Experiencing God
2 Kings 5:1; 8-17
Henry Blackaby said that experiencing God is seeing where God is at work and joining Him in that work. Too often we miss experiencing the glory and presence of God b/c we are not looking for God. In the church we are worried about our order of worship, or making sure we do things proper. In the world, they miss God b/c they don’t even know what to look for.
Naaman was a man who was looking to be changed. He had leprosy. Even as commander of the armies of Syria, he was still excluded from life b/c of his leprosy. Nothing could be done for him. There was one and only one hope- God.
Read 2 Kings 5:1; 8-17
To experience God there are a couple of things that have to happen in our lives. We must realize that:
I. God’s Ways are not Man’s ways
Naaman was a man of power and prestige. He expected to be treated as such. He arrived at the house of Elisha and wanted to see the prophet come out and pay respect and make a big show for him to heal him of the leprosy. Elisha provided no entertainment for Naaman. Naaman was greeted by a messenger with instructions of what he was to do.
God’s prophet instructed Naaman to go to the Jordan and wash 7 times. Naaman became furious. To say that he thought all of this is ridiculous is an understatement. A person of his position deserved respect and not to be greeted by a messenger. The thought of something so simple to bring about healing was equally as insulting.
God’s ways are different than man’s ways. Men expect fanfare and entertainment. God simply shows Himself and works in His own way and in His own time. Sometimes the ways of God seem foolish to men. Men do not understand heavenly things.
God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom. God never works in the way that we expect Him too. He is greater and wiser than we ever imagined. We cannot fit God into a box. That is what the world and the church often desire. God is expected to work in the way that we want Him to in the boundaries of what we desire. God doesn’t and we walk away defeated and disappointed that God didn’t show up.
We need to look for God! How is He working? What is God doing with His people?
God does not need pomp and circumstance for His presence to appear. All God needs is a willing heart, a humble heart. Naaman nearly missed out on the blessing b/c he refused to see through himself to the work of God.
Are we ready to experience God? We know He promises that we will find Him when we seek w/all our heart. We know that God wants to do great things through His people. The problem is that we want God to work in our ways and not His. God has exactly the right thing for you. To experience God we have to stop doing things our way and begin doing things God’s way. Listen, obey, and watch for God to work. God will work and is working, but we need to look for those things and take God out of the box. The time is now- open our eyes and hearts to experience God at work.
Come to God with Great expectations and then let God work! God wants to do mighty works among His people, God desires to heal His people, He wants great things to happen. All we have to do is recognize that God is working in His way, in His time, to accomplish His purpose.
II. God’s Ways Require Obedience
Naaman had been given the strangest instructions; “go to the Jordan and wash 7 times and you will be clean.” For Naaman to be cleansed, he had to go to a river he despised and wash 7 times not once. He could have gone down and sat in the Jordan, and washed once and gone about his business, but God did not call him to do that.
God’s ways require obedience. If Naaman wanted healing, he would have to follow God’s instructions. There was nothing special about the water- it did not have the power to cure his disease. There was nothing special about the number of times he was to dip- seven times in water was not going to bring about his cleansing. Naaman’s cleansing was a result of God’s power and Naaman’s obedience. Had Naaman only washed once or only six times, he would not have experienced God’s healing.
God’s ways require obedience. Naaman would have missed God if he had not walked in obedience.
How often do we miss the things of God b/c we don’t walk in obedience? God has blessings for us, but they require us to listen and follow His ways.
We know that God’s ways are not man’s ways, but yet we still try to manipulate God to work in our time frame and with the tools that we give Him to work. How different would it be if we let God be God and we simply followed Him in obedience?
Jesus healed the blind- wash in the pool of Siloam; when he healed the lepers once He instructed them to show themselves to the priest and they would be cleansed.
We cannot expect to experience God if we are not willing to obey God. We certainly cannot expect God’s blessings and healing when we are refusing to act in obedience.
We cannot experience God when we have ought against our brother or sister- go and make amends.
We cannot experience God when we have bitterness and unforgiveness- forgiveness says it is done and it is remembered no more!
Can’t experience God when we are fighting and talking about one another- God calls us to unity in the Spirit.
Faith requires obedience. God calls His people to follow Him- how will you follow?
What is it that we are missing out on b/c we refuse to walk in obedience? God will not make a heart whole that is not wholly His.
To experience God we have to know God and remember that God’s ways are not our ways- send His Son to die on the cross for the sins of all humanity. Foolishness to the world, but wisdom to God. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sins, and he rose from the grave to defeat sin and death and hell. He is alive! Experiencing God is knowing God and accepting Christ as the sacrifice.
Experiencing God also requires obedience- we simply have to step out in faith and walk the path that God has instructed, the rest is God’s business. Obedience to the Word of God brings healing and wholeness. Cannot experience God until you have accepted Christ and His sacrifice. Cannot experience God unless you are willing to walk with Him- go where u send, say what u say, do what u say do.
