Faith for the Healing

Introduction:

Today many of us either are experiencing personally or know someone who is dealing with a situation they need to be healed from.

For some people it may be a physical condition and for others it can be a variety of circumstances.

And while some people are on the fence in regard to healings most people fall into either one of two camps. Those who believe in healings and those who do not.

As a Pentecostal Pastor not only do I believe that yes the Lord heals but also that the Holy Spirit also works through the people of God today just like He did in the times of the Bible.

It is clear in the Bible that Jesus tells us that though He is returning to the Father that the Father is sending us the Holy Spirit not only to comfort us and help us to better understand the scriptures and teachings of Jesus but also to equip us so that we may continue to do the works which He did and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people until He returns again. These works include healings both physically but also emotionally and spiritually. These healings are for the glory of God and the benefit of others and not so we may claim anything by our own might because on our own we are not able to do what is required or what the Holy Spirit does in us and through us.

Today I will be speaking on the Biblical account of the healing of Naaman and explain how God used people both people of faith and people of the world in Naaman’s story and how this leader of the Syrian army found the God of Israel through his miraculous healing.

This scripture is so rich and has so much to cover that for the sake of time we will touch on several big points today, but I would encourage you to pray and dig deeper on those points to see how the Lord can help you too develop a true faith for your healing.

2 Kings 5:1-19

2 Kings 5:1–19 NLT

1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy. 2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” 8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” 11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’ ” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! 15 Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. 18 However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.” 19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.

All People Deal with Challenges

As we begin unpacking the healing of Naaman one of the first things that stands out to me is the reminder that all people are dealing with something.

In verse 1 it tells us that as commander of the army of Aram, the Lord had worked through Naaman and had given great victories to his country.

Due to these victories and the obvious fact that the Lord was using him in a mighty way Naaman gained the admiration of the king who was Ben-Hadad II the king of Aram-Damascus who was king in the time of Joram, King of Israel.

So here is Naaman a mighty warrior, a commander of a powerful army, someone who God is using to bless his country despite that country not being Israel and somehow even king Ben- Hadad II is an admirer of him. It seems up to this point that Naaman has everything going for him.

But then the Bible tells us that Naaman suffers with leprosy.

This is a reminder to us that we cannot judge a book by its cover. There will people that we hear about or see that appear to have everything working in their favor but there are still significant challenges that as humans we all face. Some of those challenges will be external such as Naaman’s leprosy and others will be non-visible such as spiritual, emotional, or mental challenges. The Bible tells us not to covet for many reasons and I can tell you that I have lived long enough to tell you that everyone is dealing with some challenge in their lives even people who seem to have it all together so be happy with what the Lord has blessed you with and focus on Him and living the life He has called you to life while having compassion on others because again everyone is dealing with something.

The Lord Can Turn a Burden into a Blessing

Verse two also shows us an important principle which is that the Lord can turn a bad situation into a blessing for His glory.

In today’s passage we read about the situation that Aramean raiders are invading Israel and during one of these raids they captured a young girl.

Think of the fear that this poor child must have been going through to see her village invaded by a foreign army and then to be kidnapped. One can only imagine the horror and fear she must have been experiencing.

But God had an important plan for that girl and showed her favor so that she was placed in Naaman’s home to be a maid for his wife.

While the Bible does not specifically say we can deduce that the girl must have been treated well because not only did she feel comfortable enough to speak but she also wanted to share something to help them.

It was through the faith of a young girl that the Lord gave Naaman some hope that perhaps his disease could be healed.

What faith this young lady had that she was so confident in what the Lord could do through his prophet that she was willing to risk her own safety to confidently declare this path to healing.

The Lord Can Use Others to Lead You to Your Blessing

So here is Naaman who has just been told that there is a prophet in Israel that may be able to help him. He could have reacted in several different ways but instead he speaks with the king to explain what the girl had said.

The king not only encourages Naaman but also provides him with all of the logistical support he needed to make the long journey.

Naaman had no control about the young girl coming into his life and sharing hope nor did he have power to make the king not only allow him to make the journey but to also pay for it.

My point here is that at times, the Lord will use other people to lead you to your blessing even if you do not realize it. And while we can take a look at the messenger’s socioeconomic status and not take what they say seriously the correct behavior is to know the Lord’s voice and when He speaks to you then act on it even if the messenger does not look the way you thought on the outside. You see the Lord can see the inside of people and He will do mighty things through those who trust Him.

Some People May Not Feel Qualified to be Used in Your Blessing

Something worth mentioning as well is that during your journey there will be people who the Lord choses to use in your story that will simply not want to help you or do not feel qualified to be used in the Lord’s plans for you.

Verse 7 tells us that the king of Israel which again we believe to be king Jehoram tore his clothes in dismay feeling completely unqualified to meet the requests sent in the letter which the King of Syria had delivered to him.

Furthermore, he even questions the motives and intents of the king of Syria believing that he is being provoked into some kind of conflict by presenting such an outrageous request.

The thing to understand is that if it is the Lord’s will and the Lord’s plan for someone to be used to bless you than that is what is going to happen even if that person does not understand or accept it.

Jehoram couldn’t see the blessing and honor of the moment. Here was a neighboring king bringing gifts and asking for one of his officials to be blessed by the Prophet of God. Instead of seeking the Lord and rejoicing in the moment, Jehoram not only complains but grieves and then with a spirit of offense views the situation as sabotage.

But despite all of this the plans of the Lord still moved forward.

Godly People Encourage Other to Trust the Lord

In verse 8 there is a great example of how the people of God should encourage others to trust the Lord.

Elisha the prophet of God hears about the king of Israel tearing his clothes and promptly tells him to not worry and send Naaman to him so that he could see a true prophet in Israel.

Elisha has complete and utter confidence in God. He does not have to wait and pray about it for weeks on end rather he trusts the Lord’s character and nature and knows that the Lord will bless those who seek Him.

We are to be the same way saints. Sure, there are times where extended prayer and even fasting are appropriate so that we can hear from the Lord and make good choices. But also there are many times where we should just know and trust the character and nature of God and not delay action with indecision.

Like Elisha we have been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit to do great things for God. And when someone is seeking the Lord for their breakthrough, we should encourage them and have the confidence that the Lord will move in their situation. Also we need to be open that if it is the Lord’s will that He may chose to do something supernatural through us as He did with Elisha and many others in the Bible. We serve a living God who still performs miracles through His people! Amen.

Your Blessings May Not Look Like What You Expect

Verse 9 begins with Naaman going to Elisha’s home with chariots and horses. But when he gets there, he has to wait at the door of Elisha’s house.

Then not only does Elisha not come out to greet him personally but instead just sends a servant to deliver a message with instructions.

Naaman is furious. This is not at all what he had in mind. I mean Naaman was the great warrior and commander of the Syrian army who came by personal invitation of his king and then by the king of Israel and Elisha does not even show the respect of a proper greeting? Naaman let his emotions get the best of him because he was angry and insulted.

You see Naaman did not understand that the power of the Lord to move and make miracles is bigger than an individual person. In this case while his healing would come through Elisha it was coming by the favor of the Lord himself not by the power of Elisha because although a mighty prophet and highly anointed Elisha is still a servant of the Lord. Therefore, it did not matter if he delivered the instructions or if his servant did because the blessing was in the word of God not the word of man.

Naaman also did not understand that it was not about the water. Sure, the water of Damascus could have been a superior body of water in the natural realm, but the muddy Jordan river is where God chose for his blessing to take place. The healing isn’t the water but rather the water is a tool which the Lord uses to fulfill His purposes and as we all know the Jordan river has been used many times throughout the Bible and still today for ministry purposes. For example it was the place where Jesus was baptized so simply put the Jordan River is not just a river but is a consecrated Holy place which the Lord chooses to use in peoples lives.

Good Advice Trumps Anger and Foolish Pride

So while Naaman went away in a rage again the Lord had mercy on him and provided him with some people who Naaman trusted namely his officers of the army he commanded.

The officers reasoned with Naaman reminding him that if Elisha had told him to do something exceedingly difficult then he certainly would have done it so why now feel upset about doing an extremely easy thing like dipping in the Jordan River.

This is a great reminder to us as well that we cannot get so upset that our healings and blessings do not look the way we think that they should look that we end up becoming emotional or bitter and potentially miss our blessing.

Also, it is a reminder that it is a good idea to have a few close brothers and sisters in Christ which you can trust to give you wise and godly counsel during the times you need it.

I can tell you from personal experience there are times where the Lord will require us to be humbled before receiving the greater blessings. It is a test of our character in whether we trust Him despite what we can see in the natural. This type of faith is necessary to serve the Lord long term and lead others to Him. Because the evil one is always trying to tempt and deceive us, we must remain focused on what Christ is calling us to and not let our flesh be deceived by natural elements like appearance or our pride.

Also, if we do have a moment where our emotions get the best of us and we get frustrated at a situation that is where good godly counsel comes along to help remind and encourage us of God’s word. We are not meant to do this walk alone that is why God is available to us and also He gives us our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us along the journey.

Obedience Brings the Blessing

Verse 14 tells us that final Naaman puts his foolish pride to the side and trusts the good advice of his fellow soldiers and proceeds to dip in the Jordan River as Elisha instructed.

We can only image how uncomfortable it must have been for Naaman to dip in the water of the Jordan knowing that due to his leprosy man people would stare at his condition. No one likes to have their insecurities exposed and I am sure Naaman was no different.

The other particularly important thing to note is that he was not healed on the first dip, or the second dip, or the third dip but rather Naaman had to complete the process which the Lord’s requirements before his healing could be complete. Naaman did not quit and did as instructed until he received his healing.

How many times have we felt the Lord calling us to make a change in our lives or step out of our comfort zones and maybe we get started but somewhere along the line we give up without receiving our full blessing.

I know you have heard this before, but it is the truth which is that God’s timing is not our timing and that there is a blessing in the waiting because His ways are higher than our ways.

Follow the Lord’s leading as closely as possible and do not give up and you will persevere.

Ministry is Free but Priests Should Be Paid

Verse 15 tells us that upon receiving his healing that Naaman converted and believed in God. Also, he was so thankful that he wanted to give Elisha gifts.

Elisha refused the gifts but did allow him to take some dirt from that place to use for sacrificing offerings unto the Lord.

There is something that I want to make truly clear about this passage of scripture. I never have understood why there would even be a debate in the first place, but it does come up from time to time so again as a Pastor let me be clear of two things.

First off, we do not charge for ministry itself. The good news of Jesus Christ is free for everyone. Also, when we clothe or feed others or share the Bible with them that is done as a blessing as the Lord directs us and is not something we ever charge for.

The second point and the one that again I truly do not understand why it is difficult for some people to understand is that Biblical Priests and Pastors should be paid for their work in the church.

The Levites received compensation in the Old Testament because they did not obtain an inheritance in the land of Canaan. They received tithes due to Jehovah from the fruits of the fields, from the flocks and herds of the first fruits as well as certain portions of the sacrificial offerings of the people. One example is found in

Numbers 18:21 ESV

21 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting,

In the New Testament, Jesus himself tells the seventy he sent out to do ministry in

Luke 10:7 ESV

7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

Also, in the New Testament the Apostle Paul writes in:

1 Corinthians 9:14 ESV

14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

The notion of some people outside and inside the church that a Pastor will work countless hours of praying, studying the word, counseling people, sermon prep, preaching, running the business side of the church and sacrifice their personal life and time with their loved ones for the church and that they are somehow not entitled to compensation like everyone else who works is just unbiblical, judgmental, and wrong. To be perfectly honest it is really a spiritual condition which stems from a hardness of heart towards leadership because these people are essentially saying that they should get compensated when they go to work but their church leaders should not.

Tithes and offerings are collected to be holy consecrated money set apart from our regular money for the church to be able to operate and do ministry which includes paying ministry staff.

This is not a matter of opinion or discussion it is a fact and for people who disagree that is a spiritual condition or hardness of heart not the fault of the church staff. In my experience it is typically those who do not pay tithes in the first place that have the biggest problem with this reality because they do not understand on a biblical context the principles of reaping and sewing in the first place.

Again, to clarify we never charge for ministry and help all people who the Lord puts on our path because that is what we are called to do, and we do not do it for money but being a church leader is a full-time job and it is both biblical and correct for them to get paid so it is important when reading the Bible to understand both of those fundamental principles.

When Pastors and the congregation operate according to these principles we do so with a clear conscience and a pure heart motivated by loving God and serving others which encourages unity and brings the Lord glory.

Our Healing is Not Just for Us but Gives Hope for Others

Quickly I also want to mention as we look at the healing of Naaman that he was mindful to take back some earth from Israel and vowed to only worship God.

While Naaman could not change the king’s beliefs he was able to share his conversion with his family, servants, and soldiers.

He also left on good terms with Elisha and was thankful to him after his healing.

Elisha in turn blessed Naaman and told him to go in peace.

Please never forget to share your healings, blessings, and breakthroughs with others.

This will be a seed of hope in the lives of others, and it will also bring glory to God.

The Lord Can Use People to Deliver His Healing Power

The Last point I want us to consider as we study passage of Scripture is that the Lord uses people to deliver His healing power.

In this case the Lord used Elisha as He did many other times in the Bible.

As we know, Jesus was the perfect example of the Holy Spirit working through a human. Jesus performed many signs and miracles during His earthly ministry.

Yes, Jesus is God, however even though He is divine He was also human during His time on earth and demonstrated to us the power of the Holy Spirit when we have unwavering faith and live a holy life.

This is so critical to know saints because the Lord can also use you and I today through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is in fact nothing to big for God and he cares more about your availability than your ability. In fact the less ability you have, the more glory He receives.

Conclusion:

In Closing, while there are many important points in the teaching of the healing of Naaman the most important point to remember is that the Lord wants to use His people by His Spirit to heal others for His glory and to share the hope of Jesus Christ.

You may have something which you have suffered with for quite some time. Or perhaps you know someone who has suffered for a long time. Maybe hope for a cure or for situations to change is all but gone.

But listen to this preacher today, do not be discouraged and do not give up hope. Because just when you think all hope is gone the Lord can move in a mighty way.

He can use people you have never even met to bless you. Naaman suffered with leprosy for a long time, and it wasn’t until a young girl was brought into his household, a child, a victim of war who finally felt kindness again in Naaman’s household who opened up and shared her faith in the Lord and His Spirit working through His man of God, that hope once again filled the room.

Also, do not focus on the logistical challenges of why you cannot receive your blessing. When Naaman needed money for the trip and a letter for the king of Israel, God worked through the king to give Naaman what he needed.

When Naaman felt angry and upset because Elisha did not even meet him but sent a servant with what seemed like nonsense of dipping in the water, the Lord provided him with good counsel from those who he respected to encourage him to see it through.

When Jesus healed people all throughout the gospel the only thing, He required of them was faith in Him and by their faith in Him, they were healed.

Whatever it is today that you or someone you know is dealing with God can and will make a way for you to either be healed or for your situation to minister to others in a mighty way. Either way there is purpose in your pain, and it is to grow your faith and so that God may be glorified.

Prayer

Thanks for your time today and remember that Jesus loves you and will never leave you.

Have a blessed week.