Seeking Help From God

God hears, helps and heals

2 Kings 5:1 NIV

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

No matter what you have acquired in your life, no matter how good you may think you are, you will always have a sin sickness slowly killing you. Naaman was great; Naaman was a leper.

2 Kings 5:2–4 NIV

2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.

2 Kings 5:5 ESV

5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

750 lbs of silver and 150lbs of gold = Equivalant to several million dollars

2 Kings 5:6–7 ESV

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

2 Kings 5:8–9 ESV

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

Why are you worrying? Trust in the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind, and lean not on your own understanding.

2 Kings 5:10 ESV

10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

Naaman went to Elisha’s house ‘expecting’ something. His expectations of what God is going to do are wrong.

Elisha sent a messenger, he didn’t go meet Naaman himself. We are messengers, showing up on behalf of the greatest prophet, Jesus.

God reveals Himself through His messengers, through His disciples.

2 Kings 5:11 ESV

11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

Naaman was angry at God, because God did not meet Naaman’s expectations. God was still working in His own way, and in His own time. Sometimes, we need to be obedient before we can see the plan come to life.

“I don’t want to do it God’s way, I want to do it the world’s way. It’s more convenient.”

2 Kings 5:12 ESV

12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

Naaman did not humble himself to what God wanted him to do. Naaman wanted to do what he wanted to do.

2 Kings 5:13 ESV

13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Salvation is free but we have such a hard time receiving it. We want to work for it and do our part, but our only part to play is to receive it.

2 Kings 5:14 ESV

14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Naaman needed to humble himself first.

When Christ forgives us, he takes away ALL sin, guilt and shame. But we have to LET GO and GIVE him those things.

2 Kings 5:15 ESV

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.”

Elisha cured an enemy because there was no faith in Israel.