The Power of Pleasing God | Jentezen Franklin
Sunday, December 8
Scriptures
2 Kings 5:10-17, 20-27, 8:1-13, Luke 12:16-21, Matthew 6:33, Joel 2:25-26
Introduction
Welcome to our group study guide for “The Power of Pleasing God”, a recent sermon by Pastor Franklin that explores the importance of aligning our actions with God's will to enrich our lives. It’s a reminder that the only thing that makes you rich toward God is what you do for others. So be rich in winning souls, helping the poor, and doing what’s right.
Simply put, when we align our lives with God's will, He promises restoration, satisfaction, and a life marked by His blessings.
Lessons in Faith, Integrity, and Wisdom from 2 Kings 5 & 8:
Naaman
Naaman, a respected Syrian commander, sought healing from his leprosy. Despite his initial belief that his wealth and status could secure his healing, Naaman faced a humbling challenge: obey the prophet Elisha’s simple instruction to wash seven times in the Jordan River. At first, he resisted, considering the act beneath him. However, his eventual submission demonstrated the transformative power of humility and obedience. After his healing, Naaman never worship to any other god again (2 Kings 5:17).
Lesson: Naaman’s healing served as a testament to God’s sovereignty and grace, which cannot be bought or earned, but must be received through faith and the humility of submitting to God's simple yet profound commands.
- How do pride and self-reliance hinder us from fully trusting God?
- Are there areas in your life where you resist God’s simple instructions because they seem too ordinary or beneath you?
- How can you cultivate humility and obedience in your walk with God?
Gehazi
Elisha, the prophet further emphasized refused Naaman’s gifts, showing that God’s blessings are not commodities to be traded. Yet Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, allowed greed to cloud his judgment. Gehazi kept the reward that Elisha had declined and he dishonored God’s provision. As a result, Gehazi was struck with Naaman’s leprosy, a stark reminder that selfishness and disobedience lead to devastating consequences.
Lesson: God’s desire is for us to trust His ways, even when they challenge our pride or understanding.
- What does this story teach about the consequences of greed and dishonesty?
The Shunammite Woman
She took Elisha's advice to leave Israel with her son because of the famine. After seven years, she returned and sought to reclaim her property. She was then granted all her possessions, including all the income her land had generated from the time she left until her return.
Lesson: The Shunammite woman's story teaches us the value of proactive faith and the power of asking for what is rightfully ours. This underscores the principle that you will not receive if you do not ask.
- Can you think of personal or contemporary examples where asking was crucial to receiving?
Hazael
Hazael, a servant of Ben-Hadad, sent to Elisha to inquire about the king's illness and also brings Elisha a gift from Ben-Hadad. Hazael later prophesied to become king and to cause suffering territories of Israel and Judah.
Lesson: This lesson underscores that with knowledge comes responsibility, and how one acts upon that knowledge can lead to significant, sometimes tragic, outcomes.
- How does his response to this knowledge illustrate the responsibility that comes with knowing something significant? Discuss how we should handle knowledge that could affect others' lives.
Elisha in 2 Kings 5
The prophet of God in Israel who gives instructions for Naaman's healing and refuses his gift in exchange for healing. Elijah also confronts Gehazi for his deceit and pronounces punishment on him to be stricken with leprosy. (2 Kings 5)
Lesson: Elisha's refusal to accept gifts from Naaman demonstrates a profound lesson in maintaining the purity of one's service to God. His actions teach that true ministry is not about personal enrichment but about serving faithfully, which sometimes means rejecting benefits that could compromise one's mission or message.
Elisha in 2 Kings 8
Elisha later travels to Syria where he encounters King Ben-hadad, who is sick and seeking healing. The king sends Hazael with a generous gift of forty camels laden with riches to inquire if he will recover. This gift was worth way more than if he had not obeyed God and refused the payment from Naaman, but now, around 7-10 years later, Elisha chooses to receive a different gift – only for answering a question!
He predicts to Hazael that Ben-hadad will recover from his disease but not survive because Hazael will become king, which Hazael interprets as a prompt to hasten this process by smothering the king. (2 Kings 8)
Lesson: Elisha's acceptance of a gift from Ben-hadad, differing from his earlier refusal, shows the importance of flexibility in timing and heeding God's voice on when to accept offerings, trusting that obedience might lead to God's greater plans.
- How can one discern when to accept or reject benefits in their service to others or to God?
Gehazi and the Rich Man - Lessons on Wealth and Faith
Gehazi and the rich man in Luke 12 both chose material gain over spiritual wealth, missing out on divine blessings. Gehazi accepted gifts against Elisha's command, while the rich man hoarded his wealth, only to lose everything at death. Pastor Franklin's candy coins illustration underscores that earthly possessions are transient, passing to others after we die and insignificant in God's glory.
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)
In the parable, the rich man built many barns to store an excess of his crop, saving it for himself. However, that night the man was required to surrender his soul. Jesus wanted to teach the people about giving, trusting God for their needs and the treasures stored in heaven.
In one night, the rich man’s accomplishments were gone.
He planned his life, but he did not prepare for the time of his death. The fact that the man was rich was not the problem; God considered the man a fool because he did not take care to store up treasure in heaven.
This man had everything on earth but did not have God; therefore, he had nothing.
God promises to provide for our needs just as He provides for the birds and lilies of the field.
- How do the stories of Gehazi and the rich man in Luke 12 illustrate the pitfalls of prioritizing material wealth over spiritual wealth? Discuss personal experiences or observations where this struggle might be evident in modern life.
- How can we cultivate a deeper trust in God to provide for our needs, akin to how He cares for the birds and lilies?
- The parable concludes with the rich man's life being demanded of him, leaving his amassed wealth behind. What practical steps can we take today to ensure we are "rich toward God" rather than accumulating for ourselves?
Read the verse below and discuss how they deepen your faith.
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) ‘Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”’
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Please take a moment to consider your heavenly treasure. We are all promised a tomorrow; are you preparing for your heavenly treasures today?
Search your heart and determine if you can trust God for your every need.
Conclusion
Obedience to God, as seen in the stories of Naaman, Gehazi, the Shunammite Woman, and Elisha often requires humility and trust in His ways, which may challenge our pride or expectations. Yet, as Pastor Franklin highlights, the rewards of pleasing God surpass our imaginations—bringing healing, restoration, and peace.
There will be times when God requires great obedience and trust. It may not seem like that big of a deal in the moment, but if you pass the test of obedience, the camels of blessing are coming your way.
Remember, obedience to God’s direction to seek Him first unlocks His promises in our lives.
- How can you take a practical step this week to prioritize pleasing God in a specific area of your life?
Key Points
- Humble yourself. Pride will keep you from experiencing the miraculous. But God cannot resist Himself from someone who humbles himself.
- Take holy ground with you. When you encounter the power of God, you will never want to kneel to another god again. Honor God with your obedience and take God’s presence with you in whatever you do.
- There is a time for everything. Sometimes, God will test you to see what’s in your heart. But remember that God will not withhold anything good from you if you walk upright. When you surrender everything to God, He will bless you more than you expected and restore everything you’ve lost.
- Don’t cling to what doesn’t matter. When you die, you won’t have any of your earthly possessions; someone else will. When you get to Heaven, the only thing that will matter is if you are rich toward God. God must be over your money, or money will be over your God. When God asks you for a seed, it is because He has a harvest in mind.
Resources