Can we get Excited?

2 Kings 13:10-19

In this story there is a king that did evil in the eyes of the Lord. It also says that he continued in the sins of the previous kings. At some point this king realized that he was under attack and was going to be obliterated. So, he did what all of us do when we get in over our heads…”LORD JESUS, HELP ME!” The king went to an old and sick Elisha the prophet and sought God’s help. To what should have been his surprise, Elisha told him some good news: “God had given you the victory, you will completely destroy the Aramean army!”

You would think that after hearing news like that he would have been excited. However, Elisha asks him to take the “arrows of victory” and strike them on the ground. The king takes them and lamely strikes them 3 times. This infuriates Elisha! In today’s language he said “Dude…what is your problem? I told you that God was going to give you something YOU didn’t deserve. You should have gotten EXCITED! Now, you will only have partial victory.”

When I first read this I wanted to go off on the king for being such a moron. But, the more I think about it, I’m realizing that I’m the moron. Look at some of the things Jesus tells me:

He who has the Son has life… 1 John 5:12

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God — 2 Corinthians 5:21

There will be no more night, they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. — Revelation 22:5

The word of God flat out tells me…if you accept my Son and fall in love with Him, you will be victorious. I have the victory and I let sickness ruin my excitement? I have the victory and I let the circumstances of life determine my moods? I have the victory and KNOW that no weapon formed against me shall prosper, yet I allow those weapons to make me doubt. God has given me the victory yet I still let the devil stand against me when I have the power to place his neck under my size 13. I let life bring me down when I know there is a better day coming…one day I will be with the King…forever!

If you have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you and come into your heart, even though you have done evil in His sight, He has given you the victory. He has given you the victory over sin, the victory over your enemies, and the victory over the grave.

Seriously, is that not worth getting excited about?

Later

Adam