GOD’S PRESENCE WITH

HIS PEOPLE
2 KINGS 6:8-16
2 KINGS 6:8-16
The Blinded Syrians Captured
8 
Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My
camp will be in such and such a place.” 9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that
you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.” 10 Then the king of Israel sent someone to the
place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or
twice.
11 
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said
to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
12 
And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of
Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
13 
So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.”
And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.”
14 
Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the
city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the
city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16 
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
I. GOD'S PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE IS NOT
GENERALLY REALIZED BY THEIR ENEMIES.
◦ The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. There are other things than
military skill and big battalions to be thought of in going forth to battle. 
◦ He did not realize that God's presence was with his people. Is not this the mistake which the
enemies of God's people have made in all ages?
◦ Pharaoh when he refused to free the Israelites
◦ Herod when he ordered the slaughter of babies
◦ Nero in his persecution of the Christians in Rome

They have not realized that the presence of the living God is with his Church and in the midst of her,
and that he, in his own way and in his own time, can vindicate his own truth.
II. GOD'S PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE IS NOT
REALIZED BY MANY AMONGST THEMSELVES.
◦ Elisha's servant, no doubt, believed in God.

◦ You believe you are a child of God, you believe that God takes care of His people, yet perhaps
there are times when you are unduly anxious about your business, and allow yourself to be
weighed down by foolish and causeless fears.

◦ This spirit of timidity, of fear, is a great hindrance in Christian work. Half-belief is almost as
bad as no belief, in this respect.
III. GOD'S PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE IS
ALWAYS REALIZED BY HIS TRUE SERVANTS. 
◦ The man who lived near to God realized that God was near to him. They
have realized that God's presence was with them, and in the strength of that
one idea they have surmounted the greatest difficulties, braved the most
terrible dangers, met fearlessly the most overwhelming opposition, and
accomplished tasks that to the worldly eye seemed almost incredible.
◦ Abraham
◦ Nehemiah
“Those who are with us are more than
those who are with them”
Application
◦ 1. It is well to be on God's side.

2. Undertake great things for God. Remember that you have unlimited resources at your
command.

3. Never suffer yourself to be daunted or depressed by difficulties.