WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: The Juxtaposition - Naaman and Gehazi's Diverging Paths Publishing Date: 2024-12-08T05:04:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/the-juxtaposition-naaman-and-gehazis-diverging-paths/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.520 Alright guys, let's begin. 00:00:12.520 --> 00:00:22.440 So today we will be talking from 2 Kings chapter 5, 2 Kings chapter 5, a very familiar story, 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:25.320 the healing of Nehman, right? 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:26.320 From 2 Kings 5. 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.320 We're not going to watch a movie. 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:35.320 But I just found this picture and I liked it, so I just put it up. 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:40.840 But we'll be sharing about the juxtaposition of two men. 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:45.280 One is Nehman and the other guy is Gehazi, right? 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:49.440 So we'll explore these two characters in the Bible. 00:00:49.440 --> 00:00:58.040 When we talk about this passage, 2 Kings 5, we all are familiar with this story of Nehman 00:00:58.040 --> 00:01:01.000 getting healed of leprosy, yeah? 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:10.040 But interestingly, very few knows about the journey of how Nehman experienced this healing. 00:01:10.040 --> 00:01:17.480 And secondly, in that same story, we also hear a story about Gehazi, who had squandered 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:20.360 his spiritual inheritance, yeah? 00:01:20.360 --> 00:01:28.880 So we'll be discussing those two aspects of how Nehman's journey to healing and Gehazi's 00:01:28.880 --> 00:01:34.600 squandering of his spiritual inheritance. 00:01:34.600 --> 00:01:41.480 So the story began in the context of a Samarian house by the name Nehman, right? 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:46.440 Nehman was a very renowned, very honored man. 00:01:46.440 --> 00:01:56.760 The Bible says he's a man of valor, a respected man, highly respected by the king of Aram. 00:01:56.760 --> 00:02:07.680 And so here's this man, here's this man, Nehman, and he had a servant, he had a slave girl 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:10.520 who was captured as captive in one of their campaigns. 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:18.480 So here's an Israeli girl who was serving Nehman's mistress. 00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:25.080 And so it's interesting how this little slave girl said, only if my master Nehman would 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:32.040 go and see a man, a man of God, then this man of God can heal my master. 00:02:32.040 --> 00:02:37.520 So here is a suggestion of a little girl, and then Nehman took that seriously, and he 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:44.840 went and met, and the journey for Nehman's pursuit to healing began. 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:45.840 How? 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:48.240 Because of this little girl, yeah? 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:57.440 And it's interesting how this little girl knows the existence of God. 00:02:57.440 --> 00:03:00.800 She knows Yahweh. 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:09.040 Because of her witnessing, how it had set a path for someone like Nehman to encounter 00:03:09.040 --> 00:03:10.040 God. 00:03:10.040 --> 00:03:11.800 Isn't that beautiful, eh? 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:20.000 How sometimes it just requires a simple witnessing that can set your friend, that can set your 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:26.280 colleague, that can set your neighbor on the path to encounter with God. 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.880 So that's how this journey begins. 00:03:30.200 --> 00:03:38.560 May God use each one of us like this little girl, how it can ignite someone's journey 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.000 to know and encounter who God is. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:44.680 So this is what God does, eh? 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:47.420 He births grand visions. 00:03:47.420 --> 00:03:48.780 He births. 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:56.960 His purpose is for a person, for a church, for a family, for a city, for a nation. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:01.880 Through unexpected people like this little girl. 00:04:01.880 --> 00:04:12.000 And so in this story, the entire journey of Nehman began by this little girl who said, 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:18.360 if only my master had met the prophet. 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:22.080 And so today I'm going to share just three points, and I'm not going to beat around 00:04:22.080 --> 00:04:25.880 Bush, I'm going to go straight into these three points that I want to leave you with. 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.040 Don't think for a second that these three points are going to be short, yeah? 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:33.480 They're going to be long, yeah. 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:36.680 So let's explore them. 00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:39.120 First one. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:41.160 Nehman. 00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:44.880 Nehman, as we all know, he's a leper. 00:04:44.880 --> 00:04:47.600 He needs a physical dipping. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:49.120 Yeah? 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.660 Nehman needs a physical dipping for his leprosy. 00:04:52.660 --> 00:04:57.840 But as we begin to explore the life of Nehman, we begin to see that it is not just a physical 00:04:57.840 --> 00:05:00.660 leprosy that he's suffering from. 00:05:00.660 --> 00:05:04.380 There's a spiritual leprosy that he's suffering from as well. 00:05:04.380 --> 00:05:07.060 He had no idea of who God is. 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:09.100 Yeah? 00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:11.980 And his ignorance of the true living God. 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:17.180 Because the Syrians are known for worshipping a false God by the name Rehman. 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:18.180 Yeah? 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:19.180 Rehman. 00:05:19.180 --> 00:05:22.820 They worship a false God, and they have put up an altar in Damascus so that the worshippers 00:05:22.820 --> 00:05:26.220 can come and worship this false God. 00:05:26.220 --> 00:05:33.580 So here we see that Nehman needs both a physical dipping and a spiritual dipping. 00:05:33.580 --> 00:05:35.100 Yeah? 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:44.020 And so the first point is, dip your spiritual and your physical leprosy in the living waters 00:05:44.020 --> 00:05:45.660 of Christ. 00:05:45.660 --> 00:05:52.540 Dip your physical and your spiritual leprosy in the living waters of Christ. 00:05:52.540 --> 00:05:53.540 We all need a dipping. 00:05:53.540 --> 00:05:54.540 Yeah? 00:05:54.540 --> 00:05:56.340 And I'll tell you why. 00:05:56.340 --> 00:06:03.820 And on top of Nehman's physical need for, sorry, you know, his need for a physical healing 00:06:03.820 --> 00:06:13.180 and for spiritual healing, his ego stands in the way, and his rationality stands in 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:14.180 the way. 00:06:14.180 --> 00:06:15.180 Yeah? 00:06:15.340 --> 00:06:23.660 When Nehman was asked to go to River Jordan and wash seven times, yes, Nehman wanted to 00:06:23.660 --> 00:06:31.940 be healed, but he had a divine answer, he had an expectation on a divine answer, and 00:06:31.940 --> 00:06:37.660 yet in his terms, in his terms, yeah? 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:44.860 Because the River Jordan was, you know, recommended, not just recommended, but it was instructed. 00:06:45.340 --> 00:06:54.860 He comes from Syria, and so he thought there are much better rivers in Syria, like Farpar 00:06:54.860 --> 00:07:03.580 and Abana, he names them, and saying there are much cleaner, much better rivers in Damascus. 00:07:03.580 --> 00:07:05.260 Why would I go to a River Jordan? 00:07:05.260 --> 00:07:06.260 Yeah? 00:07:06.260 --> 00:07:12.780 River Jordan, as we look today, friends go to River Jordan and take pictures, and nothing 00:07:12.940 --> 00:07:17.020 fancy about, you know, River Jordan, yeah? 00:07:17.020 --> 00:07:18.420 But it's interesting. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:22.220 So his rational mind comes in the way. 00:07:22.220 --> 00:07:24.020 It doesn't make sense. 00:07:24.020 --> 00:07:29.060 It's like, it's like for Vancouver people, you know, go to Trout Lake and, you know, 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:30.540 take a dip. 00:07:30.540 --> 00:07:37.020 And then one would argue, what about, you know, lakes in Alberta, Lake Louis, Lake Moraine, 00:07:37.020 --> 00:07:39.260 they're way better, way cleaner, right? 00:07:39.260 --> 00:07:40.260 Why not? 00:07:40.260 --> 00:07:42.580 You know, those places. 00:07:42.580 --> 00:07:47.180 But it's important to hear, you know, understand the context here. 00:07:47.180 --> 00:07:52.060 His rational mind stands in the way. 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:57.740 And he could not see that dipping can bring healing. 00:07:57.740 --> 00:08:05.540 He has heard of nobody, you know, a leper dipping in the water and getting clean. 00:08:05.540 --> 00:08:07.540 That's unheard of. 00:08:07.540 --> 00:08:09.740 So it doesn't make sense to him. 00:08:09.740 --> 00:08:11.380 And of all the places, Jordan. 00:08:11.380 --> 00:08:14.100 And I come, no way, right? 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:17.700 So it didn't, it didn't click. 00:08:17.700 --> 00:08:23.460 And you know, secondly, Naaman is also a man of honor. 00:08:23.460 --> 00:08:26.300 He is used to people honoring him. 00:08:26.300 --> 00:08:27.540 Yeah? 00:08:27.540 --> 00:08:31.060 He's a well-respected man, even by the king. 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:38.700 So when he went in search of Elisha, and he was at the door, and Elisha wouldn't even 00:08:38.740 --> 00:08:40.980 come out to meet him. 00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:44.460 It was very dishonoring for him. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:47.300 He couldn't receive it. 00:08:47.300 --> 00:08:56.180 He said, I thought he will come out and he will meet me and he will raise his arms, wave 00:08:56.180 --> 00:09:00.520 around my leprosy, pray to his God and heal me. 00:09:00.520 --> 00:09:06.100 So he's expecting that, you know, he will be received, he will be honored. 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:10.620 And what this man of God, Elisha did was very dishonoring. 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:11.740 He didn't even come out. 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:16.260 He sent a messenger and saying, go and wash in the River Jordan seven times. 00:09:16.260 --> 00:09:19.380 He couldn't take it. 00:09:19.380 --> 00:09:26.260 So he burned with anger and he went away. 00:09:26.260 --> 00:09:29.380 He couldn't take it. 00:09:29.380 --> 00:09:36.020 He wanted to be healed, but things didn't turn out the way he wanted. 00:09:36.180 --> 00:09:38.180 He burned with anger and went away. 00:09:38.180 --> 00:09:45.620 But thank God, Nehman had people around him who can speak truth into his life. 00:09:45.620 --> 00:09:49.260 How the journey began was because of one little girl. 00:09:49.260 --> 00:09:53.940 And he listened to this little girl and he went in search of a prophet. 00:09:53.940 --> 00:10:00.380 And then on another occasion, here, here we are at Elisha's house. 00:10:00.380 --> 00:10:02.940 Didn't happen the way he wanted. 00:10:02.940 --> 00:10:05.600 He burned with anger, walked away. 00:10:05.640 --> 00:10:12.040 And what the servant said, Master, if Elisha had told you to do something big, 00:10:12.040 --> 00:10:14.040 you would still do it. 00:10:14.040 --> 00:10:18.920 But it was a pretty simple instruction to just simply go in the river, 00:10:18.920 --> 00:10:24.560 take a dip seven times and be healed. 00:10:24.560 --> 00:10:26.560 Why wouldn't you do it? 00:10:26.560 --> 00:10:33.920 And so Nehman goes, takes a dip seven times and came out clean. 00:10:33.920 --> 00:10:42.560 Verse 14 says that the skin of Nehman was healthy as the skin of a young child. 00:10:42.560 --> 00:10:44.560 Beautiful, eh? 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:50.200 Now he returns to Elisha with his entire troop, yeah, with his party. 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:55.080 And Nehman joined the testimony of this little girl. 00:10:55.080 --> 00:11:03.880 He said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:06.080 Right? Beautiful, eh? 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:13.040 And then he said, I will never put up a burnt offering or offer sacrifices to other gods. 00:11:13.040 --> 00:11:16.520 This is a big line from Nehman. 00:11:16.520 --> 00:11:20.800 I'm never going to worship any other gods from today. 00:11:20.800 --> 00:11:24.600 That's the journey for Nehman. 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.000 What was the process? 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:32.600 The process was that with his physical healing, with his physical leprosy gone, 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:38.880 Nehman was healed of his spiritual leprosy, yeah? 00:11:38.880 --> 00:11:46.080 His physical leprosy being healed now, it also led to his spiritual leprosy being healed. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.320 An awakening of faith in the true God. 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:53.080 An awakening of faith in the true God, yeah? 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:58.040 I know many people experience physical healing and come to know the Lord, yeah? 00:11:58.040 --> 00:11:59.360 And I'm one of them. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.400 I was always born in a Christian home. 00:12:01.400 --> 00:12:03.200 But as we all know, yeah? 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:08.360 After my healing of cancer, my faith was strengthened, yeah? 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:11.760 But let us look at, you know, Gehazi. 00:12:11.760 --> 00:12:17.760 In contrast, Gehazi's path was a dangerous path to embrace. 00:12:17.760 --> 00:12:20.520 A dangerous path to embrace. 00:12:20.520 --> 00:12:26.760 Gehazi was a man who is serving Elisha, his master, a servant. 00:12:26.760 --> 00:12:31.320 And he had been with Elisha for several years, several years. 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:33.120 So he's not a stranger. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:40.520 And interestingly, Gehazi had seen the hand of God working through Elisha. 00:12:40.520 --> 00:12:45.000 When, you know, remember as we go a few chapters back, we are on chapter five, 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:51.800 but even if we go to chapter four, we see that there was a Shunammite woman and his son died. 00:12:51.800 --> 00:12:54.800 And then Elisha raised him up. 00:12:54.800 --> 00:12:57.960 And then Gehazi was there to witness that, right? 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.720 And immediately after that, there was a poison in the soup. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:06.400 And then Elisha cured that soup. 00:13:06.400 --> 00:13:11.400 And then there was, on another occasion, right after that, there's also a hundred people, 00:13:11.400 --> 00:13:13.920 and there were only 20 loaves. 00:13:13.920 --> 00:13:16.040 And then Gehazi multiplied. 00:13:16.040 --> 00:13:17.040 Sorry. 00:13:17.040 --> 00:13:20.680 You know, Elisha prayed and broke bread. 00:13:20.680 --> 00:13:22.720 And it was like Jesus feeding on the 5,000. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.000 Very similar, yeah? 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.880 Just that the number is a little smaller. 00:13:26.880 --> 00:13:30.960 So Gehazi had witnessed all of these things. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:33.000 He knows the one true God. 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.880 He knows that Elisha is one true prophet. 00:13:36.880 --> 00:13:42.280 After experiencing and witnessing all of these things, it is tragic, yeah? 00:13:42.280 --> 00:13:49.560 That in spite of knowing the God of Elisha, he chose a path of greed. 00:13:49.560 --> 00:13:51.640 A path of greed. 00:13:51.640 --> 00:13:59.960 Instead of trusting in God's provision, he succumbs to his greed. 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:07.240 By coveting what has been offered freely, Gehazi demonstrates a lack of trust in God's 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:08.240 all-sufficiency. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.240 Yeah? 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:10.240 Tragic. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:14.560 See, here's the thing. 00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:21.360 Covetousness always exposes your lack of contentment in God's provision. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:28.520 Covetousness always exposes, always exposes our lack of commitment, our lack of contentment 00:14:28.520 --> 00:14:30.840 in God's provision. 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:37.200 When you are coveting somebody, when you are coveting something, like even with what God 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:41.120 has blessed you, you will not be content. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.800 You'll crave for more. 00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:46.680 It exposes your lack of contentment in God's provision, right? 00:14:46.680 --> 00:14:48.840 That's what, you know, covetousness does. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:55.120 And here we see a progression, a progression of Gehazi's sin. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.000 It started by what? 00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:58.000 By greed. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:02.480 It was fueled, fueled by greed, right? 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:06.200 Because you know, Elisha said, no, no, no, I am not going to receive any gift from you, 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:07.200 right? 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:08.880 After Naaman was healed. 00:15:08.880 --> 00:15:14.960 But Gehazi fueled by greed. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:15.960 So what? 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:22.400 Fueled by greed, he extracted with a lie. 00:15:22.400 --> 00:15:24.440 Extracted with a lie, yeah. 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:28.840 The master did not send him, but he chases after Naaman. 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:34.000 And then reaches to him and said, oh, you know, my master has changed his mind, and 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:36.560 he wants some of it, yeah? 00:15:36.560 --> 00:15:41.080 He wasn't sent, but he extracts with a lie. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:47.040 And then now he goes back and then hides it in his house, and then his master said, where 00:15:47.040 --> 00:15:48.880 have you been, you know, Gehazi? 00:15:48.880 --> 00:15:54.040 And he said, I haven't been anywhere. 00:15:54.040 --> 00:15:57.600 He tries to hide with another lie. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:01.400 So here's always the progression. 00:16:01.400 --> 00:16:08.960 Fueled by greed, extracted with a lie, and adds a lie to hide it. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:10.080 But we all know the story. 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:13.240 He got exposed, right? 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:20.480 When it starts with a lie, you always need another lie to cover a lie. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.120 Yeah? 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:28.680 Because when we start with a lie, it always requires another lie to cover. 00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:34.000 And then you add lies upon lies. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.000 And it doesn't hold. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:36.800 It will crack. 00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:39.800 It'll get exposed. 00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:46.720 I pray that whatever that is fueling us, that is not from the Spirit of God. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:51.000 I pray that we don't extract with a lie. 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:53.000 It'll get exposed, guys. 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:54.320 Yeah? 00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:01.960 We had seen many men and women of God fallen in our generation, especially on morality. 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:08.040 We have some big names that have been exposed lately, yeah? 00:17:08.040 --> 00:17:11.080 We cannot hide for long, guys. 00:17:11.080 --> 00:17:16.720 And the other problem with Gehazi is a prideful entitlement. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.920 A prideful entitlement. 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:24.680 In verse 20, he said, I will run after him and get something from him. 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:29.360 I will run after him and get something from him. 00:17:29.360 --> 00:17:33.160 He's dissatisfied with what he has. 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:36.160 He feels he deserves more. 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:38.000 Yeah? 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:44.000 So Gehazi's pursuit of Naaman's wealth is a stark betrayal. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:48.080 It's a stark betrayal of Elisha's ministry. 00:17:48.080 --> 00:17:48.760 Yeah? 00:17:48.760 --> 00:17:56.400 It's a stark betrayal of Elisha's ministry because Elisha prioritized God's glory over 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:57.840 material gain. 00:17:57.840 --> 00:18:04.440 And here, he glorified material gain over God's glory, God's integrity. 00:18:04.520 --> 00:18:11.360 The same gift that the master refused, Gehazi chased after that. 00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:12.840 Isn't that crazy, eh? 00:18:12.840 --> 00:18:21.960 After experiencing and witnessing everything that God had moved in Elisha's life. 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:31.800 The man who had witnessed God's powerful hand dipped himself in greed, in prideful entitlement 00:18:31.800 --> 00:18:37.400 instead of dipping in the living waters of Christ. 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:46.040 Just as Naaman needs a dipping, just as Gehazi needs a dipping, you and I needs a dipping. 00:18:46.040 --> 00:18:47.160 We all need a dipping. 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:48.760 Yeah? 00:18:48.760 --> 00:18:51.040 We all need a dipping. 00:18:51.040 --> 00:18:53.920 Dip yourself in the blood of Jesus. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.960 Dip yourself in the word. 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:57.720 Dip yourself in prayer. 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.360 Dip yourself in repentance. 00:18:59.360 --> 00:19:02.040 Dip yourself in the Holy Spirit. 00:19:02.040 --> 00:19:07.560 Dip yourself in the truth. 00:19:07.560 --> 00:19:10.360 You will be made whole. 00:19:10.360 --> 00:19:13.880 You will have a new life. 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:21.320 Everything that is diseased in your body, in your soul, in your spirit, it will be cleansed. 00:19:21.320 --> 00:19:25.600 Not play with these little things. 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:27.760 Learn to dip seven times. 00:19:27.760 --> 00:19:33.040 As in exactly as the Lord tells you, nothing less, nothing more. 00:19:33.040 --> 00:19:35.800 Learn to dip seven times, guys. 00:19:35.800 --> 00:19:41.800 We all need a touch of God in our lives. 00:19:41.800 --> 00:19:44.000 Don't say, oh, I don't need a dipping. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.120 I'm doing well. 00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:47.780 I'm doing okay. 00:19:47.780 --> 00:19:51.880 If you are not born again, you need a dipping. 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:55.920 If you have backslided, you need a dipping. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:07.960 If the fire is going out, if there is lukewarmness in your passion for Jesus, you need a dipping. 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:09.920 All category of life. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.920 Everybody needs a dipping. 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:11.920 Yeah? 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.760 You may have dipped three times. 00:20:13.760 --> 00:20:14.760 Nothing happened. 00:20:14.760 --> 00:20:16.080 And you dip it again. 00:20:16.080 --> 00:20:17.800 And you dip it again. 00:20:17.800 --> 00:20:18.800 You dip it again. 00:20:18.800 --> 00:20:19.920 Six times now. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.920 Nothing happened. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.960 You dip again. 00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:23.960 Because the word of God says seven times. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:24.960 Yeah? 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:26.520 Don't stop at six. 00:20:26.520 --> 00:20:28.840 Many people come very close. 00:20:28.840 --> 00:20:29.840 Very close. 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:31.640 And then they give up. 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:33.360 Nothing is working. 00:20:33.360 --> 00:20:36.200 When all that required was one more. 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:37.200 Yeah? 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:44.120 You know, remember the story of the teeth on the cross. 00:20:44.120 --> 00:20:48.120 Even at the last moment, he said, remember me. 00:20:48.320 --> 00:20:52.880 Lord, when you enter your kingdom, and Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:57.200 What about the other, the other thief? 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:58.760 So close. 00:20:58.760 --> 00:21:02.120 It was just one word of repentance. 00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:04.640 That would have saved him. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:08.120 So close, yet so far. 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:10.440 Yeah? 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:18.880 Nehman was not cleansed of his leprosy until the final instruction was obeyed. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.440 The final instruction. 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.440 Yeah? 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.440 When he came up the sixth time, Nehman is still a leper. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:30.120 Isn't that crazy? 00:21:30.120 --> 00:21:34.960 When Nehman dipped for the sixth times, he was still a leper. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:39.440 The seventh time he came out, he was clean. 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:42.440 It's important, guys. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:48.440 Partial obedience is still disobedience, guys. 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:51.360 Partial obedience is still disobedience. 00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:53.320 Saul is so good at this. 00:21:53.320 --> 00:21:55.900 He will listen to the Lord through the prophets. 00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:59.360 He will obey it, but partially. 00:21:59.360 --> 00:22:03.520 He was counted as disobedient. 00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:04.840 Be careful with this one. 00:22:04.840 --> 00:22:05.840 Yeah? 00:22:05.840 --> 00:22:09.840 He always puts a spin on his own. 00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:14.640 He always adds something on his own. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.400 The gospel has to be embraced in its fullness. 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:20.080 You cannot say, oh, this part of the Bible, I like it. 00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:21.760 This part of the Bible, no, I don't like it. 00:22:21.760 --> 00:22:22.760 Yeah. 00:22:22.760 --> 00:22:23.760 This part of the Bible doesn't apply to me. 00:22:23.760 --> 00:22:27.280 No, it doesn't work like that. 00:22:27.280 --> 00:22:28.280 Embrace in full. 00:22:28.280 --> 00:22:29.280 Yeah? 00:22:29.280 --> 00:22:32.080 It's in the little things. 00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:37.240 It's in these little instructions that our obedience is tested, that our faithfulness 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:39.560 is tested. 00:22:39.560 --> 00:22:45.080 And in these little things, God releases his big promise. 00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:47.840 Crazy, eh? 00:22:47.840 --> 00:22:52.840 It's in the little obedience, but the promises released are always big. 00:22:52.840 --> 00:23:01.720 You know, Elijah did not ask Naaman for a big thing to do something difficult. 00:23:02.360 --> 00:23:03.360 It was pretty simple. 00:23:03.360 --> 00:23:07.520 It was to humble his ego, to humble his pride, and to simply obey. 00:23:07.520 --> 00:23:15.000 There was nothing extraordinary about Jordan, but it was more a test of humbling, surrendering 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:18.800 to the will of God. 00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:26.960 So the Lord's command, the Lord's word is often very clear, uncomplicated, and many 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:34.200 instances, you know, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of the saints. 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:37.920 Yeah? 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:42.800 So pay heed to God's word at any cost. 00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:45.720 Do not let your rationality get in the way. 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:49.620 That was my big problem. 00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:54.800 For many years, my rationality would always come in the way. 00:23:54.800 --> 00:23:59.760 And I had to deconstruct my theology. 00:23:59.760 --> 00:24:02.000 Do not let your ego come in the way. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:05.400 Do not let your pride come in the way. 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:09.180 Do not expect God to move in your terms. 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:14.240 Because God works best when we surrender. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:17.840 God works best when we surrender. 00:24:17.840 --> 00:24:20.120 Yeah? 00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:26.280 Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost, gave a fiery sermon. 00:24:26.280 --> 00:24:32.840 He said, the very Jesus that you guys have crucified is now resurrected. 00:24:32.840 --> 00:24:36.440 And he said, repent and believe. 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:41.640 And the message, it says it cut the heart, you know, it cut the people to the heart, 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:42.640 you know? 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:46.880 And then now they said, what are we supposed to do, Peter? 00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:51.240 And Peter said, repent, believe and be baptized. 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:55.040 And your sins will be forgiven and you will receive the Holy Spirit. 00:24:55.040 --> 00:24:56.040 Yeah? 00:24:56.040 --> 00:24:57.040 Simple. 00:24:57.040 --> 00:24:58.040 Very simple. 00:24:58.040 --> 00:25:00.680 They don't have to do anything. 00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:05.840 They just have to repent of their ways and admit that they are sinners, receive Jesus 00:25:05.840 --> 00:25:11.480 into their heart, and then be baptized. 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:14.240 It's in the obedience. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.920 The obedience of faith in the Word. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:20.400 The obedience of faith in the Word that brings healing. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.960 Yeah? 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.160 So this is why. 00:25:25.160 --> 00:25:28.520 Dip your spiritual leprosy today, guys. 00:25:28.520 --> 00:25:30.280 Dip your fear. 00:25:30.280 --> 00:25:32.160 Dip your anxiety. 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:33.920 Dip your depression. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:36.720 Dip your lack. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:39.040 Dip your relationship. 00:25:39.040 --> 00:25:40.600 Dip your emotions. 00:25:40.600 --> 00:25:42.800 Dip your fears. 00:25:42.800 --> 00:25:46.960 Whatever that is, leprosy in your body, in your soul, in your mind, in your relationship, 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:53.760 in your spirit, dip it in the rivers of living water that God freely offers. 00:25:53.760 --> 00:25:55.640 It's free. 00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:57.200 It's free, guys. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.200 Yeah? 00:25:58.200 --> 00:26:02.800 Dip your addiction. 00:26:02.800 --> 00:26:05.440 Dip anything that is off the flesh. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:10.240 It is free. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.240 Point number two. 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.120 See, I told you points are long. 00:26:14.120 --> 00:26:16.920 We're just on point number one. 00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:20.040 Now we go to point number two. 00:26:20.040 --> 00:26:21.960 My actions. 00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:28.280 My actions shape the inheritance I carry forward. 00:26:28.280 --> 00:26:30.080 Our actions, or you can say my actions. 00:26:30.080 --> 00:26:33.320 I like making it personal. 00:26:33.320 --> 00:26:42.000 My actions shape, my actions today shape the inheritance I carry forward. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:48.160 My actions today shape the inheritance I carry forward. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.720 Because we can squander it or we can steward it. 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.840 Yeah? 00:26:52.840 --> 00:26:57.440 We can steward it or we can squander it. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:59.840 It's in the everyday little things. 00:26:59.840 --> 00:27:05.440 It's in the everyday choices we make that we carry our inheritance forward. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:10.280 What do we mean by that? 00:27:10.280 --> 00:27:12.920 Nehman did not understand initially. 00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:14.920 He didn't get it. 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:18.080 He didn't understand how things work. 00:27:18.080 --> 00:27:23.640 But one thing that he did well was he paid attention to the voices around him. 00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:26.880 He would even listen to a little girl, to a slave girl. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:29.200 He listened to his soldiers. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:31.280 He nearly missed his healing. 00:27:31.280 --> 00:27:32.280 Right? 00:27:32.280 --> 00:27:33.280 Very close. 00:27:33.280 --> 00:27:35.560 He nearly missed his healing. 00:27:35.560 --> 00:27:39.040 But he listened to the voices around him. 00:27:39.040 --> 00:27:44.360 So have voices around you who will point you to Jesus. 00:27:44.360 --> 00:27:48.700 Have voices around you who will keep you accountable to Jesus. 00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:53.400 Have voices around you who are not scared to speak truth into your life. 00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:55.200 Have voices around you. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:56.200 Yeah? 00:27:56.600 --> 00:28:02.880 Gazi on the other hand had the man of God, Elisha, beside him. 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:06.440 Isn't that crazy, eh? 00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:09.400 And yet makes a blunder. 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:12.220 He had the man of God beside him. 00:28:12.220 --> 00:28:20.160 So my point is we can have spiritual giants beside us and still squander our inheritance. 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:25.400 This is a very important thing. 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:29.560 We can have spiritual giants beside us and still squander it. 00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:37.320 Judas had Jesus beside him. 00:28:37.320 --> 00:28:39.800 Nobody has a better privilege than Judas. 00:28:39.800 --> 00:28:44.800 He had Jesus beside him, walking with him daily, squandered it. 00:28:44.800 --> 00:28:46.480 It's dangerous, guys. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:48.560 It's the condition of the heart. 00:28:48.560 --> 00:28:51.760 It's the condition of the heart. 00:28:51.760 --> 00:28:56.760 So sin, no matter how small it is, sin is a sin. 00:28:56.760 --> 00:28:58.920 Sin has consequences. 00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:01.040 I know these are heart teachings. 00:29:01.040 --> 00:29:02.240 But sin is a sin. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.240 Sin is never relative. 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:05.160 Oh, it's just a small sin. 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:06.160 It's okay. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:07.160 No. 00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:09.420 Sin always gives birth. 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:13.720 When it is fully grown, always gives birth to death. 00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:16.260 Yeah? 00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:23.740 So when we look at the sin of Gehazi, it seemed to be pretty small. 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:30.580 In the first place, Nehman came and brought this gift for Elisha, but his master refused. 00:29:30.580 --> 00:29:34.580 And so in the first place, the intent was to give this away. 00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:37.620 And he was just trying to receive a portion of it. 00:29:37.620 --> 00:29:42.300 So it may seem like it's not a big deal. 00:29:42.300 --> 00:29:44.940 It's not hurting anybody. 00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:47.900 We try to rationalize sin. 00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:50.980 Oh, but it isn't really bad. 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:52.580 It's not going to hurt anybody. 00:29:52.580 --> 00:29:56.740 I have good intentions. 00:29:56.740 --> 00:29:59.400 Gehazi tried to justify his actions. 00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:01.660 But sins, there are sins. 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:06.220 No matter how small it is, the consequences are massive. 00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:13.820 You know, Esau settled for an instant gratification for a bowl of soup and squandered his bird 00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.900 right. 00:30:14.900 --> 00:30:15.900 Yeah? 00:30:15.900 --> 00:30:22.500 Gehazi was positioned really well because he was the next in line to inherit a double 00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:24.660 portion from Elisha. 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:32.340 And he squandered his calling, his master's prophetic calling and anointing. 00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:40.580 And because of his short sighted greed, it replaced a spiritual legacy with a curse of 00:30:40.580 --> 00:30:43.700 leprosy. 00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:49.540 You can sell your bird right for a bowl of soup. 00:30:49.540 --> 00:30:53.020 You can sell your bird right for a bowl of soup. 00:30:53.020 --> 00:31:00.500 What God had spoken over your life, the things that God had great things in store for you, 00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:05.900 if you and I are not careful, we can squander it for something much cheaper. 00:31:05.900 --> 00:31:08.700 This is not just a Gehazi problem. 00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:12.540 This happens among many believers. 00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.900 Yeah? 00:31:16.780 --> 00:31:23.300 The process of God using unassuming characters like this little girl, slave girl, and then 00:31:23.300 --> 00:31:33.420 you know, Elisha's servants or you know, Gehazi's, sorry, you know, Naaman's soldiers who point 00:31:33.420 --> 00:31:34.420 him. 00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:40.860 God uses these little nobodies in our lives to point us to stay on course. 00:31:41.820 --> 00:31:42.820 Yeah? 00:31:42.820 --> 00:31:49.340 And it's our actions, it's in our little actions that we can either steward it, our inheritance, 00:31:49.340 --> 00:31:55.860 to its full potential or in our everyday actions we can squander it. 00:31:55.860 --> 00:31:56.860 Yeah? 00:31:56.860 --> 00:32:02.060 And the last one, I'm keeping watch of the time. 00:32:02.060 --> 00:32:04.540 The last one. 00:32:04.540 --> 00:32:08.700 Stay faithful to the higher calling. 00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:15.700 Stay faithful to the higher calling and let God reward and promote you. 00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:17.340 Both are important here. 00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:23.900 Stay faithful to the higher calling and let God reward you and promote you. 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:29.540 These are two important words because premature reward and premature promotion always bring 00:32:29.540 --> 00:32:32.420 a person to ruin. 00:32:32.420 --> 00:32:36.980 Primature reward and premature promotion always bring a person to ruin. 00:32:37.300 --> 00:32:40.260 Do not take shortcut promotion, guys. 00:32:40.260 --> 00:32:44.780 Unless the hand of God lifts you up. 00:32:44.780 --> 00:32:47.020 Unless the hand of God lifts you up. 00:32:47.020 --> 00:32:50.140 Saul is a, you know, King Saul is a classic example of this. 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:54.900 He takes shortcuts. 00:32:54.900 --> 00:33:01.900 And for our workplace today, we've got to be careful of this because we work in a system 00:33:02.060 --> 00:33:06.860 where if I don't fight for myself, if I don't advertise myself, if I don't promote myself, 00:33:06.860 --> 00:33:08.060 I'll never get reward. 00:33:08.060 --> 00:33:10.260 I'll never get promotion. 00:33:10.260 --> 00:33:11.860 Yeah? 00:33:11.860 --> 00:33:15.740 So I'm saying speak when you have to. 00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:18.140 Stand up for somebody's right when you have to. 00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:21.540 But I'm saying do not promote yourself. 00:33:21.540 --> 00:33:24.660 Do not promote your own reward. 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:27.500 You know, premature promotion and premature reward is dangerous. 00:33:27.500 --> 00:33:28.500 Yeah? 00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:31.420 You know, we can even betray our own friends. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:38.140 We can even betray our own teams in order to go ahead. 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:43.780 And the thing is, it will only lead to our downfall. 00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:46.940 And premature reward and premature promotion is dangerous. 00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:47.940 Why? 00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:50.820 Because you and I can birth Ishmael. 00:33:50.820 --> 00:33:51.820 Yeah? 00:33:51.820 --> 00:33:58.260 And Abraham and Sarah couldn't wait. 00:33:58.260 --> 00:33:59.260 They were promised. 00:33:59.260 --> 00:34:01.340 They know the promise. 00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:04.340 That they're going to have a son. 00:34:04.340 --> 00:34:05.340 Couldn't wait. 00:34:05.340 --> 00:34:07.340 Couldn't wait. 00:34:07.340 --> 00:34:08.340 And what happened? 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:12.860 You know, Ishmael was born. 00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:14.340 Something much lesser. 00:34:14.340 --> 00:34:15.660 Yeah? 00:34:15.660 --> 00:34:18.180 I pray that this doesn't happen to each one of us here. 00:34:18.180 --> 00:34:19.180 To anybody here. 00:34:19.180 --> 00:34:22.180 I pray that that doesn't happen. 00:34:22.180 --> 00:34:24.620 It may take long, so be it. 00:34:24.620 --> 00:34:25.620 Yeah? 00:34:25.620 --> 00:34:28.980 It may take much longer than expected, so be it. 00:34:29.180 --> 00:34:36.420 Do not settle for a premature promotion or premature reward. 00:34:36.420 --> 00:34:38.380 It never comes in full package. 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.380 Yeah? 00:34:39.380 --> 00:34:43.020 It never comes in full package. 00:34:43.020 --> 00:34:46.900 Then what about the ones who had this full package? 00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:49.140 Think of Elisha. 00:34:49.140 --> 00:34:53.940 He goes the full distance with his master, Elijah. 00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:56.540 You know, today your master is going to be taken away. 00:34:56.540 --> 00:34:58.020 He could have easily stopped. 00:34:58.060 --> 00:34:59.060 No. 00:34:59.060 --> 00:35:02.180 As long as the Lord lives, and as long as my master lives, I'm with you. 00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:03.740 I'm with you. 00:35:03.740 --> 00:35:07.220 From one place to another, he wouldn't let his master go. 00:35:07.220 --> 00:35:10.220 Goes the full distance, right? 00:35:10.220 --> 00:35:17.860 And he saw God taking Elijah up to heaven. 00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:20.100 He saw. 00:35:20.100 --> 00:35:22.580 The mantle falls on him. 00:35:22.580 --> 00:35:23.580 And he crossed over. 00:35:23.580 --> 00:35:26.740 He crossed over Jordan. 00:35:26.740 --> 00:35:33.300 And when he hit the river with the mantle that he had received, the water parted. 00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.300 Yeah? 00:35:34.300 --> 00:35:36.220 Received in full. 00:35:36.220 --> 00:35:40.380 Received in full, then you will have a double portion. 00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:46.060 Whoever that you are working under, if we are faithful, if we walk the full distance, 00:35:46.060 --> 00:35:48.260 the double portion is released by God. 00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:49.260 Yeah? 00:35:49.260 --> 00:35:50.260 What? 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:53.980 The anointing that is upon that person comes upon you, but God also adds another portion, 00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:55.380 and that makes it a double portion. 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:56.380 Yeah? 00:35:57.020 --> 00:35:58.020 It's always beautiful, eh? 00:35:58.020 --> 00:36:00.020 It's always beautiful. 00:36:00.020 --> 00:36:03.500 So think of another guy, David. 00:36:03.500 --> 00:36:06.980 David is also a classic example of that. 00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:11.420 He had many opportunities to kill King Saul. 00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:14.480 King Saul, he had so many opportunities to kill. 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:17.580 It could shorten the path to the throne. 00:36:17.580 --> 00:36:19.580 Right? 00:36:19.580 --> 00:36:24.600 Here is a man who is on the throne, and if you kill him, you are next to the throne. 00:36:24.600 --> 00:36:27.220 So simple for David. 00:36:27.220 --> 00:36:29.700 That would shorten the path. 00:36:29.700 --> 00:36:32.300 But David is running for his life. 00:36:32.300 --> 00:36:36.160 Someone who is at his mercy, and yet he is running from that man. 00:36:36.160 --> 00:36:40.640 Someone who has been given to him, and he runs for his life. 00:36:40.640 --> 00:36:42.180 Crazy, eh? 00:36:42.180 --> 00:36:46.400 He said, I will not lay my hands on the Lord's anointed. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:50.560 Isn't that crazy, eh? 00:36:50.560 --> 00:36:59.200 You may think that God had placed leaders above you who are less smarter than you. 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:02.520 Don't take things for granted, guys. 00:37:02.520 --> 00:37:06.400 God doesn't do anything random. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:09.140 Let your time come. 00:37:09.140 --> 00:37:10.960 Let the Lord elevate you. 00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:11.960 Yeah? 00:37:11.960 --> 00:37:15.020 David would not take the matter into his own hands. 00:37:15.020 --> 00:37:17.420 He waited for the Lord. 00:37:17.420 --> 00:37:22.340 He waited for the Lord, and came a day when the Lord elevated him and put him to the 00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:23.820 throne. 00:37:23.820 --> 00:37:31.620 That's when you receive your full inheritance, authority, influence, power, you name it. 00:37:31.620 --> 00:37:33.620 Everything comes. 00:37:33.620 --> 00:37:35.060 Yeah? 00:37:35.060 --> 00:37:38.540 Gehazi's moment of compromise. 00:37:38.540 --> 00:37:43.420 Gehazi's moment of compromise cost him two things. 00:37:43.420 --> 00:37:46.180 One, his physical health. 00:37:46.180 --> 00:37:51.900 Now the leprosy that was upon Naaman comes upon him. 00:37:51.900 --> 00:37:53.020 One. 00:37:53.020 --> 00:37:56.300 And then the spiritual inheritance gone. 00:37:56.300 --> 00:37:59.340 He was next in line to be the next Elisha. 00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:00.340 Gone. 00:38:00.340 --> 00:38:03.880 Both physical, both spiritual. 00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:07.180 What a disaster, eh? 00:38:07.180 --> 00:38:08.180 For what? 00:38:08.180 --> 00:38:09.460 For one thing, for compromising. 00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:10.460 Yeah? 00:38:10.460 --> 00:38:11.460 His greed. 00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:14.060 An important lesson for all of us here. 00:38:14.060 --> 00:38:18.820 I would say that don't go to the wrong source. 00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:20.420 Don't go to the wrong source. 00:38:20.420 --> 00:38:25.420 Don't go to the wrong place. 00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:27.480 Don't go to the wrong source. 00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:29.500 Don't go to the wrong place. 00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:31.700 Naaman, right? 00:38:31.700 --> 00:38:36.300 Naaman was suggested to meet what? 00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:37.460 To meet whom? 00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:40.420 Prophet, prophet Elisha. 00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:43.100 And he goes and seeks permission from the king. 00:38:43.140 --> 00:38:48.380 And then the king said he'll write his letter and saying that he's sent to what? 00:38:48.380 --> 00:38:49.380 To the king. 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:50.380 To the king. 00:38:50.380 --> 00:38:51.580 To the king of Israel. 00:38:51.580 --> 00:38:57.900 So Naaman, instead of going to the prophet, he goes to the king. 00:38:57.900 --> 00:39:02.500 Yeah? 00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:08.640 We know that Naaman is supposed to meet the prophet Elisha. 00:39:08.640 --> 00:39:10.620 But he goes to the king, seeks permission. 00:39:10.620 --> 00:39:13.900 And now the king writes to the other king. 00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:17.020 And instead of going to the man of God, he goes to the king. 00:39:17.020 --> 00:39:20.220 And then the king said, am I a god? 00:39:20.220 --> 00:39:22.940 That can kill and that can bring it back to life. 00:39:22.940 --> 00:39:23.940 Right? 00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:25.240 And then he tore his clothes. 00:39:25.240 --> 00:39:28.700 And then Elisha said, send it to me. 00:39:28.700 --> 00:39:35.120 Today they will know, Naaman will know that there's a true prophet in Israel. 00:39:35.120 --> 00:39:40.120 And he says that a true prophet in Israel meaning there's a living god. 00:39:40.120 --> 00:39:44.340 Beautiful, eh? 00:39:44.340 --> 00:39:46.360 So we go to wrong places. 00:39:46.360 --> 00:39:50.080 We go to wrong source. 00:39:50.080 --> 00:39:53.060 Just to give you a couple of examples. 00:39:53.060 --> 00:39:54.720 King Rehoboam, right? 00:39:54.720 --> 00:40:01.080 King Rehoboam went to his friends to get counsel instead of taking counsel from the elders 00:40:01.080 --> 00:40:03.720 and caused the kingdom to divide. 00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:04.860 Yeah? 00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:12.200 The Jews, they hipped together false prophets that would tell them nice things instead of 00:40:12.200 --> 00:40:15.380 they rejected the prophet from the Lord. 00:40:15.380 --> 00:40:20.580 And then ultimately leading to their captivity and downfall. 00:40:20.580 --> 00:40:26.620 King Saul, instead of seeking the Lord, he sought a diviner. 00:40:26.620 --> 00:40:28.880 Yeah? 00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:32.460 Look for the right source, guys. 00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:36.320 Look into the right place. 00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.620 Let it come to you, guys. 00:40:37.620 --> 00:40:39.440 Let it come to you. 00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:41.780 Stay faithful. 00:40:41.780 --> 00:40:42.820 Stay faithful. 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:43.960 Let God reward you. 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:46.360 Let God promote you. 00:40:46.360 --> 00:40:48.560 Let it come to you. 00:40:48.560 --> 00:40:51.280 Don't chase after these things. 00:40:51.280 --> 00:41:03.100 So in conclusion, one man, Nehman had everything. 00:41:03.100 --> 00:41:05.340 Nehman had everything that the world has to offer. 00:41:05.340 --> 00:41:06.340 He had fame. 00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:08.800 He had power. 00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:10.240 He had influence. 00:41:10.240 --> 00:41:11.660 He had position. 00:41:11.660 --> 00:41:12.760 You name it, yeah? 00:41:12.760 --> 00:41:17.680 Everything that the world considers as success, Nehman has it. 00:41:17.680 --> 00:41:19.660 But nobody wants to touch him. 00:41:19.660 --> 00:41:25.000 Leopards are a group of people who are avoided. 00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:26.000 They are the untouchables. 00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:27.000 Yeah? 00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:29.600 And you know, as I'm exploring this, it's funny. 00:41:29.600 --> 00:41:33.160 You know, the leopards, here's the practice. 00:41:33.160 --> 00:41:39.760 You know, leopards during this time, when they come in contact with somebody who is 00:41:39.760 --> 00:41:46.880 clean, the leopards had to wear a torn cloth and then they'll have to shout, unclean, unclean. 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:48.360 I am unclean. 00:41:48.380 --> 00:41:52.900 So that, you know, the clean people can avoid them. 00:41:52.900 --> 00:41:53.900 Yeah. 00:41:53.900 --> 00:41:54.900 It's funny. 00:41:54.900 --> 00:41:55.900 Yeah. 00:41:55.900 --> 00:42:04.180 But anyway, here's a man who had everything that the world considers as successful and 00:42:04.180 --> 00:42:08.300 yet nobody wants to touch him. 00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:14.900 A man of valor, yet a man of disease. 00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:21.400 And leprosy is a disease that has no cure. 00:42:21.400 --> 00:42:26.600 It is a progressive disease that is ultimately leading a person to death. 00:42:26.600 --> 00:42:28.480 Yeah? 00:42:28.480 --> 00:42:35.440 There's no cure during this time. 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:43.360 And then Gehazi on the other hand, a man who has a bright future. 00:42:43.380 --> 00:42:50.020 A man who is destined to be big. 00:42:50.020 --> 00:42:51.180 Destiny awaits him. 00:42:51.180 --> 00:42:52.180 There's a future. 00:42:52.180 --> 00:42:54.020 A legitimate prophet. 00:42:54.020 --> 00:42:55.500 He's a legitimate prophet. 00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:56.500 Yeah? 00:42:56.500 --> 00:43:00.140 Who is next in line to be the next Elisha. 00:43:00.140 --> 00:43:03.900 You know, here's a tale of two diverging paths, guys. 00:43:08.900 --> 00:43:11.900 Naaman, skeptical. 00:43:13.900 --> 00:43:23.460 His ego, his rational mind, and yet gives in to instructions and then experiences healing. 00:43:23.460 --> 00:43:24.460 Yeah? 00:43:24.460 --> 00:43:30.860 Naaman's story is a story from a path of death to life. 00:43:30.860 --> 00:43:31.860 Yeah? 00:43:31.860 --> 00:43:35.500 A path from death to life. 00:43:35.500 --> 00:43:40.540 Because he had leprosy and that is ultimately and progressively leading to his death and 00:43:40.540 --> 00:43:41.540 then healed. 00:43:41.540 --> 00:43:42.540 Yeah? 00:43:42.720 --> 00:43:46.720 His journey was a path from death to life. 00:43:46.720 --> 00:43:55.240 On the other hand, Gehazi, who has a bright future, destiny awaits him. 00:43:55.240 --> 00:44:03.800 And yet his skin became as white as snow and diseased with leprosy that will cling to him 00:44:03.800 --> 00:44:08.840 and to his descendants forever. 00:44:08.840 --> 00:44:09.840 Tragic guys. 00:44:10.140 --> 00:44:16.340 A tragic end from life to death. 00:44:16.340 --> 00:44:23.060 That's why I deliberately use that word, the juxtaposition, Naaman and Gehazi's diverging 00:44:23.060 --> 00:44:24.060 paths. 00:44:24.060 --> 00:44:25.060 Yeah? 00:44:25.060 --> 00:44:31.580 No matter where path you come from, whether you can associate with Naaman more or whether 00:44:31.580 --> 00:44:38.320 you can associate yourself with Gehazi more, here's a beautiful thing. 00:44:38.320 --> 00:44:41.020 It doesn't have to end this or that. 00:44:41.020 --> 00:44:42.020 Yeah? 00:44:42.020 --> 00:44:50.420 Everyone, everyone is invited to dip yourself in the rivers of living water where there 00:44:50.420 --> 00:44:53.380 will be healing for everybody. 00:44:53.380 --> 00:44:59.820 So I pray that, you know, we have very short time today for prayer, but I pray that you 00:44:59.820 --> 00:45:01.740 will take advantage of that today. 00:45:01.740 --> 00:45:07.820 And I pray that whatever your leprosy is, whatever your sickness is, be it depression, 00:45:07.820 --> 00:45:12.480 be it fear, be it lack, be it anxiety, be it addiction, be it physical, be it spiritual, 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:18.360 be it emotional, you name it, whatever it is, come and be dipped. 00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:20.200 Let somebody lay hands on you. 00:45:20.200 --> 00:45:23.000 Let somebody pray for you and receive healing. 00:45:23.000 --> 00:45:24.000 Yeah? 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:27.880 I really love how Jane kept emphasizing on healing today. 00:45:27.880 --> 00:45:30.320 This is for our taking, guys. 00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:31.320 Yeah? 00:45:31.320 --> 00:45:32.320 So bless you guys. 00:45:32.320 --> 00:45:33.320 Thank you.