MEMORISE:
Receive my instruction, and not silver; a n d knowledge rather than choice gold.
Proverbs 8:10
READ: 2 Kings 5:1-14
1 Now 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.
2 And 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.
3 And 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.
4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5 And 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.
6 And 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.
7 And 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.
8 And 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.
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10 And 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.
11 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.
12 Are 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.
13 And 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?
14 Then 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.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2025 TODAY MESSAGE
In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the widow of one of the sons of the prophets was in debt, and the creditors told her that they would take her children as slaves if she failed to pay the debt. She ran to Elisha for help, and the man of God gave her instructions that seemed foolish.
He told her to borrow many empty vessels from her neighbours and pour from the little bottle of oil she had into them. Miraculously, all the empty vessels were filled with oil. A lot of times, God’s instructions might seem not to make sense, but if you can just obey Him, you will experience a miracle.
Many years ago, the General Superintendent of the RCCG, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, told all the church workers at a meeting that the church had a great need that must be met by the following week. He added that all the workers should close their accounts and bring the money in them to church the next Sunday. My wife and I obeyed; we closed our savings accounts and took the money to church.
The following Sunday, Papa said that the need had been met and asked how many people had closed their accounts. I and my wife raised our hands, but when I looked around, no other hands were raised.
I began to think to myself, “It seems I have run mad in the name of religion,” then I heard God say, “Son, you are not mad; I am setting you up so that when I take you to the height I plan to take you, nobody will be able to accuse me of being partial.” It is usually not convenient to obey God’s instructions. However, if you dare to obey, you will enjoy unusual results.
In today’s Bible reading, Naaman, the Syrian, went to Elisha expecting a miracle. He expected the prophet to come outside and lay hands on him, but Elisha sent a messenger to him with a simple instruction: go to River Jordan and bathe seven times.
As long as he kept arguing with that instruction, he remained a leper. However, the moment he obeyed the instruction, he was healed, and his flesh became like that of a little child.
Beloved, God is always willing to give you a miracle, but you must obey His instructions even when they seem foolish.
OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2025 KEY POINT
Obedience to God’s instructions births tremendous miracles and breakthroughs.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 4-8
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 16 JULY 2025 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 8:10
“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.”
This verse elevates divine wisdom above material wealth. It reminds us that obedience to God’s instructions—no matter how unconventional—yields greater rewards than human reasoning or resources ever could.
BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 5:1-14
The story of Naaman’s healing reveals a profound truth: miracles follow obedience, not expectations. Though Naaman expected a dramatic prophetic gesture (v. 11), his breakthrough came through humbling himself to dip seven times in the Jordan River (v. 14).
The Power of Obedience to Divine Instructions
The devotional presents two key stories (the widow’s oil and Pastor Adeboye’s financial surrender) to teach that God’s methods often defy human logic but always produce supernatural results.
1. When God’s Instructions Seem Foolish
- The Widow’s Oil (2 Kings 4:1-7):
- Human Perspective: “How can one bottle fill many vessels?”
- Divine Reality: Her obedience activated multiplication (Luke 6:38).
- Naaman’s Healing (2 Kings 5:10-14):
- Human Perspective: “Why Jordan River? Why seven dips?”
- Divine Reality: His submission broke pride and released healing.
2. Obedience Requires Sacrifice
- Pastor Adeboye’s Testimony:
- Closing his savings account seemed irrational, but it:
- Proved his trust in God over money (Matthew 6:24).
- Positioned him for future favor (Luke 16:10-12).
- Key Lesson: God often tests our willingness to surrender what we cherish (Genesis 22:12).
- Closing his savings account seemed irrational, but it:
3. Why God Uses Unconventional Methods
- To Humble Human Pride (1 Corinthians 1:27-29):
- Naaman’s healing required him to abandon his status (v. 11-13).
- To Test Faith (Hebrews 11:6):
- The widow had to borrow vessels before seeing oil flow (2 Kings 4:3).
- To Remove Dependence on People:
- Elisha didn’t even meet Naaman face-to-face—God alone got the glory.
How to Respond to God’s “Foolish” Instructions
- Suspend Human Logic (Isaiah 55:8-9):
- Ask: “Is this instruction aligned with Scripture?” If yes, obey without debate.
- Act Immediately (James 1:22):
- Delayed obedience = disobedience (Jonah 1:1-3).
- Expect Resistance (John 15:18-20):
- Like Pastor Adeboye, you may be the only one obeying—stand firm.
- Focus on the Promise (Hebrews 10:36):
- Naaman’s seventh dip brought healing—persist to completion.
Warning: The Cost of Disobedience
- Naaman Almost Missed His Miracle (2 Kings 5:11-12):
- His initial refusal kept him in leprosy.
- Many Workers Kept Their Accounts (Pastor Adeboye’s Story):
- Their partial obedience cost them divine positioning.
Conclusion: Dare to Obey
Ask yourself:
- “What ‘foolish’ instruction has God given me that I’ve delayed obeying?”
- “Am I trying to edit God’s commands to fit my comfort?”
Prayer:
“Lord, give me the courage to obey You completely, even when it doesn’t make sense. Let my surrender become the gateway for Your miracles, in Jesus’ name!”
Remember: Unusual obedience triggers unusual breakthroughs. Your Jordan River moment is waiting—will you dip seven times?
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Samuel 15:22).