experienced a new sensation; and so they are waiting for something
of the kind. But you can't find any place in Scripture where you are
told to wait for anything of the kind. You are just to obey what God
tells you to do, and let your feelings take care of themselves. I
can't control my feelings. I can't make myself feel good and bad
when I want to, but I can obey God. God gives me the power. He
doesn't command me to do something and not give me the power to do
it. With the command comes the power.

Now, Naaman could do what the prophet told him; he could go down to
the Jordan, and he could dip seven times; and that is what the Lord
had for him to do; and if we are going to get into the kingdom of
God, right at the threshold of that kingdom we have to learn this
doctrine of obedience, to do whatsoever He tells us.

I can fancy Naaman still reluctant to believe in it, saying, "Why,
if there is such cleansing power in the waters of Jordan, would not
every leper in Israel go down and dip in them, and be healed?"

"Well, but you know," urges the servant, "now that you have come a
hundred and fifty miles, don't you think you had better do what he
tells you? After all, you can but try it. He sends word distinctly,
my lord, that your flesh shall come again as that of a little
child."

Naaman accepts this word in season. His anger is cooling down. He
has got over the first flush of his indignation. He says:

"Well, I think I might as well try it."

That was

THE STARTING-POINT OF HIS FAITH,

although still he thought it a foolish thing, and could not bring
himself to believe that the result would be what the prophet had
said.

At last Naaman's will was conquered, and he surrendered. When
General Grant was besieging a town which was a stronghold of the
Southern Confederacy, some of the officers sent word that they would
leave the city if he would let them go with their men. But General
Grant sent word:

"No, nothing but an unconditional surrender!"

Then they sent word that they would go if he would let them take
their flag with them. But the answer was: "No, an unconditional
surrender."

At last the beleagured walls were broken down, and the city entered,
and then the enemy made a complete and unconditional surrender.
Well, it was so with Naaman; he got to that point when he was
willing to obey, and the Scripture tell us, "To obey is better than
to sacrifice."

God wants obedience. Naaman had to learn this