His_Name_Shall_Be_Called_week_2.docx

Devotional

Day 1: Mighty power in plain, ordinary packages

God’s might often hides inside small, simple moments. Israel longed for a conquering king, yet the Mighty God arrived as a child. Naaman reached for a dramatic miracle, yet healing came through muddy water and an ordinary command. The point is not the flash of the method, but the faithfulness of the One who speaks. When God chooses a simple path, He is not being stingy; He is teaching trust.

You may be watching for something spectacular and missing what is right in front of you—an invitation to pray before a meeting, to forgive a small offense, to take the next right step that looks unimpressive. The Mighty God loves to pour supernatural results through humble means. Look again at the ordinary instructions you’ve been given. Your obedience in the small things may be the doorway to His power.

Isaiah 9:6
A baby would be given to us, carrying authority on His shoulders. His very names reveal who He is—wise in counsel, strong as God, fatherly in care, and the One who brings deep peace.

Reflection: What is one small, specific act of obedience you have delayed because it feels too ordinary? Do it today before the day ends.

Day 2: Pride edits God’s map to healing

Naaman nearly forfeited his healing because he expected God to work on his terms. He wanted a prophet’s hand wave, a dramatic moment, and a cleaner river. Pride does this—it rewrites God’s directions to fit our preferences. It convinces us that certain solutions are beneath us, or that a path must be impressive to be effective.

Where might this be happening in you? Perhaps you want reconciliation without initiating a hard apology, or freedom without asking for help, or growth without practicing new habits. Pride clouds vision. But when Naaman listened to wise counsel and lowered himself into the Jordan, grace met him. Lay down the edits. Receive the map as God gives it.

2 Kings 5:11-14
Naaman got angry because he expected the prophet to meet him with ceremony and a dramatic gesture. His servants reasoned with him: if a hard task would have persuaded him, why not try this simple one? He went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, just as he was told. His skin became like that of a young boy, and he was made clean.

Reflection: Where are you resisting God’s method because it seems beneath you or different than you expected? Name it, and take one humble step in that very direction today (a phone call, an apology, a request for help).

Day 3: Humility clears space for God’s power

Humility is not self-hatred; it is honest surrender. Naaman removed his titles and armor to enter the river. In the same way, humility unclutters the heart so God can fill it. Scripture says God gives grace to the humble. Grace makes room where pride has made walls.

Today, humility might look like confessing a hidden struggle to a trusted believer, choosing the lower place when you want recognition, or thanking God for someone else’s success. As you lower yourself before Him, you will find He lifts you in ways you could never arrange for yourself.

James 4:6-10
God stands against the proud but pours out grace on those who are humble. So yield yourself to God. Stand firm against the enemy, and he will back away. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Clean up your actions and steady your divided heart. Bow low before the Lord, and He will raise you up at the right time.

Reflection: Choose one private act of humility you will practice today (for example, a hidden act of service, a confession, or asking for guidance). Do it without seeking credit.

Day 4: Visible wounds reveal hidden heart realities

In Scripture, leprosy often symbolizes an inner condition made visible. Our outward struggles—anger, anxiety, harsh words, isolation—can be signals of deeper heart matters like fear, unbelief, or pride. God does not expose these to shame us, but to invite deeper healing. He wants to deal not only with the symptoms, but with the source.

When you bring your inner life into God’s light, He is gentle and thorough. He knows what lies beneath the surface and how to lead you into freedom. Ask Him to search you. Name what He shows you. Then follow Him in the next step of repentance, trust, and new obedience.

Psalm 139:23-24
Look through me, God—see what is really in my heart. Point out anything twisted or harmful in me, and guide my feet along Your lasting way.

Reflection: Identify one recurring external struggle you faced this week. Ask God to show you the heart issue beneath it. Write down what you sense, confess it to Him, and choose one small, concrete action that aligns with the new way He is leading.

Day 5: The Holy One moves toward the untouchable

God does not shrink back from the unclean; He moves toward them. Jesus, the Mighty God in flesh, reached out and touched lepers. He was not contaminated by their uncleanness; they were changed by His nearness. This is His heart toward you. Whatever feels stained, ashamed, or unworthy—bring it into His presence. His touch makes clean.

And then, embody His heart. Move toward those others avoid—the overlooked coworker, the neighbor carrying shame, the family member who feels beyond help. When the people of Jesus draw near with compassion, the world sees the Mighty God at work through humble hands.

Luke 5:12-13
A man covered with leprosy fell before Jesus and begged, “If You want to, You can make me clean.” Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I do want to—be clean.” Instantly the disease left him.

Reflection: Who in your world feels “untouchable” or overlooked? Reach out today with a practical act of kindness and a word of dignity. Also bring one area of your own life that feels unclean to Jesus in prayer, asking for His willing touch.

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon:**

This week’s message in our “His Name Shall Be Called” series focused on the title “Mighty God” from Isaiah 9:6. We explored how God’s might is often revealed in unexpected, humble ways, using the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 as our main example. Naaman, a powerful and respected military leader, suffered from leprosy and almost missed his healing because of his pride and expectations of how God should work. Through the simple act of humbling himself and obeying God’s instructions—dipping seven times in the muddy Jordan River—Naaman experienced both physical healing and a revelation of God’s true power. The sermon challenged us to recognize how pride can blind us to God’s work, and how humility opens the door for the Mighty God to move in our lives. We were reminded that God’s power is not limited by our expectations, and that true transformation often requires us to lay down our pride and trust Him fully.

**K

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Power Often Comes in Unexpected Packages: Naaman expected a grand, impressive miracle, but God’s instruction was simple and even humbling. Sometimes, we miss God’s work in our lives because we’re looking for the spectacular, when He’s inviting us to trust Him in the ordinary. The true might of God is not always in the method, but in the outcome—He brings supernatural results through humble means.
2. Pride Can Blind Us to God’s Healing: Naaman’s pride almost kept him from the very place God wanted to heal him. Pride convinces us that we know better, or that certain solutions are beneath us. When we hold onto our pride, we risk missing out on the healing, restoration, and breakthrough that God wants to bring.
3. Humility Makes Room for God’s Power: Naaman’s healing came only after he stripped away his titles, his regalia, and his pride. Humility is not just a posture before God, but a necessary condition for experiencing His might. When we humble ourselves, we create space for God to move in ways we could never orchestrate on our own.
4. External Struggles Can Reveal Internal Realities: In Scripture, leprosy often symbolizes an internal issue of the heart—pride, unbelief, or sin—made visible. God sometimes allows external challenges to expose what’s really going on inside us, not to shame us, but to invite us into deeper healing. The process of facing our “leprosy” can be the very thing that leads us to encounter the Mighty God.
5. The Mighty God Draws Near to the Unclean: In both the Old and New Testaments, God does not shy away from those who are considered unclean or unworthy. Jesus, the Mighty God, touches and heals lepers, making the unclean clean. No matter how unworthy or broken we feel, God’s power is available to us if we will lay down our pride, receive His grace, and surrender our lives to Him.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: His Name Shall Be Called – Mighty God**

---

### Bible Reading

- **Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)**
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

- **2 Kings 5:1–15 (ESV)**
(The story of Naaman and his healing by obeying God’s instruction through Elisha.)

---

### Observation Questions

What was Naaman’s position and reputation before he sought healing, and what problem did he face?
How did Naaman initially respond to Elisha’s instructions to wash in the Jordan River?
What role did Naaman’s servants play in his decision to follow Elisha’s instructions?
After Naaman was healed, what did he say about God, and what did he want to do as a result?

---

### Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God chose such a simple and humbling method (washing in the Jordan) to heal Naaman, instead of something more impressive?
In what ways did Naaman’s pride almost keep him from experiencing God’s power? How does pride act as a barrier to God’s work in people’s lives?
The sermon mentioned that leprosy in the Bible often symbolizes an internal issue of the heart. What might God have been revealing to Naaman (and to us) through this outward struggle?
How does Naaman’s story help us understand what it means for God to be “Mighty God” in our own lives?

---

### Application Questions

Naaman almost missed his healing because he expected God to work in a certain way. Can you think of a time when your own expectations or pride kept you from seeing God at work? What happened?
The sermon said that “pride blinds us to the very place God plans to heal us.” Are there areas in your life right now where pride might be keeping you from receiving God’s help or direction? What would it look like to humble yourself in that area?
Naaman had to lay down his titles, his regalia, and his pride to receive healing. What are some “titles” or things you hold onto for identity or security that God might be asking you to lay down?
The story shows that God’s power often comes in unexpected, ordinary ways. Are there simple, everyday things God might be using in your life right now to show His power or teach you something? How can you be more open to seeing God in the ordinary?
The sermon talked about how God draws near to the unclean and makes them clean. Is there any area of your life where you feel “unclean” or unworthy? How does knowing that Jesus, the Mighty God, wants to draw near and heal you change the way you see yourself?
Humility is described as a necessary condition for experiencing God’s might. What is one practical step you can take this week to practice humility—either before God or with others?
The sermon ended with a challenge: “Are you willing to lay your pride on the cross to allow the Mighty God to move in your life?” What would that look like for you personally? Is there something specific you need to surrender to God today?

---

Sermon Quotes

Sometimes the simple answer is the last one we want to believe. God doesn't need spectacular steps to produce supernatural results.

Naaman had to learn that God’s power often shows up in ways that don’t match our expectations; God is mighty not because His methods look mighty, but because His results always are.

Pride blinds us to the very place God plans to heal us. When you strip off pride, you make room for the Mighty God’s power.

Naaman was a proud, accomplished leader whose pride almost cost him the healing he needed; he was almost too good for his own good.

Throughout the Old Testament, God gives leprosy as an external indicator of an internally diseased heart, making outward condition reveal inward corruption to everyone.

Pride will kill you and cause you to miss out on what the Mighty God wants to do in your life and relationships.

The New Testament makes it clear: God opposes the proud but exalts the humble; humility ushers in God’s movement and relational flourishing.

When both people choose humility instead of pride they serve each other, and relationships thrive; humility transforms marriages and frees people to say "I'm sorry. "

You and I are born with sin in our lives, we are spiritually unclean, and this amazing, Mighty God chooses to draw near us, and make us clean if we will lay down our pride.

Naaman stripped off his military regalia, laid down his pride, stepped into dirty water seven times—and after the seventh dip his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child.

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Give me some sermon illustration ideas

Create a fill-in-the-blank worksheet

Sermon structure and transition feedback

Sermon application ideas