What is your leprosy?

Text: 2 Kings 5:1-14
Key Verse: 2 Kings 5:1, “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.” (KJV)

As people look at you externally, things may seem to be going on well with you and there is no problem, but internally, there may be unconquered areas of your life. Naaman, the commander of the Army of the King of Syria was a powerful man. He was highly respected and a valiant soldier, through whom the LORD had given victory to Syrian Army. But he suffered from a dreaded skin disease known as “leprosy.”

As the world looked at Naaman outwardly, there seemed to be no problem. He was the captain of the army of Syria; answerable only to the king of Syria; his word was law; a person of human resources; respected by the king; a mighty man of valor; a honourable man and there is a good chance he was “the certain man”, named in 1 Kings 22:34 who shot an arrow without even aiming that killed King Ahab and turned the tide of battle to the Syrians. But he was a leper.

He had so much going his way and so much seemingly for which to live. But he was a leper. Everything was negated by that one terrible fact! Leprosy was unconquered area of Naaman’s life. Naaman fought and conquered many battles for the Syrians but leprosy conquered him. It is possible there are things you are unfortunately struggling with in the midst of your big names. I ask, who is the real man behind the big name?

Are you a man conquered by sin yet you live in the church? Please forget about the plethora of defence mechanism and answer this question: what is your leprosy? Is your leprosy anger that destroys in a minute all you built for many years? Is it a lying tongue that you can’t keep to what you promised? Naaman was a highly respected commander, who conquered nations but leprosy conquered him.

We should examine ourselves to spot the leprosy in our lives, so that we can deal with it through the help of God. John Hagee said, “Without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God.” Plato was credited with the quote, “An unexamined life is not worth living”. Lamentations 3:40 said – “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

As the year is coming to an end, I urge you to take a critical look at yourself and think about the areas you failed God and yourself. As you examine yourself, you will discover unconquered areas of your life that do not reflect Christ likeness. You may also discover areas you didn’t do well and that you will need to improve on. Look at yourself inwardly and identify those things that hindered your walk with God and success.

The good news is that there is healing for your leprosy. Naaman did not die a leper and you will not die with your leprosy. 2 Kings 5:14, “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Naaman harkened unto the voice of God and he was healed.

My prayer for you, beloved, is that you will not die with your leprosy, there is cleansing and healing for you today in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Today’s Nugget: Leprosy is unconquered area of your life
Prayer: Lord, cleanse me from every leprosy in my life
Prayer lines: 09078154261.
E-mail: aggospelbell@gmail.com
Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.