"He was a ...mighty man...but a leper." 2Kings 5:1

In examining the story of Naaman the leper, we begin by looking at his condition. "Naaman, commander of the army of ...Syria, was a great...man...but a leper." In spite of his past victories and present honors, he had a hidden problem that wouldn't stay hidden long. Left un-dealt with, it would eventually destroy him. Can you relate? Today the odds may be in your favor. You've graduated from the best university, you've a good family, you've built a church or business, or climbed to the top in your career. Yet before you can qualify for greater blessings God will force you to deal with a condition that 's hidden beneath your armour. Outstanding people in every occupation, particularly spiritual ones go through it. It's what sets them apart. It's what ushers them across the bridge from mediocre to exceptional. Without obstacles we will always be ordinary! We're not talking about petty little problems. We're talking about issues so overwhelming you can't sleep; gut-wrenching things that cause your heart to skip a beat and make you fear 'this is the one that's going to take me out!" It's the thing you pray about in secret. It's what you don't want people to see. So like Naaman, you wear your "brass," then go home and agonize over your condition. Understand this: God teaches some of His greatest lessons in the valleys of life. That's where you learn to lie prostrate before Him, weeping and broken. It's where you pray: "God, don't let this thing destroy me. Deal with it through the power of your spirit." And here's the good news: that kind of prayer brings deliverance.