“2026: Year of the Explosion” Day 10: The answer is not found in the method, but in the obedience.

“And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. And when David again inquired of God, God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees.”

‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV

In the days of Elisha, there was a leper named Naaman. He was a powerful commander of the army of Syria. At one point, a little girl went to the wife of Naaman, saying that if only Naaman was in Samaria, there was a prophet there who would heal him. You see, this little girl was taken captive from Israel, and now worked for Naaman‘s wife.

“So Naaman went in and told his Lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When the king of Israel heard what was in the letter from Naaman, his heart was struck with terror, thinking that he had been set up with an impossible situation, in order that the king of Syria would have reason to be angry with him. Elisha, hearing that the king of Israel was distressed, sent word to him that if he would send Naaman to him, he would heal him. Surely enough, Naaman headed out to see Elisha.

“So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As we see, Naaman, having been told indirectly by Elisha, what he should do, took umbrage. In expressing his anger, Naaman revealed that he had a preconceived notion as to how this event would look. Well, when that didn’t happen, he was offended and came very close to missing his opportunity to be healed.

To make a long story short, after one of his men brought him to his senses, Naaman acquiesced and did what the prophet had commanded, and was completely healed of leprosy.

“So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As ridiculous as it may sound, the fact is, we often have an idea in our mind of how God should do what we’ve asked Him to do. And when He “goes off script,” we can be confused, or angry like Naaman, and possibly miss our answer by not obeying what God has said.

In today’s portion of the story of David and his victory at Baal-perazim, we see that when the enemy doubled back and David again inquired of the Lord, the Lord gave him a different strategy than He had okayed the first time. As in the case of Naaman, it wasn’t any particular method per se, that brought the victory, that brought the answer. What did bring the answer, was the obedience of the one to whom the word of God was given.

Child of God, let us not miss an opportunity to receive what we need, just because we are stubbornly clinging to some idea of how things should look, of how things should be done. Ours is only to listen and obey, “letting” the Lord be in charge of His methods. Again, the victory is not in the method. The victory, perhaps the needed miracle, is found through obedience to what God has said.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!