GOD, THE HEALER...HEALS NAAMAN'S LEPROSY

What is your testimony as to what the Lord has done? Are you willing to share it with total strangers? Does pride really come before a fall? (2 Kings 5:1-16) 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. 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. ⁵ “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing. ⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” ⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. ¹⁵ Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and 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 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.

Naaman...
A commander of the army of the king of Aram...

The Lord, through Naaman, had given victory to Aram...

At this time a peace treaty between Israel and Aram (Syria)
was in effect, but part of the border was in dispute. It was
likely (not noted biblically) that during one of these border
skirmishes that the young Israelite girl was taken captive and
became a servant in Naaman's household...

Note: the girl was aware of the miracles Elisha had performed, and she
had faith that he could work a miracle in Naaman’s life as well...
Also note: The girl remembered Elisha and the power of God...but the
King of Israel did not. The girl had faith...and the King of Israel saw
deception.

Commendations about Naaman: great man in sight of his master;

highly regarded by his master; used by the Lord as
valiant soldier, open to human wisdom and counsel...

Problems or Condemnations: Leprosy, pride and arrogance.

Provision Extended—Provision not accepted due to a prideful heart. Humbles himself and yields to wise counsel.

Naaman was willing and prepared well for his healing ($50,000 in silver and $700,000 in gold).

Can a man buy his healing? Will God accept gold and silver...or will He accept a humble heart?.

Do you have to be humble before you can be used by God?.

God wanted Naaman to learn something from this experience... God is willing, but is man willing?

We will ask the question at the end of the lesson:

What did God want Naaman to learn... and,
What other thing did God want Israel to learn?

What is true “Biblical humility?”

“Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit;
showing submissive respect for those in authority...especially God, His
Son, or the Holy Spirit.”

How do you feel about someone that is prideful?
Definition:
Pride=

1. To indulge in self esteem (self-glory);
2. Pleasure or satisfaction in one’s work, achievement or possessions;
3. A sense of one’s own proper dignity or value; self-respect;
4. A cause or source of pride;
5. An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit.

What does the Bible say concerning “pride?”

“…God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).
“Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin” (Proverbs 21:4).
“For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and
the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world”
(1 John 2:16).

God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13).

The Bible tells us that, “pride brings destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to live it up among
the rich and famous (Proverbs 16:18-19). The Message paraphrase of Proverbs 16:5
goes on to say that, “God cannot stomach arrogance or pretence; believe me, He'll
put those upstarts in their place.”

Throughout scripture we are continuously told about the consequences of pride:

• Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-15). He had the selfish determination to replace God Himself as the rightful ruler of this world. But Satan will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God.
• For those who rise up in defiance against God, there is nothing ahead for them but disaster, because “I will rise up against them” is the promise of the Lord. He will cut them off (Isaiah 14:22).

James 4:6 tells us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”

• A sharp contrast exists between worldly and divine jealousy; men want revenge, but He gives more grace. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way.
• Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
            Refusing to admit sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we
            cannot do anything to inherit eternal life has been a stumbling block for
            prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves, but if we want to
            boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God.

What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13).

Why is pride so sinful?

• Pride is giving yourself the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and giving it to yourself.
• Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us.
            That is why we give God the glory...for He alone deserves it.

Having humility is essential to living out our faith.

The word “humility” is not popular today.

Many Christians don't understand what humility is and why it is important to be humble before God.

At its root, biblical humility involves the recognition and application of the
          truth that God is the Creator and we are the creatures (the created).
We are called to live as Christ, who humbled Himself and even died on a
          cross.
We are to give God the glory and honor for the blessings we have rather
          than falsely taking credit for them.
We are to trust and obey Him, not to do our own thing.
We are to be servants…not striving to be the greatest...but one that is
          striving to do great things for the Lord.
Questions...

• What did God want Naaman to learn?
            You can't buy God's love or His healing.
            You have to be willing to obey in every way. Humble yourselves in the
            sight of the Lord…and be a witness to God's work in you.
• What other thing did God want Israel to learn?
            They were divided when Naaman gave
            testimony to them...whether to serve God or serve Baal. They saw and
            heard Naaman’s testimony!

What is your testimony as to what the Lord has done?
Are you willing to share it with total strangers?