"TAKING A DIP"...................................................(2 Kings 5:1-19)
For those of you who's religion and church attendence comes in "spells", this message will be of no interest to you.  This is a sermon only for christians who are actually focused on a closer walk with God!
The story of Naaman's conversion is the only experience in the ministry of Elisha mentioned in the NT.  (Luke 4:27-"Many lepers were in  Israel in the time of  Elisha the prophet; and none of them was healed, saving Naaman the Syrian.")
*NAAMAN WAS DISTINGUISHED- 
(a)-His POSITION..."Captain"   This position was equal in America to the head of the joint chiefs of staff!  He had the highest position in the military; a General of generals!
(b)-His PREFERENCE..."great man with his master"
Ben-Hadad II was his king, and there was no jealousy between them!
(c)-His PRAISE..."honorable"
This means the PEOPLE liked him to!!!
(d)-His PERFORMANCE..."By him the Lord gave deliverance"
The bible also states that he was a "mighty man of valour"!  Just because he was all of this, and God used him DIDN'T mean he was a saint!-(Rooster/Donkey/Ravens)

*NAAMAN WAS DISEASED-
"BUT HE WAS A LEPER"!!!    You see, even though he was a powerful and popular man, there was not a single poor slave in his homeland who would trade places with him if they could!

LEPROSY WAS:
DEFILING!........*Gods law required all lepers to cry UNCLEAN UNCLEAN!!!  Naaman had everthing a man could wish for, but he wasn't CLEAN YET!
DISFIGURING...*Leprosy takes something beautiful and messes it all up!  That is what sin does to individuals and relationships today!
DEADENING.....*We think of it as a skin problem; but it is nerologically connected.  It numbs body parts.  Many lepers have been known to have their fingers and toes chewed off by rats as they slept!  SIN ALSO DEADENS AND NUMBS OUR FEELINGS AND HEARTS TO THINGS!
DISASSOCIATING...*Lepers were ACCEPTED IN SYRIA, but in Israel they were banished from society!
DEADLY...........*Today, leprosy can be cured with a shot; but i
In those days there was no cure for leprosy!

The best thing in the kings house that day wasn't the furniture, but a "praying saint"!  A little jewish slave-girl whispered that there was a prophet in Israel that could heal Naaman...and so with some financial help (about 4 mil$) from the king, he took his journey.....but he went to Israel's king for the healing first!-(GOVERNMENT BAILOUTS!)
Finally, Naaman went to the prophet Elisha.  He sent the WORD OF GOD out by a messenger to him to "dip in Jordan 7 times"!-(Big time govt. officials have trouble with instructions from the bible!)
	(v.11-"I thought..he would strike his hand over the place!")....The little maiden said ELISHA, not 	ERNEST ANGLEY!!!  Our "thinking" will always get us in trouble!  (Isa.55:8-"My thoughts are not 	your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord.")Naaman was "denying the 	power" of God! 
Naaman wished to be treated like a GREAT MAN that happened to be a leper; but Elisha treated him like a LEPER who happened to be a great man!   (ELISHA WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT NAAMANS DISEASE THAN HIS DIGNITY!!!)
*(v.12) says Naaman was "WROTH"...but (v.14) says Naaman was "CLEAN"!!!  Somethings you have to get people MAD before they can get cleaned up!!!
There were 2 miracles that day in the muddy Jordan River....a physical miracle, and a spiritual!  His body would get old and die later on, but his character was forever altered!
(1)-The COMPANY he sought!-(v.15)
To return from the Jordan River to Samaria where Elisha was took several days and an extra 50 miles...yet he wanted to be where God's man was!  This is a slap-in-the-face to all of you who whine because you have to do a little extra at the churchhouse!!!
(2)-The CONFESSION he made!-(v.15, 17)
Jehovah God is the ONLY God!!!  Naaman requested in (v.17) "two mules burden of earth" to take back to Syria!!! (You ought to appreciate the dirt this building is built on!)
(3)-The CHARITY he offered!-(v.15-16)
Remember, Ben-hadad and Naaman brought that money and raiment thinking it would purchase healing!  Knowing that was the original intent of those items, Elisha refused to accept them. (Zacchaeus!)
The CONSCIENCE he evidenced!-(v.18)
RIMMON was the chief god of the Syrians.  It was Naamans JOB to kneel with his king before the idol god regularly.....and that BOTHERED NAAMAN ALREADY!!!  Naaman was saying, "I may bow in POSITION, but never in my heart Elisha!!!"  Elisha replied that "GOD UNDERSTANDS THOSE QUESTIONABLE THINGS OF LIFE!    It is important to note that the prophet didn't condone entrance into Rimmon's Temple....We would have liked to have seen a clean break with idolatry, but Elisha realized that Naaman was a new convert, and needed time for God's grace to work in his life!  Naaman was a baby who had to GROW!  "Go in peace"-(v.19) the prophet said.
(Titus 2:11-12-"grace of God that bringeth salvation....teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly...")