“Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them…” ~ II Kings 6:21-22a
REFERENCE:
The default mode of many believers is that God must kill enemies. You hear them saying, “Die, die,” when praying about a person(s) they perceive as an enemy. However, our real enemy is the devil; he always wants us to focus on the people around us, terming them as enemies. Give a dog a bad name, and you can hang it. If you see a man as your enemy, you will think nothing of ‘killing’ him in prayers, but from our story, we see that you shall not kill them.
The king of Syria sent men to arrest Elisha because his visions gave Israel the advantage in her wars with Syria. A host of chariots, horsemen, and foot soldiers arrived at night to seize him. Unknown to the Syrian army and Elisha’s servant, Elisha enjoyed the protection of a heavenly host. God opened Elisha’s servant’s eyes through Elisha’s prayers to see the heavenly army.
As the Syrian soldiers approached Elisha, he prayed and the Lord struck them with blindness, so they groped for their way. He led them to the king of Israel in Samaria, and there prayed for their eyes to open. When the king saw that his enemies had been delivered to him on a platter, he asked Elisha excitedly, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” The next thing Elisha said didn’t sound like him, for he once invoked a curse on some young men for mocking him.
Elisha said, “You shall not kill them… Set food and water before them, that they may eat and go…” It was the love of God at work, the love that says, “Bless those who hurt you and pray for those who spitefully use you.” This lavish love and incredible generosity impressed the Syrians and their kings so much that they made no incursions into Israel again. Hallelujah!
Those you seek to get back at because they offended you are not your prisoners; they are God’s prisoners; be careful to treat them well. Be kind to them, feed them if they are hungry, bless them if they curse you, and forgive them if they offend you. The most glorious victory over an enemy is to turn him into a friend. Love will conquer all, and love will never fail; love only fails when we fail to love. People are not your enemy; do not harm them. You shall not ‘kill’ them.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 12:17-21
TO DO:
Decide today to let those you have held in the prison of your heart go: an ex, a parent, a friend, a colleague, or a classmate. They are the Lord’s prisoners, and He knows what to do with them. Pray for God to bless them and to help them. Do not be overcome by the hurt or pain they caused; free your heart of every poison or venom. Let God heal your heart.
