"LORD Open His Eyes That He May See" Kathryn Kuhlman Prayer & Trust

There may be a portion of scripture that has a special meaning for you because of some experience in your life. But for years, maybe it's because I have had so many battles to fight. You know, I'm very conscious of not only the power of God, presence of God. Oh, I know those promises are real. I know how real is the power of God. It's wonderful when you can take your problems and put those problems alongside of God's bigness, His greatness, His power. Those problems that seem so big to you just fade into insignificance. If I could just get you to see how great is the power of your Heavenly Father, you'd stop worrying. It would cast out all fear, all anxiety. But my friend, there is something that I pray with all of my heart that you shall realize today as never before, and that is the reality of His presence. That has meant more in my own personal life than perhaps any other thing in regards to my relationship as a child of the Heavenly Father. And... I read it over and over again. The sixth chapter of Second Kings. I do not believe that I have ever owned a Bible. But that was the first part that I have marked in red. It has meant that much to me. It was an experience that Elisha had. And I'll read only a portion of it. You read the entire incident yourself. Mark it in your own Bible. You may not need it today or tomorrow. You'll need it even as I have needed it. And it calls our attention to one of the most interesting events in the Old Testament. Elisha and his servant. you'll find one calm and steadfast, the other scared stiff. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And bestowed him, saying, Behold, he's in Piltham. Therefore sent he thither horses and carriots and a great host. And they came by night. and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, gone forth, behold, and host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, that's unto Elisha, Alas, my master, how shall we do? What in the world can we do? Two. There are only two of us. And those that are against us are enemies. The mountains are filled with horses and chariots. We're licked before we even begin. Let's just put up the white flag. Let's put up our hands right now in surrender. We're licked. How often you've said that. How many times in your life have you said those very words? Mm -hmm. And he answered. It's Elisha answered and said, Fear not. Don't be frightened. Don't be afraid. For they that be with us are more than they that be with them. my goodness o life the servant might have said what do you mean elisha you've flipped your lid i see you you see me look at circumstances there you are you're just one human being here i am there's only one of me i'm scared i'm shaking so Don't depend on me. I'm so afraid. I, I, I, I. Oh, don't depend on me for any assistance. I'm so scared now I can't do anything. Let's face it. There are only two of us. And I'm not any help to you. And look. Look at the great army that's against us. A whole army. And yet you tell me not to be afraid. For they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elijah prayed. Oh, I like that. Elijah prayed. Instead of being afraid, instead of putting up the white flag, instead of putting up his hands in surrender, instead of being frustrated, Elijah prayed. prayed and said, Lord, and here he comes, the one who has all power in heaven and earth, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. Now, wouldn't one have thought that if Elijah was going to do any praying at all, he would have looked up and said, Dear God, help us. Oh! Help us. I want to pause right now and say something that's vitally important. And that is the fact that when you are desperate, and how often I have had folk who have come for healing, and they've stood right before me, and in desperation have said, God, heal me. Oh, please. And it isn't long before they get so loud in their praying. Help me. My friend, I just stop and wait until they get it all out of their system. I just wait. Then when they're all through, I look them directly in the face and say, Remember something. He's more willing to give you the desire of your heart than you are to receive. You don't have to tease and beg and plead and carry on. Just be still. Just realize his greatness. And then just simply... reach up and take from his giving hand. Knowing Elisha's circumstances, knowing that in the natural the two men were defeated, so far as the natural was concerned, one would have thought that when Elijah prayed under those circumstances, He would have done the thing that you have been doing all this time, that I have been doing for a long time until I learned the secret. Would have cried out, Oh, God, help us. Help us, dear God. But he didn't. When Elisha prayed, he took his eyes off of circumstances, knowing that the victory was... already theirs. That confidence. That complete trust. That's it. And only the Lord can make you see it. Only the Holy Spirit can get you to see it. We talk so much about faith. In the final analysis, I don't think any of us really had the answer to faith. That's the reason I don't preach on it very much. The older I get in The more that I know about the things of God, the less I understand about faith. But I can talk to you about confidence. I can talk to you about trust. I know what that is. Here is one of the greatest examples of it that I know anything about. This is absolutely one of the greatest examples of confidence that I have ever seen. Elijah prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. Lord, I know. I know you're there. I've got confidence that you're going to give us deliverance. I know how great you are. But here's my... Poor servant. He's so human. His eyes are on circumstances. His eyes are on the enemy. He's not able to see beyond his own fears. Open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord was right there. Elijah didn't have to scream and yell. I believe that... When he prayed those words, it was just a normal conversation. And the Lord was so close, he heard immediately. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. Do you want to know what he saw when God opened his eyes? And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. That's the reason. Elisha could say, they that be with us are far greater than those of our enemy who are trying to destroy us. Do you understand? Why this portion of the Word of God means so much to me personally? How often in a moment when I might have gone down in defeat, I have just stood still and I've said, Catherine Kuhlman, if only for one minute the Lord could open your eyes. And you could see his protection. And you could see the host of angels encamped around about you. If you could only know with your own little puny limited intelligence that all of heaven is at your command, that he'll never let you down, he'll never let you down. He'll... never let you down. As long as you're faithful to him. Elisha knew he was the center of God's will. Elisha knew that he was being obedient to the Lord. If you can know the purpose, the motive in your own heart is right. If you can know that you're being obedient unto Him, if you know that you're living in the center of His will, you can also be assured of the fact that God will never, never, never let you down. Never! That is as sure as the person of Almighty God. I wish right now somehow, I wish I had it in my power to pray the prayer that Elisha prayed. I'd pray for each one of you. That little widow lady, that little hostess in that tea room, that little waitress in that cafeteria, that man who feels so defeated in his business affairs, that little mother right now who feels as though... The bottoms dropped out. That's somebody who's facing such a big problem in your life. That's somebody so worried. If only right now I could pray for you the same prayer that Elisha prayed for his servant. Dear God, I pray thee, open her eyes. Open his eyes. that he may see, that she may see. And in this moment, if the Lord would open your eyes and you could see how God is with you, for you, caring for you, having made provision for you, you would never shed a tear. You'd never. Spend a sleepless night. You would never go down in defeat. Never. For God's presence with his people is not merely a theory. It's a fact. He will not leave you in the eleventh hour. He will not fail to keep his word with you. He's not asleep. He... continues to work even while you sleep. I mean that. Kier was a king of Syria who would send a whole army after one of God's men. A whole army against one man. God's man. That was the greatest compliment that could have been paid. They say that Queen Mary of Scotland feared the prayers of John Knox more than she feared an entire army. Little mother, they may not admit it, but your unsaved children fear your prayers more than you ever did. Dream. They fear those prayers. They know that you know God. They know that God will answer prayer. Your own family trembles when they know you are praying. There's power in prayer. And there's just as much power in trust. And in confidence. Mm -hmm. Elisha didn't see circumstances. You take your eyes off of circumstances. That's the reason you're going down in defeat. Your eyes are on circumstances. This very moment. Get your eyes off of circumstances. Get your eyes off of that problem. Get your eyes off of yourself. Look up. Get your eyes on Jesus. Now. And behold, your mountain, too, will be full of horses and chariots of fire round about you. He is. Power and presence. God bless you.