THIS PRESENT TIME #9
Trust and Obey 3.19.23

2 Kings 5:1-14 NASB Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.” 5 Then the king of Aram 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 clothes. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 But when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.” 8 Now it happened, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 And 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.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’
12 Are Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not 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. 13 Then his servants approached and spoke to him, saying, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.


1. The Basics about Miracles

a. Miracles are ultimately the responsibility of God’s wisdom.


b. We ought to pursue miracles.


c. But at some point the question must be asked — what is God saying in this situation?


d. We see Healing as a Gift of The Holy Spirit — subject to the will and direction of The Spirit.
e. The ministry of miracles must never be a show or a quest.


f. Tragedy (Naaman’s broken life)


g. Redeemed lives (the servant girl)


h. Anointed vessels (Elisha)



2. The Ingredients of Miracles

a. Tragedy (Naaman’s leprosy)


b. Willing witnesses (the Jewish servant girl)


c. Anointed Vessels (Elisha)


d. Miracles as testimony


e. Miracles as teachers



3. Substitutes for Obedience

a. Human Reason (v.11)


b. Human Resources (vv. 5, 9)


c. Human Reputation (vv. 1, 5)



4. For the most part, we haven’t obeyed until we’ve obeyed fully. (v.10)

a. “You are not far from the Kingdom.”


b. “He sought the Lord, but not like his Father David.”

5. Obedience opens the door to all types of blessings!

a. Provision

• Isaiah 1:19, 20 NIV If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. "For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”


b. Peace

• Jeremiah 26:13 NIV Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.


c. Protection

• Exodus 23:22 NIV If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.


d. Power

• Acts 5:12 NIV The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.


e. Purity

• 1 John 3:1-3 NIV How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.


f. Perception

• Psalm 119:100 NIV I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.



6. The Kingdom of Heaven operates on the principle of increased reward for consistent obedience.



Christian Life Lessons

1. “Follow the Flashlight”


2. Remember that we are His servants.


3. “Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.”

1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.

3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.

4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.