What Ya See is What Ya Get!

2 Kings 6:15, 17 (NIV)
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Perspective, according to one dictionary definition is “the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed”. Simply put, perspective is what you see and how it affects your thinking. In 2 Kings 6: 15-17 the importance of perspective can be seen. The King of Aram was intent on destroying Elisha because he was telling the King of Israel his plans. When Elisha’s servant awoke one morning to see King Aram’s horses and chariots surrounding them, he was clearly distressed and became fearful before King Aram’s troop had even made a move. How did Elisha respond to his servant’s fear? He changed his servant’s perspective. He prayed that the Lord would open his servant’s eyes to see into the spirit realm. The Lord opened his eyes and everything changed; the dire situation no longer caused him to fear. Nothing had changed in the natural. The city was still surrounded by horses and chariots. But once the servant was given a glance at what God saw, his mind was changed. He had a new perspective.

There is a truth is this passage that will help believers be victorious no matter what obstacle or challenge they are facing. That truth is that you must always get God’s perspective on the matter challenging you. There are two perspectives present in every situation. In the natural there is the problem; in the spirit realm there is the promise. To be victorious you must stay on the God-side of the issue. You must find the promise – what the Word says about your situation. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) states: “20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” That means that if you find a promise in the Word, it belongs to you because on the Cross Jesus removed every barrier that kept God’s promises from man.

Take healing for an example. The doctor has given you a bad report – life threatening perhaps. You immediately have a choice to make. Either believe the bad report or believe what the Word says. (We thank God for doctors; we are not denying what they say, we are denying the right of sickness to be on our bodies based on the promises of God). You go to the Word and find out that It says:

• Isaiah 53:5 (JUB): 5 But he was wounded for our rebellions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes healing was provided for us.
•  1 Peter 2:24 (MSG): They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing.
• 3 John 2 (KJV): 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

The Old Testament verse prophesied what Jesus would do; the New Testament verse confirms what Jesus did on the Cross and Paul, in 3 John 2, provides the exclamation mark to the healing issue when he said that “above all” the Lord’s desire was that we would be in health.

Seeing things from God’s view is a game changer. You no longer feel like a victim, fighting to achieve victory. You see yourself as a victor fighting from a position of victory; you have a Covenant right to expect God’s very best in the situation you are facing. As the Message version states, seeing God’s perspective is “a wonder”, because when we choose to see what He sees, there is power released to bring about the change we desire!

2 Kings 6:17 (MSG)
17 Then Elisha prayed, “O GOD, open his eyes and let him see.” The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha! (1/16)