Some have curses removed, while others attract disaster. If you are in a predicament, this message can turn your life around; if you feel you are living a successful life, you need to read it even more! In this chapter, Pastor Liu will reveal to readers the removal and attainment of curses!
Questions for reflection:
What kind of mindset would enable Naaman's leprosy to be healed?
Why did Elisha's servant Gehazi suddenly develop leprosy?
What are the differences between Naaman's servant and Elisha's servant?
After reading this chapter, what attitude do you think you should have when believing in the Lord? Give an example.
Be Careful Not to Receive a Curse!
This chapter tells of a person whose curse of leprosy was removed, and at the same time, it tells of another person who received the curse of leprosy. This world is very interesting! In fact, this world is controlled by two things: curses and blessings. Leprosy is just one example; in fact, there are many, many problems that are directly related to curses and blessings. Chapter 5 talks about how curses can be transmitted! This is to warn people of this generation: Do not think that there is no problem if you have obtained wealth or something in the world.
In fact, curses are very powerful! Elisha healed Naaman's leprosy, but later Elisha's servant was cursed, which is really sad! Many people in this world today cannot see these things with spiritual eyes, and we do not know what we are receiving. Never look with the physical eye; the physical eye always admires other people's houses, other people's wives, and other people's children. If you always feel that your own is not good, you will quickly enter into a curse. So everyone must be careful; the key spiritual principle in this chapter is to be careful not to receive a curse!
Learn to Believe with a Try-It Mindset
This chapter describes the removal of curses and the process by which some people receive curses. In this process, there are several key figures: The first key figure is the little girl who was taken captive, who became the key person in evangelizing Naaman. She was a captive slave, serving in her master's house as a maid to Naaman's wife. When her master contracted leprosy, this little girl was remarkable; she actually had such a spiritual vision. This spiritual vision was, Go to the prophet of Israel, and you will surely be healed! (See 2 Kings 5:3). This child is extraordinary!
I have found that our brothers and sisters, including children, have such a vision after continuous training! A little Israelite girl captured by Naaman, who had not received any training, how could she have such a vision? In fact, some people are indifferent after hearing the story of Elisha. But some people, after hearing the story of Elisha, keep it deeply in their hearts. The story of Elisha is actually very shocking! He can bring the dead back to life (see 2 Kings 4:18-37). Many miraculous things happened to Elisha; so many amazing stories that many people think are impossible after hearing them. But I think this little girl, she believed in what Elisha did.
I have performed many miracles, but I have preached to many people who do not believe! If a person, even someone like Naaman, hears such good news and seeks God with a try-it mindset, he will be healed! Do not think that being healed is a difficult thing; being healed is a very simple thing! Performing miracles is also a very simple thing! It is not difficult at all, it just depends on how you view it. If you have that spiritual vision and are willing to believe, then performing miracles is very simple. An Israelite little girl heard it; I guess she did not even see it with her own eyes. She just heard people say it, but she had an open mind.
So I encourage those who come among us, if you are trapped in a terrible environment, I will tell you that you have met a demon! You are under a curse, and you cannot solve the problem with your own carnal methods! If you are willing to walk this path of believing in the Lord, it is entirely possible to break the curses on us, which is not difficult, as long as you have a try-it mindset.
Be Careful of the Worldly Mindset of the King of Israel
Naaman was a very powerful general, who took the letter of the King of Aram, along with gold, silver, and fine clothes, to find the King of Israel. A captive Israelite little girl had a mindset of believing in miracles, but this King of Israel clearly knew what Elijah and Elisha had done, yet he had no faith and tore his clothes (see 2 Kings 5:7)! Thank God, the prophet Elisha heard that the King of Israel had torn his clothes and had a little bit of national pride, so he sent someone to find the King of Israel, and then the miracle of Naaman's healing unfolded.
I think this event is very interesting. Everyone should be careful of the King of Israel's mindset, which is a worldly mindset. The King of Israel was accustomed to thinking with worldly concepts; he was too used to thinking that way. But this Israelite little girl, although she had not seen Elisha and had not personally experienced too much, she had a mindset of believing in miracles. I encourage everyone to have a mindset of believing in miracles and performing miracles. Many people will criticize the mindset of pursuing miracles, but I think it is very good to have a mindset of pursuing miracles. Having a miracle mindset can remove curses; without a miracle mindset, curses cannot be removed.
Brothers and sisters, be careful; if the teachings you receive are all doctrines without miracles and wonders, you will be deceived. There is a brother among us whose own mother was living in pain and was very weak. At only fifty years old, she could not do any housework. She came among us and received grace. In just over a month, her life was completely turned around, and now her health has recovered very well. What is the reason? It is because we have such a mindset.
We want to bless people; we must be like the Israelite little girl, clearly telling people about our God: Our God is full of grace, full of mercy, and full of love! Like Naaman, as long as he heard the prophet's words, was willing to seek, and came before the prophet. Although his method of seeking was not quite right, and he even got angry, and even wanted to use his own method to ask the prophet to heal him. As a result, he did as his servants said, and did as the prophet instructed, and his disease was healed. In this way, the curse of leprosy was removed (see 2 Kings 5:10-14).
Our God is a God Who Saves People from Curses
Brothers and sisters, you must know that our God is a God who removes curses! Thank God that God has performed many miracles through my hands. Today, the mother of one of our brothers is also studying the Bible with us online. Last Sunday, she twisted her back and was in pain. In fact, last year she had severe lumbar disc problems. Today she has been completely healed. I long for our brothers and sisters, and your parents, to receive benefits from us, to receive blessings from us! Because our God is a God of blessing, but many people have preached this God of blessing and healing as a very cruel God. Many people say that if you get sick, you should thank God; this is what God wants you to be. Who thinks it is a good thing to get leprosy? Who thinks it is a good thing to get cancer? Our God is a God of healing, a God who saves people from curses! This was originally the gospel. If the gospel is preached as a gospel that is not the gospel, it is cursed. Everyone must know what things provoke curses and what things remove curses.
Have a Spiritual Vision
The King of Israel saw what Elisha did, but he still did not understand what miracles were all about, which is very, very regrettable. So Jesus said, O unbelieving and perverse generation! (See Matthew 17:17)! Brothers and sisters, do not think that being a Christian without miracles is something that can be forgiven by God. These signs will accompany those who believe. Either you believe, and there will be miracles; or there are no miracles, because you do not believe, it is that simple! Although these words are a bit harsh, I am telling the truth, because Jesus also said so.
In that era, there were so many lepers, but only one Naaman was healed. Did the others not know to seek Elisha? We also found that Elisha did not receive a single penny. Thank the Lord, Elisha had this spiritual vision. Why is this so? Receiving money means receiving leprosy. So I pray for everyone, that everyone will be healed of their illnesses, and you do not need to give me anything. I have received grace freely from God, and I am also willing to give it out freely.
Healing Through Jesus is a Straightforward Affair
Naaman did something very simple, and he was healed. Receiving healing is that simple, provided you are willing. For example, the girl who came yesterday with menstrual pain, I only prayed for her for 15 minutes and she was healed. Brothers and sisters, the path to receiving grace is this simple. The prophet tells you to wash seven times in the Jordan River, then go and wash seven times; I lead you in prayer, I say repeat after me word for word, and you just repeat, it is that simple.
Loving the World Invites Curses, Loving God Invites Blessings
If a person's heart is not on God, but on this world, they will be cursed. Brothers and sisters, if you love the world, you will certainly be cursed. Moses said in Deuteronomy: I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and blessing, death and calamity, curses and blessings; therefore choose life (see Deuteronomy 30:19). What did Moses get from the Israelites? He got nothing. The Israelites even wanted to stone him to death. This is truly absurd!
I have only one thought, which is to lead everyone to run this heavenly race together because it is a blessed path. Aren't there many blessings among us? Brothers and sisters, I want to tell everyone that curses operate in this way: whoever loves this world will be cursed, and whoever loves God will come out of the curse. Therefore, I encourage everyone to start learning to love God. You love God, come out of the curse, and start living a blessed life, how wonderful. Those who love the world will be like Elisha's servant Gehazi, who followed Elisha every day but did not know what a curse was all about, how pathetic!
If you are among us, following me for many years, you must know how curses operate. So, brothers and sisters, I really do not want you to fall into curses. I hope you all become blessed people. Why must you love this world? Love money and you will not get money, love the world and you will not get the world. Love Jesus and you will get everything.
Be Careful of Things That Invite Curses!
There are several things that are cursed. First, money. Money is a very spiritual thing. Do not love money. Second, sex. This issue is also very spiritual. In this land of China, many people think that the issue of sex is just mutual affection, but in fact, the curse brought by sex is very deep. Curses are transmitted through the transmission of wealth, through the transmission of sex, and through people's thoughts. Everyone be careful, be very careful!
If you are living in a curse, I tell you there is good news, which is to trust in Jesus Christ and you will be released from the curse. The price that our Lord Jesus paid on the cross was to release you from the curse. But if a person believes in Jesus and still wants to grab the world, he is as foolish as Gehazi! Never be a foolish person, be a wise person. Do not be a worldly wise person, but be a spiritually wise person, and you will become a person who transmits blessings. Do not become a person who transmits curses, and do not accept curses. Brothers and sisters, start using spiritual eyes to see these things, the world, money, all these things must be seen clearly.
Conclusion: Trusting in God is the Only Way of Life
Today I can say with certainty that a person who loves God will never encounter disaster or accident. Brothers and sisters must begin to know that trusting in God is the only way!
Scripture
2Ki 5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the LORD had given victory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.
2Ki 5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
2Ki 5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
2Ki 5:4 And Naaman went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
2Ki 5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
2Ki 5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
2Ki 5:7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
2Ki 5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
2Ki 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
2Ki 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
2Ki 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
2Ki 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
2Ki 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
2Ki 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.
2Ki 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
2Ki 5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
2Ki 5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
2Ki 5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
2Ki 5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
2Ki 5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
2Ki 5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
2Ki 5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
2Ki 5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
2Ki 5:24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
2Ki 5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
2Ki 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2Ki 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.