Naaman

Naaman, A Leader Who Needed Help – Dan Hitz
Dan Hitz is the director of Reconciliation Ministries and is a Limited Licensed Professional Counsellor in the State of Michigan. Dan specializes in helping men, women, and adolescents who are struggling with sexual issues. He has experience counselling missionaries and church leaders both in person and via the internet and telephone. If you need help, call Dan at 586.739.5114.

Leaders are not immune to demonic oppression or the temptations of their own flesh. God has been impressing upon me how important it is for us to walk humbly with Him and in open relationships with others in the Body of Christ. It is during the times of spiritual warfare that we desperately need the prayers of the saints and the support of the body. One trap leaders can fall into is the “I’m in leadership, and I’m supposed to have it all together” trap. This snare has caused many pastors, missionaries, and church leaders to struggle for a long time before reaching out for help. Sometimes, only a crash gives leaders the incentive to humble themselves and admit that they need help.

2 Kings 5:1 reads, “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.” Naaman was a highly respected commander of an enemy army who contracted leprosy. His wife, captured from Israel as a young girl, told him of Elisha the prophet’s ability to heal. Naaman humbled himself and went into the land of Israel seeking help. To his dismay, Elisha didn’t respond to his high rank nor meet with him personally. Instead he sent his servant with the unpleasant instructions, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” Naaman was enraged. Surely, this prophet knew of his great status and should have ministered to him directly. Surely, this prophet knew how filthy the Jordan River was. So often we think that we deserve preferential treatment because of our service to the Lord. We look and see others swimming in “better bodies of water” than God has given us. Could God really be asking us to humble ourselves, lay down our own esteemed position, and seek help from others? As Naaman found out, the answer is “yes”. Naaman who had won victories for his king by the hand of the Lord was told to humble himself, lay down his rank and the pleasures of his homeland, and wash in the “lesser waters” of his enemy. Naaman remained leprous until he complied, but God answered the heart that was willing to be humbled. Naaman did as he was instructed and became clean. What is God instructing you to do for your healing? Who is your Elisha that you can go to for support, accountability, and direction? We all need someone in the Body of Christ with whom we can be transparent, share our heart, and seek God.

In the Body of Christ today, there seems to be a new spiritual assault against leaders and their families. Please be in prayer for your ministers and their family. They need God’s strength in this dark hour. If you are a leader, don’t walk alone. You desperately need an Aaron and a Hur to walk with you and hold your hands up. If you need help with sexual and relational issues, call Reconciliation Ministries. We are here with confidential, Biblical help. Yes, there has been an increase of spiritual warfare lately, but greater is Christ in us, than he who is in the world!

If you would like more information about Reconciliation Ministries, or any of the ministries we offer, visit us on the Web at www.recmin.org, or call (586) 739-5114. You may also e-mail us at info@recmin.org. All correspondence will be kept strictly confidential.

Our office is located at 25410 Kelly Road, in Roseville, Michigan 48066.

Reconciliation Ministries is an affiliate ministry of Exodus International, and uses many of the programs written by Desert Stream Ministries.