There are many times in life when people feel they are surrounded by difficult problems and circumstances.  One of the most famous battles ever to involve soldiers completely surrounded by the enemy occurred at a site called the Alamo.  200 Texan volunteer soldiers occupied a fort near San Antonio, Texas.  They were commanded by James Bowie and William Travis, and included famous frontiersman Davy Crockett.  They were surrounded by a Mexican force which numbered in the thousands and finally overpowered after 13 days.  The Texans rallied behind a battle cry “remember the Alamo” and finally won independence.

        “Words from Above” in the Bible tell us in II Kings 6 about a war that the king of Syria waged against the nation of Israel.  The king of Syria chose to set up camp at a certain location, but a prophet of God named Elisha told the king of Israel about the location.  After this happened a second time, the king of Syria suspected one of his soldiers of revealing the location to the army of Israel.  However, one of his soldiers reported that it was Elisha who was responsible for revealing the location.

        When the king of Syria learned that Elisha was staying in the city of Dothan, he sent his horses, and chariots, and great number of soldiers to surround the city of Dothan in an effort to capture Elisha.  The next morning the servant of Elisha rose up early and immediately saw that the army of Syria had completely surrounded the city.  He reported this to Elisha, and wanted to know what they were doing to do about it. 

        Elisha tried to calm the servant’s fear by telling him that there were more on their side than on the side of the Syrians.  Elisha then prayed to the Lord and asked Him to open the eyes of the servant so he could see how the Lord was going to help them.  When the Lord opened the eyes the servant the servant saw that the mountains around the city of Dothan were full of horses and chariots.  These horses and chariots did not belong to the Syrian army, but God had sent them to protect Elisha and his servant from Syria.  

        Elisha prayed again, asking this time for God to strike the Syrians with blindness.  Elisha then told the Syrian army they were in the wrong place, and offered to lead them to where they wanted to go.  Instead, he led them to Samaria, which was in the land of Israel and where they were surrounded by the army of Israel.  God gave victory to the king of Israel without a battle ever taking place.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.