How shall we do? ... there be more with us (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the second book of Kings, chapter 6, a part of the 15th verse in the whole of the 16th.

[0:22] And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

[0:44] Chapter 6, the second book of Kings, part of the 15th and the whole of the 16th verses.

[1:00] This is a word which stands in connection with a wonderful incident and it is not recorded in the word of God just as history and something that happened in Old Testament times.

[1:30] There is a deep that coucheth beneath. And if this incident is viewed aright, it will make known to us a foundation truth.

[1:44] The word of God says, whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort in the scriptures might have hope.

[1:59] Maybe you do observe that often there is a great variety of subjects that those of us ordained to preach as we humbly hope are favored to take.

[2:14] Sometimes the subject is more than the subject.

[2:44] Men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit. Sometimes the proclamation of the gospel is essentially practical.

[2:59] Bringing home to those who listen to it that wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. You will observe that the Lord Jesus, when he dwelt on earth a while, often used illustrations round about where he was.

[3:22] And sometimes he went back into Old Testament history to emphasize the truth he was proclaiming. And now this is to do, as I said, with an incident in the days when Elisha the prophet was fulfilling his office in Israel.

[3:46] And the beginning of it is like this. Then the king of Israel was preparing his plans to make an assault on Israel.

[4:13] But there was Elisha the man of God dwelling in Israel. And so the word of God tells us. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place.

[4:32] For thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him, and warned him of, and saved himself there not once or twice.

[4:45] And now the king of Israel was troubled about all this. Because he could not begin what he desired to do.

[4:58] To war against Israel. Because they were on their guard. And he could not understand it. And it says, Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing.

[5:16] And he called his servants and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king, but Elisha the prophet, that is in Israel, Telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

[5:40] And now you see, the king of Syria thought that if he could get hold of Elisha, Have him as a prisoner, that then he could fulfill his purpose to war against Israel.

[5:53] And the king of Syria said, Go and spy where he is, That I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dorthan.

[6:07] Do follow this along. Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots and a great host, And they came by night and compassed the city about.

[6:17] And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, Behold, and host, Compassed the city both with horses and chariots.

[6:30] Then comes our subject. And it might be a help to some of you, If grace is given to unfold the truth in it. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, how shall we do?

[6:45] Then he answered, Fear not. For they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And now I want to look at the subject From two or three viewpoints of it.

[7:03] And the first viewpoint Is to emphasize What you do know. Dangers of every shape and form attend the followers of the Lamb.

[7:17] And there is that tendency in us to view the dangers of every shape and form.

[7:29] And think our own thoughts. Just like Elisha's servant. And the future. And the future. Alas. How shall we do?

[7:39] Here is this matter arisen in our lives. Here is this trouble that threatens to overwhelm us.

[7:49] Here is this complication come upon us. Maybe in our business life. And the future Looks very uncertain For us.

[8:05] How shall we do? You all know what that feeling is. A sinner is born again. Every one of us Dare not Fling a stone at Jacob When he said All these things are against me.

[8:21] And now Elisha The prophet Can be looked on As a type Of those whom God ordains To preach the gospel nowadays.

[8:40] This word tells us That he sought to comfort his servant In the answered Fear not. And that is just what the commission of Preaching the gospel is.

[8:54] Say to them That are of a fearful heart Fear not. Behold Your God He will come And save you.

[9:07] Fear not. For they that be with us Are more than they that be with them. And now First of all I would look at this viewpoint Of the subject Elisha's servant When he went out What caused him To be filled with fears Was that he saw The city was compassed about With an host And now Every sinner Born again Knows somewhat Of what those fears are And he knows And he knows Much of what it is Every day that dawns To be compassed about With an host Not the horses and chariots That Elisha's servant saw But there are hosts within And hosts

[10:08] Without You know As you awake In the morning Some of you If you have time enough There you get up And you ponder in your heart The duties and difficulties Awaiting you During the day What the day holds in store The more The more you ponder it In your heart The more it Seems to you That you are compassed about With an host And your fear is How shall we do This day Holds so much in store To be done And much of it Alas Will be left Undone at the end Of the day How shall we do But Every sinner Born again As soon as he is Born again He realises

[11:11] That he is compassed about With a host Of sins Sins to which he has to Humble himself Before God Put his mouth in the dust Of self-abasement If so be there may be hope Sins in thought Word and deed Sins of omission Sins of commission All these sins One's own life As one has lived it Hitherto Seems to rise up With the sins Thereof In a vast host And it brings you To feel within Depth of mercy Can there be mercy For a wretch like me Such a sinner as I am How shall I do And it seems as if You must go down

[12:13] In the midst of it And sink to rise No more But there is a fear Not Laid up in the gospel For poor sinners Such as you Christ has blessings To impart Grace to save thee From thy fears Oh the love That fills his heart Sinner wipe away Thy tears Sometimes You seem to be Compassed about With a host Of doubts It seems And it is Inbred In our nature What we are By nature And thus The apostle Paul Warned the Hebrews Of old Take heed Therefore Brethren Lest there be In any of you An evil heart Of unbelief In departing From the living God And now Sometimes

[13:14] That evil heart Of unbelief Lets loose A host That compasses You Round about Within And without Ifs Buts And hows Are hurled To sink us In the gloom Of all that's Dismal In this world Or in the world To come Oh you need To fear not Then And whatever You may call Into question Sometimes You may Be compassed About with a host Of questionings And that is Very solemn When you Begin to Argue As it were Why should This be And wherefore Is that Allowed To come Upon me And mine And the devil Will help you Along that Line of thought

[14:14] Until you Are just Compassed About With a host Of questionings And None but God Can allay Your fears And give The real answer To those Questions Because Because You will Sometimes Find in Putting Those Questions That you Fear Where no Fear Is Remember That And then I would Look at this As far as I Can In regard To being Compassed About With a Host How you Are compassed About at Times With a Host of Time Things Think of Life's Responsibilities And they Are linked Up with Life's Relationships Think of A godly Mother In her Family circle With the Children Growing up And each

[15:14] One with A never Dying Soul And each One You hope To see Filling A niche In life Godly Mothers In their Home Lives And family Circles Often feel Compassed About With a Host Of Time Things Godly Fathers Too But they Have to Go out To earn The bread Which Perishes And they Feel to Be compassed About With a Host And Sometimes They have Many Fears Because They Know Deep Down In their Hearts That For For their Lives To be Lived Right They Absolutely Depend On God And it Must be Every Day That you Realize Strength According To the Day But you Are compassed About With Time Things And

[16:15] Sometimes It Seems As Though Things To do With Eternal Realities Are Very Much In The Background And that Causes Your Fears To Increase Because In a Right Mind You Would Like To Live A Life Otherwise And Have First Things In The First Place Yes Alas How Shall We Do Is The Question That Arises Then Sometimes The Lord Permits You To Be In Heaviness Through Many Fold Temptations Or If That Word Ever Goes For Concerning You As It Did Concern In Peter Simon Simon Satan Hath Desired To Have You That He May Sift You As Wheat You Will Know What It Is To Be Compassed About With A Host Of Temptations

[17:17] And What Will Cause You Much Searching Of Heart Is To Feel That You Have Got Inside You That Which Is In League With Those Temptations Arising From What You Are By Nature It Is Very Solemn When You Are Compassed About With A Host Of Temptations And Satan Is No Fool He Knows How To Bate His Hook And He Knows What Is Your Beset In Sin What Is Your Weakness And There He Compasses You About With Suggestions Hellish Insinuations And You Can Only Say Then How Shall We Do And Now The Great Thing Is To Be Helped To Do This The Remedy Lies Before The Pray Satan

[18:18] Trembles When He Sees The Weakest Saint Upon His Knees Then There Will Sometimes Be A Host Compass In You Round About Of Evil Forebodings You See Every One Of Us Who Has The Mercy To Be Born Again Has Got Our Own Temperament And We Are Not All Alight Some People Are Naturally Amiable Hopeful Cheerful Others Seem To Be Touched With A Kind Of Melancholy And They Always Look On The Dark Side Of Whatever Is Happening And They Need Divine A To Rise Above Their Own Natural Temperament But You Will Find That Satan Will Take Advantage Of

[19:18] Your Natural Temperament Sometimes And You Will Be Encompassed About With A Host I Said Of Evil Forebodings You Will Survey The Future It May Be You May Go Far Ahead Into It And Wonder How This Will Be And How Shall We Do When We Come Into Such A Matter Which Is Awaiting Us And Which In Due Time We Shall Have To Contemplate How Shall We Do Then And You May Be Filled With Evil Forebodings You Will Need A Fear Not Another Thought Is This Sometimes God Will Allow You To Look Back Over Your Past Life And In His Light You See Light On It And

[20:20] If He Is Pleased To Do That For You And You Go Back Over Your Past Life You Will Know Of A Truth That You Will Be Compassed About With A Host Wherein You Have To Put Your Mouth In The Dust Of Self Abasement If So Be There May Be Hope As You See How In So Many Matters You Have Eard And Strayed Like Lost Sheep And As I Said Earlier On You Find Then Sins Of Omission And Sins Of Commission Testify Against You Until Your Whole Life As You View It Seems Just One Long Black Record Of Guiltiness Before God And You Will Indeed Say Then How Shall We Do One

[21:23] Thing Will Be Made Plain To You It Is Of The Lord's Mercies We Are Not Consumed And Because His Compassions Fail Not It Is A Great Mercy When You Can Survey Your Past Life And Feel What One In Writer Says Pardon Of Sin For All That Past It Matters Not How Black They Are Cast But Until You Get That Great Mercy And That Fear Not Lodged In Your Heart You Will Be Saying Oh My God My Soul Is Cast Down Within Me And Like Ezra When He Said Oh My God I Am Ashamed I Blush To Lift Up My Face Unto Thee Then There Is This Viewpoint

[22:23] And I Want You Dear Young People Especially To Ponder This Viewpoint Of The Subject You Will Be Sometimes Compassed About With A Host Of Errors Errors And That Which Is Not What Seth The Scriptures And You Will Be Churned Up Inside With It There Will Be This Host Compassing You About Until You Hardly Know What You Are Where You Are And I Do Want You To Remember There Is Not Any Error That Satan Has Let Loose From Hell And Which Is Abroad In The World The Religious World Especially Nowadays But What The Seed Of It Is Already In

[23:24] Your Heart My Heart As We Were Born It All Began When The Adam Fall Took Place And When Satan Said Half God Said And That Is How You Get Compassed About With A Host And Sometimes You Find These Things On The Outside They Do Not Look To Be Like Error Until They Are Examined And Weighed In The Balances Of The Sanctuary Then You Find Teacel Is Stamped Upon Them And Weighed In The Balances They Are Found Wanting But When These Things Are Let Loose As It Were I Said They Emanate From Hell Let Loose In

[24:24] The Church Of Christ Professing An Error Is Abounding Nowadays More Than It Ever Has Done In The World's History Before And It Abounds In Many Pulpits Where Those Who Are So Called Modernist Preachers Seek To Undermine The Word Of God And To Declare This And That Therein Is Not To Be Received As Truth Saying That Some Of It Is No More Than A Myth Very Solemn Thing But These Hosts Nowadays Are Compassing Poor Sinners About So That You Need More Than Ever To Inquire Before God With Whom You Have To Do What Is Truth

[25:25] Lead Me In Thy Truth And Teach Me Oh Send Out Thy Light And Thy Truth Let Them Lead Me Let Them Bring Me To Thy Holy Hill And To Thy Tabernacles And Now Ere I Leave This Viewpoint Of The Subject There Is Just Another Thought And That Is Every Day As It Dawns And You Go Forth Therein Being A Sinner Born Again Remember That You Will Feel That You Were Compassed About With A Host Of Responsibilities Responsibility Is A Very Striking Word And It Is Very Far Reaching Go Back To What I Said That It Is Linked Up To Life's Relationships You

[26:25] Have Got Responsibilities As A Father A Mother A Husband A Wife A Son A Daughter A Master A Servant An Officer In The Church The Preacher In The Pulpit As The Pastor All These Are Responsibilities And It Is Said Every One Of Us Should Give An Account Thereof Before God And Now When That Truth Breaks In Upon You And You Feel The Weight Of It You Will Know Of A Truth You Are Compassed About With A Host Of Responsibilities And You Will Need A Fear Not And You Will Be Saying Lord Help Me Oh Lord I Am Oppressed Undertake For Me But I Would Look At The Subject From Another Viewpoint And

[27:27] His Servant Said Unto Him Alas My Master How Shall We Do No And He Answered Fear Not And Now Do Look At This Great And Glorious Truth For They That Be With Us Are More Than They That Be With Them And It Goes On Beautifully And Elisha Prayed And Said Lord I Pray The 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 And Now This Viewpoint Of The Subject Is To Teach Us That Whatever Is The Horse That Compasses Us About

[28:27] As We Journey On Through Life There Is Help In God You May Not At The Beginning Discern That Help In God But It Is There What You Need Is This Oh Lord I Pray Thee Open His Eyes That He May See There Were Other Hosts You See The Mountain Was Full Of Horses And Chariots Of Fire Round About Elisha And Now That Was Not Just For Elisha Individually This Truth Remains A Blessed Reality For Every Sinner Born Again It Can Always Be Said They That Be With Us Are More Than They That Be With Them The

[29:27] Host That Compass Us Around Though They Come From Hell Itself Or From The World At Large Within Or Without They That Be With Us Are More Than They That Be With Them Where Shall We Begin They That Be With Us And Now You Will Surely Think Of One Scripture If God Before Us Who Can Be Against Us And Now That Is A Beautiful Truth And It Will Allay All Your Fears If You Can Just Realize That God God Is For You Whatever It Is That Seems To Be Against You Matters Not If God

[30:27] Be For Us Who Can Be Against Us Let Hell Do Its Worst Let The Earth And Hell Combine Together To Undo Us The Lord Will Appear And Let It Be Known Greater Is He That Is In You Than He That Is In The World God Is Greater Than Man And In This Was The Son Of God Made Manifest That He Might Destroy The Works Of The Devil You Say It Is A Great Truth If God Before Us But How Can I Tell That It Can Be Told It Is Very Simple In Telling It Are You For God Let Your Conscience Tell You It

[31:28] Will Tell You The Truth If It Is In Working Order I Say As We Are Here Before God Are You For God In Your Everyday Life As You Live It So That You Seek His Divine Aid And That His Blessing May Attend You As You Journey On If You And I Are For God We Shall Prove Beyond All Questioning God Is For Us And That Is Wonderfully Far Reaching Dear Friends I Said It Was Simple And So It Is And You Will Find As The Things Of God Are Unfolded To You While They Are Heavenly Mysteries When They Are Opened Up To You You Will Be Amazed At How Simple They Really Are And Now What Could Be More Simple Than That If You Were For God

[32:28] God Is For You You Think It Over Dear Young People Think It Over If You Are For God God Is For You What Think Ye Of Christ And If Your Thoughts Of Christ Are Those Wherein You Say Lord Jesus Make Thyself To Me A Living Bright Reality And You Desire That He Shall Be Lord Over You And Your Life As You Live It The Government Should Be Upon His Shoulder Oh That Is A Great Mercy They That Be With Us Are More Than They That Be With Them All That Elisha Servant Could See Was Just The Horses And Chariots Belonging To The King Of Syria At

[33:28] The First But When His Eyes Were Opened His Spiritual Eyes And He Saw The Mountain Full Of Horses And Chariots Of Fire Round About Elisha You Say Oh But Then This Happened So Long Ago Does Does God Do Things Like This Nowadays Is He Not Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday And Today And Forever The Hosts Of God Encamp Around The Dwellings Of The Just Deliverance He Affords To All Who Make His Name Their Trust What Did I Read To You The Angel Of The Lord Encampeth Round About Them That Fear Him And Delivereth Them Yes So Then First Of All And We Might Say Last Of All God

[34:29] Is For Us The Father Is For Us And We Evidence That In That Which He Did For Us What Did He Do For Us As We Humbly Hope God So Loved The World That He Gave His Only Begotten Son That Whosoever Believeth In Him Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life All Your Heavenly Father Knoweth What Things Ye Have Need Of Before You Ask Him You Will Find As You Journey On Through Life As A Sinner Born Again That Is One Of The Sweetest Experiences You Will Enjoy Our Father Which Art In Heaven Hallowed Be Thy Name The Father Is For Us The Dear

[35:29] Son Of God Is For Us What More Could He Do Than That Which He Was Pleased To Do To Come Down Into This World On Our Behalf Christ Jesus Came Into The World To Save Sinners And You Humbly Hope Many Of You That He Came To Seek And To Save You angel of the Lord doing wondrously for you. And whenever you are compassed about with hosts from hell or wherever they may come from, you will find the Holy Spirit is for you and he will help you. If ye be in evil, know how to give good things unto your children, and how much more shall your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.

[36:59] God is for us. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity. What you need is to be kept aware of it and to seek to live near to God, that you might rejoice in the truth of it.

[37:20] You see, there are these hosts and we see them and their hearts misgive us at their multitude.

[37:30] And we say, alas, how shall we do? And there is a fear that we shall sink in this trouble or that to rise no more. You need a fear not. You need in heaven's own light to look at the life you are living. And then you will see. They that be with us are more than they that be with them.

[38:07] Yes. God is for us. And now, another thought is this. All the host of elect angels is for us.

[38:17] Do remember Jacob at Ma'anaim, when the angels of God met him, and they made a guard of honor, as it were.

[38:30] Think of what Jacob must have felt like. Poor, sinful Jacob, that he was often, and yet he was born again, he was taught of God, and in his direst distress, the angels of God met him. And they made a guard of honor.

[38:53] Think of rows of angels on either side, and Jacob, the poor sinner that he was, going along in the midst. What do we read in the Hebrews epistle? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister unto them, who shall be heirs of salvation? God has got hosts of angels, myriads of angels, thousands, tens of thousands of them, all ready to do his bidding, all ready to do his bidding, whether it be for one to go this way, or a legion of angels. Do remember that.

[39:40] They that be with us are more than they that be with them that are against us. And then I thought, pondering this subject, it can be said, the word of God is for us.

[39:57] Whatever hosts compass you round about, if you look into the sacred pages, you will find all of them are described therein, and that also there is help in God that you may be delivered from them all.

[40:17] And they answered, fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

[40:30] Yes, the word of God is for us. And now, when you think of it from that viewpoint, look at the hosts of promises there are in the word of God.

[40:42] It would be almost impossible, well, it really would be impossible, to reckon up all the exceeding, great, and precious promises there are in the sacred pages.

[40:55] You can reckon up the fear nots, and there you find sixty odd. And that means there will be sixty odd needs, be's for those fear nots, for people taught of God as they journey on through life.

[41:13] but when you think of the hosts of promises there are, and there is a promise which will give you help and hope in God, whatever situation you may be in, whatever it may be, the hosts that compass you round about, you will find in the sacred pages, a promise that you can plead before God, and thereby gain a fear not.

[41:47] Oh, what amazing words of grace are in the gospel found, suited to every sinner's case, who knows his soul's deep wound.

[41:57] hosts of promises, dear friends, exceeding great and precious promises, and all yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Another thought is this, it could be said, there are hosts of precepts, and I would say exceeding great and precious precepts, precepts, because if you are compassed about with some host, within or without, and you are saying, alas, how shall we do?

[42:28] The word of God will tell you what to do. You will find the word of God will inform you what your behavior should be regarding this host or that which compasses you around.

[42:44] You may say, how shall we do? The psalmist said, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

[42:56] Yes. And he said this, did you ever say it? I esteem thy precepts in all things to be right, and I hate every false way.

[43:10] Oh, it is a great thing to have in our hearts a concern to live inside the covers of the word of God. God, make me to walk in thy commands, for it is a delightful road, nor let my head or heart or hands offend against my God.

[43:30] they that be with us. They that be with us are more than they that be with them. And now there is just another thought which might be of help to you.

[43:46] there is something for you that you do not always realize and get the benefit from it that it is possible to obtain.

[44:02] And now you think of what you have got with you. I have already showed you God is for us.

[44:14] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blessed Trinity is for us. There are hosts of elect angels for us. Omnipotence incarnate is for us.

[44:28] When most I need is help in hand. This friend is always near. With heaven and earth at his command, he waits to answer prayer. And I have given you a hint or two that the word of God is for us.

[44:45] And now what I am going to tell you should help you most of all. You look back over life's journey and see what God has done for you and that is for you.

[45:01] Your past experience is for you. And it will not fail you as you look back over it and realize he hath delivered, he doth deliver, and we trust he will yet deliver us.

[45:26] Thy love in times past forbids me to think thou wilt leave me at last in trouble to sink. Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review confirms thy good pleasure to carry me right through.

[45:41] Oh dear friends, it is a wonderful mercy when you can look back and remember the way God has led you. Do what you read in Jeremiah.

[45:54] Set the up way marks and make the eye heaps. And these way marks and eye heaps, they are for you. Every one of them declares God is for you.

[46:10] And who can sink with such a prop as old the world and all things up. Oh this is what you and I need as we journey on through life with these hosts that compass us around, within, and without.

[46:31] And Elisha prayed 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.

[46:46] It just comes to this, be not afraid, only believe. Should poverty or loss of all created good conspire to make our weighty cross, our helper still is God.

[47:05] And realizing that you can go on whatever the future holds in store and fear not. Amen.

[47:16] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[47:33] Gentlemen. Amen. Amen. Amen.