“Barricades on the Road to Heaven”
IIKings 5:1-14
1Now 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5And 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.
6And 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.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10And 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.
11But 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.
12Are 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.
13And 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?
14Then 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.
All men at some point in their life has considered Eternity, and what it will be like on the other side.
You will find in your walk with God many barricades that you’ll have to cross or go through on your road to the other side.
And so I would like to take a moment and discuss some barricades you might face on your journey.
1st Barricade
The affliction of Sin:
In Namaan’s life it was leprosy.
Sin is inviting---yet deadly.
Temptations are great and the obvious outcome Hazardous.
Sin destroys both body and soul. Sin is more than Alcohol and drugs. Sin can be described in many ways.
Such as;
Neglect
Disobedience
Indifference
Neglect of Mercy
Stubbornness
Instability
And many ways we some time do not consider!!
2ndly
Following the instructions of man rather than God.
It’s sad but so many people listen to others rather than a true man of God or even that still small voice.
Acts 27:9-11
9Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
Matthew 19:26
26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
3rd Barricade
Seeking Salvation from the wrong source!!
1. Namaan went to the King first before seeking the man of God.
2. The Maid told him of the Prophet yet this was beneath the dignity of a great General.
3. Asking friends and family rather than consulting the Word of God.
Disputing Bible truths with your Barber or your neighbor rather than consulting the Man of God is greatly hazardous.
As one man stated, This has become the greatest barricade on your road 6to heaven.
4th Barricade
Attempting to purchase Salvation with money.
You cannot buy your way to Heaven!!
You cannot exchange material substance for Salvation.
You cannot work long enough or hard enough to earn your way to Heaven
The Word teaches us how and what to offer;
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
I Corinthians 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
5th Barricade
Refusing to follow God’s way because you think you know better!!
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Psalms 118:8
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
1 Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
In Closing;
Through all the trials and perils of life there will be barricades on the road to Glory.
We must follow the ways of the Lord and seek Him first and foremost for guidance.
We must never look behind us, but we must go forward “pressing on to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” Philipians 3:14
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
