THAT INFLUENTIAL, gallant, favoured, successful army general that came to Prophet Elisha had everything going for him but was unfortunately suffering from leprosy. There was a ‘but’ in his life. So many people you see today looking great have hidden, biting sicknesses and problems that only God, their doctors and maybe their very close family members know about. Yes, they dress well, ride good cars, live in mansions, and hold enviable positions, but something: sicknesses, problems, habits, sin, etc, are eating them up from the inside.
I have ministered to so many like these before. They are just like this great Syrian army officer, “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded; for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty warrior, but he was a leper.” 2 Kings 5:1. By his position as a successful army commander he was very influential and powerful. He had led his country to win many battles. He was also so much loved by his boss, the commander-in-chief; the king of Syria and his people. But this leprosy was a drag, a stain and a pain in his life.
Sickness can indeed mess up your joy and attainments. What is that ‘but’ in your life that has refused to go away? It will be rolled away today in the name of Jesus!
Leprosy is not just another sickness. No! It isolates and destroys. It eats you up gradually and steadily. It is a very fearful, chronic and contagious disease that affects the nerves of the extremities, the skin, the lining of the nose, and the upper respiratory tract. It causes light-coloured or red skin patches with reduced sensation, numbness and weakness in hands and feet and can also lead to disability if not treated on time. And the worse is that it has long incubation period, on average five to seven years, and is the most complex and the chronic of all human bacterial diseases. Before it manifests, it would have done a considerable damage on the inside of the person.
Then, also, lepers are stigmatised and isolated from the society. That is why you have the leper colonies in many places. Nobody wants to live with or associate with lepers. In the Bible times, it was even worse. As a leper you have to tie a bell and also shout that you are unclean as you walk to avoid human contacts. They were also left outside the camp or city (Lepers colony) until they are either healed or dead. This army general was very lucky to still retain his position and favour because he was not living in a place like Israel where leprosy was like a semi death sentence.
Is your current situation like leprosy? Is it gradually, steadily, painfully eating you up? You groan and suffer in silence. Yes, it may not be sickness, but there is something that is secretly, deeply, progressively draining your life and it has become unsolvable. And like most of the lepers you have decided to expect the worst or at least put up with the damage already done. Listen now, something miraculous will happen to you today. Naaman was there until he met the man of God – Prophet Elisha and his story changed immediately. It was just a common little slave girl that linked this great general to the great divine source that eventually healed him.
Most times our salvation comes from where and when we least expected. These few words you are reading now is about to introduce you to something that will permanently, forever change your life.
Elisha told Naaman to go and dip himself seven times in that muddy, dirty Jordan to receive his healing. Just like that? After a little hesitation and argument, the general finally dropped his pride, his position, his rank, his knowledge, his experience, history and tradition and obeyed. And what was the result? Immediately, his body transmuted into that of a little child healed and renewed! The leprosy totally disappeared. All the years of shame, pain, drain, tears were gone! Yours is also going away today in the mighty name of Jesus!
King Hezekiah was even in a worse situation. He was terminally sick and God himself told him to write his will because he was about to die. My God! But the man refused. Yes, you can refuse to die. You can refuse to fail. Have you read my book I Shall Not Die? You can refuse that sickness and disease to permanently inhabit your body. You can refuse that situation to go on in your family. Yes, I always refuse anything that does not correspond with my destiny and the promise of God in my life.
Hezekiah ignored the message and the messenger, faced the wall and through prayer forced God to change that decision. Wow! So men can also change God’s decisions? There is no limit to the exploits of those that have faith. All things are always possible to them. Yes, you heard me well, I said All THINGS. And all things mean all things, including your condition.
That decision was changed, more years were added to Hezekiah and he also through that, got a son that will sit on his throne after him. Remember he had none when he was told to prepare to leave the stage. You can get all you want from God if you know what to do. May be you have given up or about to. Please, don’t! There is still a solution. Jesus is healing you now. Share this message.
Rev Gabriel Agbo is the author of the books/audiobooks: Power of Midnight Prayer, Receive Your Healing, Breaking Generational Curses: Claiming Your Freedom, Never Again!, I Shall Not Die, Move Forward, Power of Sacrifice. Email: gabrielagbo@yahoo.com [2] Website www.authorsden.com/pastorgabrielnagbo [3]