Four of the Hardest Words to Say

"Four of the Hardest Words to Say"
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... (2 Kings 5:1a KJV)

Intro: In the northwestern Mediterranean region…, between Palestine and Mesopotamia… is the land of Syria. On the edge of the Arabian desert…, is an oasis city…,
literally a fertile land of plants…, and water…, and life…,
known as Damascus…, which in the Old Testament early history was the largest and capital city of Syria.

Damascus has traces of evidence of settlements going back to 9000 years Before Christ…,
making it the oldest continually inhabited city in the world…, at least 11,000 years old.

The country of Syria had become the most influential nation on the earth for the time.

A man by the name of Naaman was captain of the host of Syria.
That meant that Naaman was second only to the king.
Naaman was a great leader
He was honourable among his men.
In Naamans’ time the country was growing in power and might.
And the Lord had given Syria many victories in battle because of Naaman.
Victories even against the people of Israel…,
at this time…, Israel’s own king…, who was the son of Ahab and Jezebel…, did not seek after the Lord God.

So Naaman and his army would frequently conduct raids into Israel
And they would take captive slaves of the Israelites
After one raid Naaman brought back to his wife a young girl to be her servant.
The bible does not tell us the name of this little girl
But the brief description about her…tells us that she knew about faith and the healing power of God.

Learn this lesson:
A little faith will go a long way.
The bible teaches us that small beginning can grow to produce great results…

When you are facing a problem that is too big for you to handle
Turn your eyes away from the problem
And look unto Christ the Lord!
Only then will you be able to overcome the struggle…, that is happening in your life…

As good and great a person as Naaman was…, he had a serious problem…,
A trouble so big that it was undoubtedly difficult for him to say…

Beneath his strong exterior
Underneath his jeweled armor…
Was something so dreaded and hideous that it would have been hard for him to speak of it aloud… The bible says, he was a leper….

Leprosy in the bible days was the most dreaded disease…
It produces large disfiguring lumps on the face and body…, with sores on the skin,
and damage to the nerves in the arms and legs,
so severe that it would eventually cause numbness and total loss of the use their hands and feet.
It was progressively worse…, until it becomes total debilitating.
After a mighty victory in battle the King would have a banquet
And Naaman would be introduced as the winner of the battle
And as governors and other royalty would come to greet and shake hands with the Captain of the host of the Syria.
He was not able to make excuses…,
He could not say he had a simple headache
He did not say his diet did not agree with him
He could not say he had a bug or a cold…
He would have to admit his affliction