Chariots and Horses of Fire

End of Month Prayer and Fasting Service 

Sermonate by Tarisai P Ziyambi 

Title : Chariots and Horses of Fire

Scripture Reading : "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" Psalm 20:7.

"The future seems cloudy and uncertain, but the Lord would not have us distressed over these things. When trouble comes, He will give us grace to endure it. What the Lord has been to us, and *what He has done for us, should make us so grateful that we would never murmur or complain" 1T 108.1. 

The thoughts of this Sermonate is taken from 2 Kings 6:8-17. When the King of Syria sought to war against Israel, God revealed the secrets of a Cobra like meeting (The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) are meeting rooms in the Cabinet Office in London). Measures had been taken to make sure that those in attendance were vetted and loyal to the state, leaking of state secrets would probably be punishable by death. The military had effective strategies to conquer Israel but to their distress, their plans were thwarted not once or twice. There was someone who leaked their plans to their enemy, but who was it? Somewhere I read that "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter" Ecclesiastes 10 :20. The Angel of God attended the Syrian meeting and was the one who revealed "the secret things". "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law" Deuteronomy 29:29. We are told that Prophet Elisha would go to the King of Israel and tell him the plans and the safety of the nation now depended on the reception of the message. "... Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper" 2 Chronicles 20:20. Somewhere I also read that "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children" Hosea 4:6.

So the story goes on to tell us that the Revelation of the workings of those who had one mind to fight with Israel of God was not done by Syrians but by the Messanger of God. The Syrians trust in Chariots and Horses and therefore their solutions to life is carnal. When the King of Syria was told that it was Elisha who leaked their plans to we are told that he sent "Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about" 2 Kings 6 :14. Brothers and Sisters "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

In conclusion the story goes on to tell us that the servant of Elisha was distressed to wake up to see a Great Host with Chariots and Horses but he lacked the vision." Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" Proverbs 29:18. We perish due to stress and depression, God wants us to "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" 3 John 1:2. Godly Trust is the first word in the acronym God's Plan. Without trusting in divine power you are rejecting the remedy of all your diseases. Godly trust for mental health, as God cares about you, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified" Isaiah 61:3. Friends please learn to "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" Proverbs 3:5-6.

My prayer for you is for God to open our spiritual eyes. "And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" 2 Kings 6:17. Trust in the Lord for He will send angels to watch over you. Trust in the Lord because He is More than those against us. Trust in the Lord because He has remedy for all our defects, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities" Isaiah 53:3-11.

Do not fear the unholy union of the dragon, beast and false prophets, "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful" Revelation 17:13-14. May the Lord inspire you to Trust Him though the heavens fall, when champions fail, when we are called to endure weariness, hunger and delay, Only Trust, only trust Him now, He will help you, He will help you... Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to Trust and Obey.