1165. Hindrances to Deliverance

Hindrances to Deliverance

"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_5:11).

Just as satan hinders a sinner from getting saved so does he hinder a saint from getting victory. The children of Israel were God's covenant people, but they were dwelling in Egypt. God wanted them to dwell in Canaan. That was the land of their heritage. Pharaoh sought in every way to keep them back. He refused to let them go, and finally when they were delivered under the mighty hand of God, he pursued them to bring them back, or else to destroy them in the way.

No man has ever sought deliverance from his sinful self life that satan did not try to block the way. Let us follow the hindrances in Naaman's case to get some helpful lessons as to satan's tactics in the present day.

1. Naaman sought help from man. He tried all the doctors, all the means that Syria afforded. How do we know? We know, because we know the ways of man. The woman who was diseased sought to the physicians, and was none better. Of course, there are diseases that the physicians can help; there are also some they cannot help. There are some things that man can do, in deliverance from carnal self. We grant it. But how impotent is man to bring a full deliverance from the sinful self.

Not only did Naaman seek help from man, in Syria, but he also sought help from man in Israel. He went to the king, instead of to the Prophet. The king rent his clothes. How helpless was he to deliver Naaman. Neither can man, sinner nor saint, impart to the struggling saint or sinner, the healing they need.

2. Naaman sought help from means. He looked to his presents, his splendid changes of garments, his silver and his gold, his position, and his power, to help him on to victory. Poor man. How useless were all of these. They could not get him anywhere with God. The Christian may try in vain to substitute gifts, and service, and splendor of array, for simple faith in God–but he will not thus get victory.

3. Naaman sought help from methods. He said: "The Prophet will come down and rub his hands over the leper." Let us throw such conceptions to the winds. Why should we dictate to God how things should be done? Why tie the Holy Spirit down to channels of our choosing? Men, means, methods–let them all be gone. What we want is Christ. What we want is power Divine. The touch of the hand of God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR