nabulag, at nagkaroon ng katagumpayan.

1. Ano ang TUNAY NA PROBLEMA sa kuwentong ito?

• Ang kaaway ba? – ang malaking hukbo ng mga sundalo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo at karwahe? Sila’y nakapaligid sa buong lungsod. Gabi ng sila’y dumating upang hindi sila mapansin. Determinado silang dakpin si Eliseo.

Nang ang lingkod ni Eliseo ay gumising ng maaga…maaaring aasikasuhin niya ang kanyang ordinaryong ginagawa – wala siyang kaalam-alam hanggang siya’y lumabas at nakita niya ang mga sundalo, mga kabayo at mga karwahe. Siya’y nabigla sa kanyang nakita. Ito’y malaking problema.

Ang lingkod ay nagsabi kay Eliseo, “Ano po ang gagawin natin, amo?” Talagang natakot siya.

• …O maaaring- ang tunay na problema ay ang lingkod ni Eliseo na hindi niya nakita na ang Diyos ay naroon at lahat ng Kanyang kapangyarihan…nakapalibot sa kanila.

Si Eliseo ay kalmado lamang. Alam ni Eliseo ang proteksyon ng Diyos. Ang TUNAY na mundo ng Diyos, hindi natakot si Eliseo. Kahit na HINDI nakikita ng katulong ang ‘espirituwal na hukbo’, hindi ‘yun mahalaga…dahil may isang tao, ang pangala’y Eliseo na alam na naroon ang Diyos upang tulungan sila.

Sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya’y naniwala siya na ang Diyos ay totoo sa Kanyang mga Salita. Alam Niya na ang Diyos ay kasama nila at pinoprotektahan sila.

Kaya’t siya’y sumagot, “Huwag kang matakot. Mas marami tayong kasama kaysa sa kanila.”

Nanalangin si Eliseo, at sinabing, “Panginoon, buksan po Ninyo ang mga mata ng katulong ko para makakita siya.”

Hindi nanalangin si Eliseo na baguhin ang anuman sa sitwasyon. Ang kanyang tanging hiling ay makita ng kanyang katulong na kung ano talaga ang mayroon sa sitwasyon. Hindi kailangan ng lingkod niya ang pagpapaliwanag – gayundin na pilitin siyang maniwala. Kinailangang buksan ng Diyos ang kanyang mga mata upang makita ang katotohanan.

“Binuksan ng Panginoon ang mga mata ng katulong, at nakita niya na puno ng mga kabayo at karwaheng apoy ang kaburulan sa paligid ni Eliseo.”

Tunay ngang mas marami silang kasama – kaysa sa kaaway. At lumaban ang Diyos para sa kanila noong araw na iyon.

2. Ang ating laban ay totoo.

Ang hukbo ng espirituwal na kapangyarihan na lumalaban sa atin ngayon ay mapanganib ding tulad ng pisikal na hukbo na nakapalibot kay Eliseo. Maaaring mabilis tayong makaramdam ng pagkagapi at pagkatakot. Dapat nating tandaan na kung paanong nagpakita sa propetang si Eliseo ang mga apoy na karwahe at mga kabayo, ang Diyos DIN ay nasa atin – sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang Espiritu. Maaaring hindi man natin Siya nakikita ng ating pisikal na mga mata, ngunit ipinangako Niya na hindi Niya tayo iiwan.

Hebreo 13:5,6 …sinabi ng Diyos, “Hinding-hindi ko kayo iiwan o pababayaan man.” Kaya buong pagtitiwalang masasabi natin, “Ang Panginoon ang tumutulong sa akin, kaya hindi ako matatakot. Ano ang magagawa ng tao laban sa akin?”

Sinasabi ritong ang Panginoon ay hindi tayo iiwan at Siyang tumutulong sa atin, upang HINDI tayo matakot! Kung paanong naipakita ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos sa kwento ng buhay ni Eliseo, ang Makapangyarihang Diyos ay SIya ring lalaban sa pwersa ng kadiliman para sa atin – sa pagtawag natin sa Kanya.

Lahat tayo’y may laban. Mayroon talaga tayong espirituwal na kaaway. Kailangan nating seryosohin ang ating espirituwal na pakikidigma. Si Satanas ba at ang kanyang kaharian ay natutulog? Palagay ba natin ay hindi susubukan ng kaaway na magkaroon tayo ng problema? Ito ang siguradong alam natin – hindi siya natutulog.

Kaya’t napakahalaga na alam natin kung ano ang sinasabi ng Salita ng Diyos at gamitin ang Tabak ng Espiritu, upang tayo’y maging matagumpay:

Deuteronomio 20:1 “Kung kayoʼy makikipagdigma, at makita ninyo na mas marami ang mga kabayo, karwahe at sundalo ng inyong kalaban, huwag kayong matatakot, dahil kasama ninyo ang Panginoon na inyong Dios na naglabas sa inyo sa Egipto.”

3. Paano natin matutulungan ang iba na kumakaharap sa mga mahihirap na laban?

• Ang pinakamabuting gawa na maaari nating gawin para sa mga tao na natatakot at pinanghihinaan ng loob ay ang ipanalangin na makita nila ang Diyos ay may ginagawa sa kanilang buhay.
• Hingin sa Diyos na buksan ang kanilang mga mata na makita na SIYA ay kasama nila, at angkinin ang mga pangako ng Diyos sa kanilang mga sitwasyon.

4. Ang presensya ng Diyos ay PALAGING nakapalibot sa atin tulad ng pader o kanlungan.

 “Kung ang ating mata’y nakabukas, makikita natin ang mga anghel na nakapalibot na tila apoy na bakod; makita man natin o hindi, ang sigurado naroon sila.”                            

Kapag talagang ating ‘nakita’, katulad ng nangyari sa katulong ni Eliseo, hindi na natin kailangang matakot. Siyempre kapag hindi natin paniniwalaang kasama natin ang Diyos, tayo’y matatakot. Kapag tayo’y mas tutuon sa dakilang kapangyarihan at awtoridad ng Diyos, hindi tayo matatakot sa anumang kalamidad na ating mararanasan.

Awit 141:8 “Subalit ang mga mata ko, O Panginoong Diyos, sa iyo’y nakatuon; sa iyo ako nanganganlong; huwag mo akong iwang walang kalaban-laban!”

Pakiramdam ng lingkod ni Eliseo na sila lang dalawa laban sa napakalaki at imposibleng sitwasyon. Minsan nararamdaman natin na tayo ay nag-iisa. Gusto ng kaaway na maramdaman natin na tayo na tayo ay kumakaharap sa hindi masukat na kaaway. Gusto niyang makita natin na ang ating sitwasyon ay imposible.

Sa realidad, kahit na tayo’y mahina, ang Diyos ay malakas. Ang kapangyarihan ng kaaaway ay hindi maikukumpara sa kapangyarihan na maaari nating maranasan sa pamamagitan ng Banal na Espiritu.

5. Huwag matakot – Alalahanin ang nakamamanghang KAPANGYARIHAN ng Buhay na Diyos

Awit 27 Ang Panginoon ang aking ilaw at Tagapagligtas. Sino ang aking katatakutan? Siya ang nagtatanggol sa akin kaya wala akong dapat katakutan. 2 Kapag sinasalakay ako ng masasamang tao o ng aking mga kaaway upang patayin, sila ang nabubuwal at natatalo! 3 Kahit mapaligiran ako ng maraming kawal, hindi ako matatakot. Kahit salakayin nila ako, magtitiwala ako sa Diyos.

Awit 3:6  “Sa sampung libu-libong tao ako’y hindi natatakot, na naghanda ng kanilang mga sarili laban sa akin sa palibot..”

Kailangang buksan ng Diyos ang ating mga mata katulad ng Kanyang ginawa sa lingkod ni Eliseo at malamang “…Kung ang Diyos ay kakampi natin, sino ang laban sa atin?” Roma 8:31

Jeremias 10:10 ” Ngunit ang Panginoon ang tunay na Diyos; Siya ang buháy na Diyos at walang hanggang Hari. Sa Kanyang poot ang lupa’y nayayanig, at hindi matatagalan ng mga bansa ang kanyang galit.”

Isaias 41:10 “Huwag kang mangamba dahil ako ang Diyos mo. Palalakasin kita at tutulungan. Iingatan kita sa pamamagitan ng Aking kapangyarihan na siya ring makapagliligtas sa iyo.”

El Roi

• Isa sa mga pangalan ng Diyos ay El Roi na ang ibig sabihin ay, “Ang Diyos Na Nakakakita” – Siya ang nakakakita sa atin kung tayo’y nalulungkot, mag-isa, o kaya’y mapaalalahanan na ang Diyos ay malapit lang. Siya ang humahabol sa atin, sinusundan tayo ng Kanyang kabutihan.
• Ang pangalang El Roi ay sinasabi sa ating ang Diyos ay palagi tayong tinitingnan sa lahat ng oras.

Linggo ng Pentecostes

Ngayong Linggo ng Pentecost nais nating maranasan ang presensya ng Diyos sa dakilang kaparaanan. Gusto nating mas higit na mapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu at Kanyang kapangyarihan.

Gawa 1:8 Sinabi ni Jesus, “Ngunit pagdating ng Banal na Espiritu sa inyo, bibigyan Niya kayo ng kapangyarihan. At ipapahayag ninyo ang mga bagay tungkol sa Akin, mula rito sa Jerusalem hanggang sa buong Judea at Samaria, at hanggang sa buong mundo.”

Illustrasyon:

Mayroong isang ilustrasyon ilang taon na ang nakararaan patungkol sa isang ebanghelistang si Charles Finney na nagsulat sa kanyang naranasang pagkapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu:

“Ang Banal na Espiritu… ay tila pumasok sa aking katawan at kaluluwa,” ang kanyang sinulat. “Naramdaman ko Siyang parang kuryente sa aking katawan. Para bang daloy ng pag-ibig, dahil hindi ko maipaliwanag sa iba pang paraan.” Ang makapangyarihang pagkapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu ay nagsimula ng bagong tungkulin sa buhay ng isang taong nanguna sa pagpapanumbalik sa ikalabing siyam na siglo.

Tinatantiyang noong mga taong 1857-58 ay higit isang daang libong mga tao ang nadala kay Cristo mula sa direkta at hindi direktang ministeryo ni Finney, habang limang daang libo naman ang nagsabing binago sila ni Cristo na nagmula sa kanyang mga pagtitipon. Ang kanyang talambuhay ang pinakapambihirang kuwento patungkol sa pagpapahayag ng kapangyarihan ng banal na espiritu Noong panahon ng apostoliko.  napakaraming kuwento ng kapuspusan na nagpapaalala sa atin ng araw ng pentekostes.

Nais ng Diyos na makita nating Siya ay Makapangyarihang Diyos. Nais Niyang mapuspos tayo Kanyang Banal na Espiritu. Gusto Niyang makita ng buong mundo ang Kanyang kadakilaan at maranasan Siya sa kanilang mga buhay!

Konklusyon:

Ang lingkod ni Eliseo ay nagtiwala sa kanyang nakikita at nauunawaan. Nakita niyang kumaharap sila sa pagsubok na sobrang malaki para kanila itong mapagtagumpayan. Hindi niya napagtantong may buhay na Diyos sa kanyang tabi. Samantalang si Eliseo naman ay sigurado sa sitwasyong kanilang kinakaharap na sila’y nasa mabuting kalagayan! Ang Diyos ay sumasakanya.

Saan natin inilalagak ang ating pananampalataya? Kapag tayo’y kakaharap ng mga problema sa buhay, katulad ba tayo ng reaksyon ni Eliseo, o ng kanyang lingkod?

Bukas ba ang ating mga upang makita na ang Diyos ay kasama ko at ang Kanyang nakamamanghang kapangyarihan ay kumikilos sa aking buhay?

Bagamat hindi ko nakikita sa aking natural na mga mata, maaalala ko kaya na kasama ko ang Diyos? Nais Niyang patuloy akong mapuspos ng Kanyang Banal na Espiritu, at makumbinse na ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ng langit ay kakampi ko!

Ang Pagdating ng Banal na Espiritu

Gawa 2 Nang sumapit ang araw ng Pentecostes, silang lahat ay nasa iisang pook na nagkakaisa. 2 Sila ay nakaupo sa loob ng isang bahay. Biglang may umugong mula sa langit tulad ng humahagibis na marahas na hangin at pinuno nito ang buong bahay. 3 May nagpakita sa kanila na nagkakabaha-bahaging mga dila tulad ng apoy at ito ay lumapag sa bawat isa sa kanila. 4 At silang lahat ay napuspos ng Banal na Espiritu at nagsimulang magsalita sa ibang mga wika ayon sa ibinigay ng Espiritu sa kanila na kanilang sasabihin.

…16 Subalit ito ang sinabi ng propetang si Joel: 17 Mangyayari sa mga huling araw, sabi ng Diyos: Ibubuhos ko ang aking Espiritu sa lahat ng mga tao. Ang inyong mga anak na lalaki at mga anak na babae ay maghahayag ng salita ng Diyos. Ang inyong mga kabataang lalaki ay makakakita ng mga pangitain. Ang inyong mga matandang lalaki ay mananaginip ng mga panaginip. 18 Sa mga araw na iyon, ibubuhos ko ang aking Espiritu sa aking mga aliping lalaki at mga aliping babae. At sila ay maghahayag ng salita ng Diyos. 19 Magpapa­kita ako ng mga kamangha-manghang gawa sa langit na nasa itaas at mga tanda sa lupa na nasa ibaba. Ang mga tanda na ito ay ang dugo, apoy at sumisingaw na usok. 20 Ang araw ay magiging kadiliman at ang buwan ay magiging dugo. Ito ay mangyayari bago dumating ang dakila at hayag na araw ng Panginoon. 21 Mang­yayari na ang bawat isang tatawag sa pangalan ng Panginoon ay maliligtas.