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. II Kings 5:1
Naaman was served by a young girl who was brought back from Israel on one of Syria's raids and she told him there was a prophet there who would heal him of his leprosy. Naaman immediately received a letter of recommendation from the King of Syria to give to the King of Israel and Elisha heard of it and said for him to come and he would be healed!
The King of Syria told him to go, and he sent the letter and Naaman took with him silver and gold and ten changes of clothes as a gift. Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house. 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."
Naaman was furious and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord 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. II Kings 5:12
HEALING OUR WAY
In Bethesda lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water, for an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred the water, then whoever stepped in first was made well. John 5:3,4
There was a man who was there who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years and Jesus saw him knowing he had been there a long time and said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The man told him that he had no one to put him in the water. Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
Jesus saw a blind man, blind from birth, and His disciples asked Him, " Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in Him." Jesus then spat on the ground and made clay with His saliva, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. If the blind man had known what Jesus was going to do he might not have wanted "Mud in his eye!"
The main point of this message is to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit when praying for healing, for yourself and others! Take Naaman for instance, he wanted healing his way even though God spoke to him through Elisha to wash in the Jordan. When he finally listened God healed him, and his leprosy was cleansed!
So Naaman 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. II Kings 5:14
CORRUPTION IN THE HOUSE OF GOD
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him." II Kings 5:20
Naaman had brought gold, silver, and clothing to give to Elisha, but he refused any gift being a true man of God. Gehazi on the other hand was a greedy man like many today who take gifts from their congregations promising them that God will return to them untold riches, houses, and land if they will obey their voice!
True, God multiplies our gifts when we give in faith but not because someone said to do it to get blessed! Gehazi's greed would lead to him being cursed with Naaman's leprosy spoken by his master, Elisha. He took the gifts from Naaman's hand and lied to Elisha about where he was and what he did!
Leprosy represents uncleanness in the Word of God and much of what has gone on in God's house is unclean which America has spread overseas polluting our foreign brothers! According to God's word, judgment begins in the house of God! (I Peter 4:17)
"Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from Elisha's presence leprous, as white as snow. II Kings 5:27
Your servant in Christ, Timothy Laughlin
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ