Overcoming the Waster

Monday 16 May
READ: 2 Kings 5:1-14
MORE LESSON: Exo 18:19

There is the story of a general in the Syrian army named Naaman. He was a great man of great exploits who conquered cities and won battles. He was a mighty man of valour and honourable in the esteem of the king and people of Syria. However, he had a little 'but' in his life. The Bible says but he was a leper. Leprosy is a waster, it causes a destiny to deteriorate. Leprosy wastes a man's flesh, finance, material and resources. So Naaman was a great man with a waster in his destiny. It was an advice from a little Israeli girl that opened the door to Naaman's healing. The girl told Naaman's wife that her husband could be healed if he would go to the God of Israel. In overcoming a wasted destiny, you must be sensitive to the instruction of the Lord and He can use anyone or anything to speak to you. When the Lord is speaking to you even through someone that you look down on, it is your meekness in obedience that will give you deliverance.
So Naaman approached the king, who sent a message to the king of Israel asking him to get his general healed. The king was greatly troubled as he thought that Syria was looking for an opportunity to instigate a war. How could you send a man to another man to get him healed? But when Elisha the prophet heard the story he asked the king not to worry, that General Naaman should be sent to him. Prophet Elisha asked Naaman to come but when he arrived the prophet didn't even come out to see him. He just sent him a word to go and bathe in River Jordan seven times. When the general heard the message, he was angry. He felt insulted that they brought him all the way from Syria to go and bathe in the muddy water of Jordan. I am surprised that the general didn't feel insulted by leprosy but he felt insulted to go and bathe in Jordan. His servants spoke to him and asked him that if the prophet had told him to give or do some great thing, wouldn't he have done it willingly? They advised him to do the seemingly little thing that the prophet asked of him. At least, if he had to wash in the river and there was no healing, he would be refreshed from the long distance journey.
I realise that one of Naaman's greatest strengths in overcoming the waster in his destiny was that he took good counsel, even when the counsel came from people below him in status. It is humility that makes a man take to counsel. A proud man doesn't listen to anyone; he believes he knows it all. He humbled himself to bathe in Jordan. Today, the instruction that will destroy the waster in your destiny can come from any where. As long as it conforms to God’s Word, take it in all humility and do it and your life will be filled with good things.

Prayer/Action
* I rebuke the power of the waster over my life and destiny today.
* Lord, I receive today the instruction needed to recover all my wasted years and efforts, in Jesus’ name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
This year, my hope shall not be dashed, every promise made to me shall be sure and fulfilled, in the name of Jesus.