I Kings 5:1-14
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.
And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ Are not the Abanah and the 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. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
First Naaman listened and believed the servant girl. Second he sought to be healed by going to his king for permission to go and then he went on a trip to seek his healing. Then unbelief took over because of his own ideas about how he would be healed, He spoke against the prophets orders, and refusing to obey he started to leave. Then again a servant convinced him to obey and he was healed. So we see that many things are involved in a persons healing.
Listening and believing in the possibility of being healed. (having faith)
Seeking to be healed. (Take initiative and make arrangements/appointments)
Going to a person to be healed. (someone whom God uses).
Willing to do whatever is necessary to be healed. (Receptive and obedient).
Of course the opposite of these would have prevented Naaman from being healed. He could have dismissed the servant girl instead of listening. He could have refused to believe the servant girl. Even if he had listened and believed he could have done nothing to see about going. He could have put off going: too much to do, not the right time, maybe later, I don't know anyone, etc. Any excuse will do. Finally when he did get there he almost missed out on being healed because he wasn't willing at first to do what he was told. Instead he had his own ideas about how his healing would take place. We have to be willing to lay aside what we think and submit ourselves to what God says.
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.
And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ Are not the Abanah and the 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. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
First Naaman listened and believed the servant girl. Second he sought to be healed by going to his king for permission to go and then he went on a trip to seek his healing. Then unbelief took over because of his own ideas about how he would be healed, He spoke against the prophets orders, and refusing to obey he started to leave. Then again a servant convinced him to obey and he was healed. So we see that many things are involved in a persons healing.
Listening and believing in the possibility of being healed. (having faith)
Seeking to be healed. (Take initiative and make arrangements/appointments)
Going to a person to be healed. (someone whom God uses).
Willing to do whatever is necessary to be healed. (Receptive and obedient).
Of course the opposite of these would have prevented Naaman from being healed. He could have dismissed the servant girl instead of listening. He could have refused to believe the servant girl. Even if he had listened and believed he could have done nothing to see about going. He could have put off going: too much to do, not the right time, maybe later, I don't know anyone, etc. Any excuse will do. Finally when he did get there he almost missed out on being healed because he wasn't willing at first to do what he was told. Instead he had his own ideas about how his healing would take place. We have to be willing to lay aside what we think and submit ourselves to what God says.
- Romans 10:17 "So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."
- Hebrews 11:6 "For without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him."
- James 5:13-16 "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
- I Kings 5:1-14 "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."