Given May 13, 2018 

We sang a worship song in church recently by Michael W. Smith called, “Surrounded” and one of the lines brought an image and lesson to my mind: “It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You”.  Actually, I saw two visions in my mind.

First, I saw someone standing in an open area surrounded by several evil demons. They were harassing, threatening and impeding progress.  The person cried out to God, “Lord, help me!” Then I was reminded of Elisha’s servant Gehazi in 2 Kings. The city of Dothan, where Elisha was, was surrounded by the army of the King of Aram in order to capture Elisha. The prophet had been telling the king of Israel the plans of the Arameans and they had come to capture him. They came at night and surrounded the city. In the morning, Elisha’s servant Gehazi went out and saw the enemy surrounding them and was afraid. But Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 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.” (v. 16-17).  In my vision in answer to the person’s cry, God said, “May his eyes be opened.”  The person then looked beyond the threatening demons and saw the army of God, strong and mighty, surrounding the demons.  When they saw God’s army, they fled in terror.

The second vision I saw was of this same person surrounded by the demons on a road and crying out to God, “Lord, help me!”  We know from God’s Word that He is always with us, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20), so, out from among the trees on the side of the road steps God.  He says to the person, “I’m with you, are you with Me?”  To which the person answers strongly, YES!”  Then as the person submits to God, they begin to feel and show the power of the Holy Spirit in themselves and resist the demons who then know what they’re up against and flee.

If you feel like you’re surrounded by the enemy for whatever reason, you can be sure that God is there to help you. Call out to Him, submit to Him, believe that He’s there to help and, as Moses told the people when they were surrounded by the Red Sea and the Egyptians, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.”