Don’t Walk Away From Your Blessing
By Pastor Mark Taylor
“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.” (2 Kings 5:10-12 NKJV)
God does not always show us how He is going to bless us. The information given to Naaman about Elisha's power to heal his leprosy was given to him be a little maid that waited on his wife. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9). When you are praying for a blessing, do not under estimate the advice or suggestions that is given to you. God might use something you read or hear that you were not expecting. You may attend a Sunday evening or Wednesday night service and the Holy Spirit might give you the wisdom you need to receive the blessing you have been praying about.
God does not always use the same method to accomplish His goals and bring blessings to those who ask. In Naaman’s situation, Elisha did not even go out to meet him but sent his servant to tell him what to do. This upset Naaman and almost cost him his healing. This is what he wanted Elisha to do: “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.” (2 Kings 5:11). When you receive Godly counsel, you may be told that you have to stop doing some things you are doing or start doing some things you are not doing to receive God’s blessings.
Pride will keep you from receiving God’s blessings. “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). “For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17). Proud men are the worst enemies to themselves and keep themselves from receiving the blessings of God.
You are more likely to find God’s blessing when you are in God’s territory and with God’s people. Jordan belonged to Israel's God, from whom he was to expect the cure, and not from the gods of Damascus or their rivers. It watered the Lord's land, the holy land, and in it held a miraculous cure. The relation of the river to God was much more considerable than the depth of the channel or the beauty of the stream. That Jordan had more than once before this obeyed the commands of omnipotence. “I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalms 122:1).
After taking the advice of his servants, Naaman yielded to make this exercise not one of faith, but of an experiment. He received his blessing and healing because he obeyed the Word of God. Elisha told him to wash or dip himself in the Jordan seven times and he did it. “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.” (2 Kings 5:14). God will always honor His Word. “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.” (Psalms 119:89-90). “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” (Psalms 119:160). “It is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” (Hebrews 6:18).
When Naaman received his blessing he gave God glory and praise. Of the ten lepers that our Saviour cleansed, the only one that returned to give thanks was a Samaritan. “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? (Luke 17:15-17) This Syrian did so, and here expresses himself. Convinced of the power of the God of Israel he said: “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant." (2 Kings 5:15). Can’t we as God’s children give Him praise and honor when He answers our prayers. “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalms 107:8).
Don’t get angry at God or His Word when your blessing is delayed or not exactly what you wanted. If Naaman had not turned back to the man of God and obeyed God’s Word, He would have died a leper instead of a great military leader. Many people have walked away from God’s blessings when they were so close to getting them. “Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." (Acts 26:28). Almost is not good enough when you are dealing with God.
