Healing in the Jordan Pt 1

The Arameans (Syrians) had gone out in bands [as raiders] and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife [as a servant]. She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master [Naaman] were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.” Naaman went in and told his master [the king], “The girl who is from the land of Israel said such and such.” Then the king of Aram (Syria) said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel (Jehoram the son of Ahab).” So he left and took with him ten talents of silver and 6,000 shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.  So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Indeed! I thought ‘He would at least come out to [see] me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place [of leprosy] and heal the leper.’ Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus [in Aram], 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. Then his servants approached and said to him, “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 has said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’ ” So he went down and plunged himself into the Jordan seven times, just as the man of God had said; and his flesh was restored like that of a little child and he was clean.
2 KINGS 5:2‭-‬5‭, ‬9‭-‬14 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2ki.5.2-14.AMP

🏹BACKGROUND:

🏹 Naaman the Syrian general's healing was a true manifestation of the power of God‼
🔑His ONLY ROLE in the experience was   obedience to the instructions of the prophet Elisha who was at the time God's instrument for bringing about his healing.
But oh how general Naaman struggled with the very simple instruction. He was used to accomplishing great tasks. However, God through His prophet Elisha chose the most badic task for him to accomplish.

This is characteristic of healing which involves the supernatural intervention of  our Sovereign God to heal sickness and disease. There are examples of this happening in scripture and when they do, it is often linked to geographical locations and human instruments who had been consecrated to God for that purpose. But God is not limited to a few methods either!However there is a regular repeat of the above two examples in both Old and New Testament scripture.

This isn't an indication that God is discriminatory.

1.Geographical or Physical Location:

When a place is dedicated and then Consecrated to God for a purpose, He honours that dedication and Consecration by manifesting His glory. In 2 Chronicles 7:1-4 King Solomon begins by dedicating a newly built temple for the Lord God of Israel, which became a centre of Worship for the nation of Israel.

2. Individuals dedicated and Consecrated in Service to God:

Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples in in service tbat would send them all over the world (Luke 24:49).However He firstly instructed them to dedicate themselves in seeking God and awaiting His Divine Enablement. This He promised would occur via receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Another example occurs in Acts 13:2' While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
🌎When one individual responds and is consecrated to God, and remains dedicated in His service to God the Lord honours this by using Him or Her as a vessel of honour.NOTE THAT IT IS GOD USING AN INDIVIDUAL AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND.
🔥The Covenant of Consecration is violated when the individual or corporate body begins to treat lightly what God has confirmed.
🔥Sometimes our own neglect of this walk of consecration and the fact that we allow others to violate or defame what  we have consecrated to God can be a reason for the Lord withdrawing His blessing. As a result  we are no longer glorious used by God and we would certainly decline in our effective serving.

🔑Elisha had undergone a period of being dedicated first (1 Kings 19:6) and subsequently Consecrated to God whilst his mentor Elijah was still in prophetic office. As a result,  when the occasion arose in which an individual had a need for healing, God was able to find an available instrument in the prophet Elisha.Elisha received a supernatural manifestation of God's  gift of healing which was complemented by a word of wisdom or direction. Please read the entire account if you have skipped over it‼

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A Few Comments before we resume Naaman's story:

Supernatural manifestations of faith can also be received as a gift of the Holy Spirit(1 Corinthians 12:9).
🔑This supernatural gift of faith is evidenced usually through a corporate body: Acts 4:32,33 and within such a Spiritual climate there are results including:
 ✔healing miracles in answer to prayer‼
✔Folks unashame about identifying with the Supernatural of our saviour Jesus Christ.
✔He being God who is the same yesterday today and forever.
✔Some of this includes being literalists in their interpretation of the miracles in the Bible😁👍🏾
✔They believe in the creation story and do not exhaust their ability to trust God by questioning the words of  our heavenly father to point of contradiction and unbelief🤔❓❓❓

I AM NOT SUGGESTING WE GO ABOUT OUR FAITH AS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GULLIBLE AND PRONE TO BELIEVING EVERY LIE. BUT I AM THINKING MORE ABOUT CHILDLIKE FAITH! A BIT LIKE WHAT MARY DEMONSTRATED WHEN THE ANGEL GABRIEL ANNOUNCED THE BIRTH OF JESUS TO HER

🤔In Luke 1:38(Mary was perplexed as she attempted to figure out how the words of the angel could reach fulfillment she was willing to atleast trust God)
🙄Luke 1:18(Zechariah on the other hand was dismissive of the miracle of giving birth to a child in Old age).

🌎NOW LET'S RETURN TO OUR  MAIN ILLUSTRATION BASED ON THE HEALING OF A SYRIAN GENERAL FROM LEPROSY.

🔑Naaman's story began on a positive note of trust, daring optimism and hope. Simply taking the words of a Hebrew slave girl literally and seriously enough to make the journey to Israel in search of a healing.

🤔Imagine if Naaman had been dismissive of what the Hebrew servant girl had said?He certainly would N-E-V-E-R have made that journey!
😢Even though Naaman got as far as the prophet Elijah's compound, His mindset or outlook on things nearly cost him his miracle.
Unfortunately our position on issues, oand sometimes our biases often prevent us from experiencing God's best! This is particularly true regarding healing.
🌎I have observed that biases and prejudices are a major obstacle to experiencing God's healing virtue.
🌎Naaman was asked to wash in the Jordan river. He preferred the rivers in Syria and so he took offense at being given that intruction.
🌎We ought to be mindful of the trap of wanting healing on our own terms!IT HAS GOT TO BE GOD LED,GOD FOCUSED AND CHRIST CENTRED!
🌎The great thing about Naaman was that he was surrounded by individuals who genuinely cared about his welfare. Beginning from the slave girl  of his wife, his wife herself, to his advisers. Naaman's boss, the King of Syria cared about him too.
🌎It is great if we have family and friends and colleagues who care about our welfare enough to encourage us, not to give in to our biases or our egos👍🏿🤲
🌎However, we also have a responsibility to listen to helpful and godly advice and not turn inwards when we receive counsel that goes against the grain of entrapment! The entrapment of our prejudices!

Conclusion:
There may be a lot more at stake than tfeeling we have hurt our pride.Hurting the 'insular' pride of our cultural biases? Or the bruising of our egos?
In order to experience God's best and His healing virtue to get rid of our diseases we need to function within this framework of His consecration and Divine order! I cannot be precriptive here.
✔Perhaps it involves attending a proven miracle healing service. Of course one that is Christ centred and Scripturally founded. ✔Perhaps there is an individual used in the ministry of healing whom God can use to be blessing to you.
 It can happen provided we bypass our prejudices. May be we do not like their delivery style! COULD THAT BE OUR JORDAN?.
I have an example of my own healing in 1995. Evangelist John Raphael spoke with a heavy accent not unlike my oWn. But he was different. I did not like the way he spoke. He came across to me as overly confident.Inspite of my biases God chose to use him for my healing. He did not have to pray for me. I got healed just sitting in the back row of the .
Dear friend or family, I hope you have been blessed by this part of our reflection. Please let me hear from you and do share a prayer request for our prayer network. God bless and have a wondsrful day(to be contd)