To establish justice, we often must overcome denial, anger, bargaining, and depression to get the changes accepted that must be made to end injustices and to establish justice.

Sometimes we must overcome denial, anger, bargaining, and depression in our own lives. Sometimes we must overcome denial, anger, bargaining, and depression in the lives of others. And sometimes we must overcome denial, anger, bargaining, and depression in an entire civilization.

From the experiences of Elisha, we see how we can stop denying that we are able to end injustices and establish justice. When it appears that the forces of injustice are too strong to be beaten, Elisha knew that we need a new perspective. We need to realize that those who are with us are more than those who are against us.

After Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha became the most famous prophet in Israel. (2 Kings 2:1-15). (When I get confused by the similar names for the prophets Elijah and Elisha, I remember that Elijah’s name has a “j” where Elisha’s name has an “s” and that, in the alphabet, “j” comes before “s” just as Elijah came before Elisha.)

An enemy of Israel wanted to capture Elisha so the prophet couldn’t help Israel anymore. One night, the enemy’s army surrounded the place where Elisha was sleeping.

When Elisha’s servant woke up early the next morning, “an army with horses and chariots had surrounded [them]. ‘Oh no, my Lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked.” (2 Kings 6:15).

Elisha encouraged him. “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” (2 Kings 6:16).

The servant needed a new perspective. “Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16).

It is no different today.

Often, it seems as if the forces commanded by the rich and powerful cannot be overcome.

It seems as if we cannot end injustices. We cannot establish justice.

We deny that anything can be done about it. We are afraid and say, “Oh no, my Lord! What shall we do?”.

At times like these, we need to remember this insight from Elisha: “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

This was true more than 2,500 years ago. And it is still true today!

We can overcome our fears and denials. We can overcome the forces commanded by the rich and the powerful. We can end injustices. We can establish justice.

Why?

Because “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16).

Because we can pray for the LORD to open our eyes. When he does, we’ll see that, when we are ending injustices and establishing justice, there are “hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around [us]” (2 King 6:16).

That is why we sing so joyfully and so confidently: “We Shall Overcome”!

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In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the heroes grow afraid and depressed when they see how vast the forces of the Dark Side are. Then, they realize that those who are with them are more than those who are against them. This insight empowers the heroes to overcome their fears and despair, vanquishing the Dark Side of the Force!

To read how a similar insight by Elijah enabled him to overcome  depression in his own life so he accepted that he was not alone in loving the LORD his God with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, please read my blog “Establishing Justice: Depression and Acceptance—Elijah”.