The Extra Mile

What if the one thing you can’t fix is the very thing God is using to set you free? We walk through Naaman’s story in 2 Kings 5 and uncover how a celebrated commander with a hidden wound meets a simple, humbling command—and finds more than a cure. From the first moments, we center on Hebrews 4:12 and the living power of Scripture to expose motives, comfort anxious hearts, and reshape the path forward when pride, fear, or anger cloud our judgment.

A surprising voice leads the way: a young captive girl who refuses silence. Her quiet courage points Naaman to a prophet, and her example challenges us to love our enemies, go the extra mile, and break tension with humility and truth. We connect these moments to Matthew 5, showing how turning the other cheek and walking further than required are not weak moves but strong acts of obedience that open doors for reconciliation. Along the way, we dismantle the myth that God’s favor can be bought—grace is a free gift that invites a lifetime of faithful steps, not a transaction sealed by status or wealth.

When Naaman finally reaches Elisha, the instruction is plain: wash in the Jordan seven times. No spectacle. No title. No shortcuts. We explore how pride resists ordinary obedience and why perseverance matters when nothing seems to change on dip one through six. The turning point arrives when Naaman yields to God’s way, and the transformation reaches deeper than skin. We close by reframing obstacles as invitations from God, urging you to stand firm on the Word, speak hope when silence feels safer, and trust that obedience in small, steady steps prepares the ground for miracles.

Subscribe, share this with someone who needs courage today, and leave a review telling us: what’s your “Jordan” and what step of obedience comes next?

Chapters

• 0:00 The Power Of God’s Word
• 0:21 Introducing Naaman’s Hidden Struggle
• 3:40 The Captive Girl Points To Healing
• 5:16 Go The Extra Mile In Conflict
• 7:15 Love Enemies And Shine The Light
• 10:35 Speak Up: Kingdom Business Over Silence
• 13:32 You Can’t Buy God’s Favor
• 15:43 Elisha’s Call And Bold Witness
• 18:00 Naaman’s Pride And The Jordan Test
• 20:09 Obedience Unlocks The Miracle
• 21:15 From Disease To Opportunity
• 22:21 Stand Firm And Closing Prayer

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:07

Hey, what's going on, everybody? This is Pastor Lee Day, and I pastor Christ Family Outreach Church located in Amelia County, Virginia. Just want to say thank you for tuning in to this episode of Beyond Sunday. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 says this, my friends. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Let me just tell you this: the word of God is powerful. That's right. The word of God is powerful. God's word, when you let it get up on the inside of you, when you accept the word of God as truth and you choose to walk in it, it will change your life forever. God's word will renew you. It will strengthen you. It will grow you. It will mold you in to be the person that God has called you to be, that person that you thought you could never ever be. It can take the hardest heart and it can turn it into a heart of compassion. It can take anxiety and kick it out and give you peace. God's word through it, grudges are released. Prisoners are set free. Marriages are healed. Can we just say amen to that, my good friends? Is there anyone listening to this episode right now that could just give God Almighty a clap of praise because his word has changed you from the inside out? Can we just say amen to that? Today we're going to talk about a man named Naman. And according to 2 Kings chapter 5, verse 1, Naman is a commander of the army of the king of Syria, and he was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord God had given victory to Syria. But here's the thing about Naman, because the first verse also tells us this that Naman, he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. That's right, he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now I want you to think about this because maybe you can place yourself into the sandals, if you will, of Naman. Maybe you don't have leprosy, but maybe you got something else going on. Everything was going well for Naman, except for this thing called leprosy. As successful as Naman was, Naman still wrestled with something. Even in all of his accomplishments, even with all of his victories, he still had something in life that he was wrestling with. And maybe you're there right now, okay? Maybe you're there right now. You're not a leper, but you still got something that you're wrestling with in your life right now. Whatever it is, no matter how much success you gain, no matter how many friends you get, no matter how everything may be going the way in life for you that you hoped it would, there's still that one thing that tends to just always be there, and you're wrestling with it. It could be something that you're wrestling with spiritually. You could be wrestling with it mentally, emotionally, even physically. Everything else in life is good except for that one thing. 2 Kings chapter 5, verses 2 through 3 say this. Now the Syrians, on one of their raids, had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naman's wife. She said to her mistress, Would that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy. So Naman went in and told his Lord, Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And so he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Wow! What love! What amazing love that this girl had been carried off away from her home, away from her family in a raid, and forced to serve Namon's wife. She didn't have to share the good news about the prophet, did she? She didn't have to share the good news that the prophet could heal Naman. Or did she? She knew the prophet knew and heard from God. She knew God could heal Naman, and even being taken away in a raid and forced to serve a family, not her own, she still loved and respected people enough. Catch this. She still loved and respected people enough, my friends, to lead them to the truth. And man, what amazing love. Matthew chapter 5, 38 through 42 says this. You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. Listen, my friends, the next time you get into a little rift in a friendship, in a relationship, maybe in your marriage, maybe with a coworker or boss or supervisor or something of that nature, I just want to encourage you. Do what you just heard in scripture. Go the extra mile. And maybe when some tensions arise, you just need to hit the pause button, make sure that you don't overheat. And even with great faith, and this is a great way to do a little testimony time or a little outreach, you can look at the person and say, you know what? You're gonna force me to go the extra mile with you today, aren't you? You're gonna force me to go the extra mile with you today. And they can look at you and say, Well, what in the world are you talking about? You say, Well, you know, Pastor Lee on his podcast was talking about the need to go the extra mile because that's what the word of God calls us to. I mean, think about that. It'd be a great way to break the ice, too. You know, a great way to break the tension in the room, to just look at someone and just put a smile on your face, to just breathe a little bit and calm down and say, you're gonna force me to go the extra mile with you, aren't you? You see, I think about how much would be different if we had that type of obedience to the word of God at all times in our life. If we were willing to go the extra mile rather than simply shut it down or take the quick exit ramp off the highway of relationships. The 43rd verse going through Matthew chapter 5, 43 through 48, says this. You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven. For he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you've loved those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same. You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. You know, even as even as I'm recording this episode right now, I'm I I just truly feel in the spirit that I'm ministering to some people out there right now in this moment that are that are going through some things with people. They got some issues in relationship with people. They they've they've got some people that they're not liking right now. And I just want to encourage you in the name of our Lord, go the extra mile. Remember, the girl spoke up, okay, and offered help to Naman. Remember, she speaks up and she offers help. She offers healing and deliverance when it could have been easy for most people to remain silent. Now, if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down. The girl was willing to share a better way. Okay? The girl was willing to share a better way. Are you willing to share a better way right now? Right now in your life, at your job, in your home, in your marriage? Are you willing to share a better way? And I'm just gonna tell you, if you're looking for the better way, you can find it every single time in the word of God. Can we just say amen to that, my good friends? You see, we too as followers of Jesus Christ should also be willing to share the better way in life. And that way has a name. And his name, say with me, is Jesus Christ, King of all kings and Lord of all lords. God moved through the words of a little girl in order to move the heart of a king. Did you hear that? Did you hear that? God moved through the words of a little girl in order to move the heart of a king. Remember, the king, he signs off on it. He lets Naman go on. Okay? So never underestimate what God can do through you. If God is speaking through this little girl to motivate and move the heart of a king, to free up Naman, to be able to go on his way, to go get his healing, to go receive his miracle. If God could speak and witness through that little girl, then let me just say this God can do it through you as well. Moving on. 2 Kings chapter 5, verses 4 through 7 says this. So Namon went in and told his Lord, Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And so he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he bought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent you Naman, my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy. And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, Am I God to kill and to make alive that this man sends word to me to cure man of his leprosy? Only consider and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me. You see, the king sent riches with the mon hoping to win the favor of the king of Israel. Now let me just say this: you cannot buy or bribe the favor of God, and you cannot buy or purchase your way into heaven. Romans 6.23 says this for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Okay? I want you to hear that again. Romans 6.23, for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. That's right, it's a free gift. Salvation is given to you. It is a free gift. Should you choose to receive, accept it, and walk in it today and become a born-again creature in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. The salvation God offers is free. And that's good news because we could not afford it if we had to pay for it. Freely it was given, freely it is received. Now, once received, it takes obedience on your part and my part to continue to walk in it. Can we say amen to that? Second Kings chapter 5, verse 8 says this. But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel. Again, we see a situation where someone could have stayed quiet and minded their own business, but instead they spoke up in order to offer help. Am I speaking to anyone out there listening to this episode right now? Where maybe you're staying quiet when you know a better way. Maybe you're staying quiet and you shouldn't be quiet. You should remain quiet no longer. Maybe you know the better way, and it's time that you stand up. It's time that you speak out. It's time that you show people the truth. It's time that you take the veil off and let the light of Christ shine brightly from your life and be the testimony that God has called you to be. Shine the light of Christ in you that God has called you to shine. Be the ambassador of God, the representative of God the Father, as he has called you to be. It's time for you to be who God's called you to be, right where God has planted your two feet. Can we say amen to that, my friends? Now think about this. To those who have the mindset of not reaching out or sharing the gospel message because you want to mind your own business? Let me talk to you for a moment. If your way of thinking is that you got to mind your own business, here's something to think about. How many souls must go to hell so you don't have to get up into their business? That's right. I said it. I said it. I'm gonna say it again. How many souls have to go to hell so you don't have to get up into somebody else's business? You see, you can look at it like this. I'm not in their business. I'm all about kingdom business. Can we say hallelujah? Praise God to that. I'm not in their business. I'm gonna be about kingdom business. Our desire as ambassadors of Jesus Christ should be to lead as many people to the saving knowledge of Jesus as possible. And if I've got to enter into their space to do it, then that's what I'm gonna do. If I've got to enter into their business in a moment to do it for a moment, then that's what I'm gonna have to do. And I'm perfectly okay and willing to do that because here's the deal. If I was in a building that was on fire, I would want someone to come get up in my business, tell me to stop doing what I'm doing, put down what I'm doing, and get me out of that building that was on fire. I would want someone to rescue me from the flames. Now the ninth verse says this. So Namon came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house. Moving on through verse 10. And Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean. But Naman was angry and went away, saying, Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Verse 12 says, Are not Abanah and Farpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. Now, you would think that one who was a leper would be happy if all they had to do to be cured was simply go and wash seven times in the Jordan River. But my friends, here's the problem. Naaman had already figured out in his mind how he wanted to be healed. On his way to the prophet's house, he's seeing it in his mind. He's letting it all play out in his head. He's thinking that the man of God would simply come out, stand there, and call upon the name of the Lord God, wave his hand over the infected area and cure him. And my friends, when it didn't go down that way, when it didn't happen the way that Namon had hoped it would happen, he threw a fit over it. That's right, he threw a fit over it because it didn't go the way that he had hoped it would. The sin of pride had taken over. The 13th verse says, This, my friends. But his servants came near and said to him, My father, it is a great word. The prophet has spoken to you. Will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, Wash and be clean? So he went down, verse 14. So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Naman almost missed it. He almost missed his miracle. He almost missed his healing because Naman wanted it his own way. Today, people in this world are gonna miss opportunities of salvation because they want it their way. There's gonna be Christians that just don't go any deeper in their faith because they simply want it done their way. Dr. Donald Gray Barnhouse was a Christian preacher who once said, and I quote, listen to this. Everybody has the privilege of going to heaven God's way or going to hell their own way, unquote. Oh man. That's deep right there, brothers and sisters. That's some deep stuff right there. Listen to it again. Everybody has the privilege of going to heaven God's way or going to hell their own way, unquote. First Corinthians chapter 1, 18 says this. For the word of the cross is folly or foolish. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. Imagine if Naman would have quit on the fifth or the sixth dip. He would have missed his healing. If he had been so frustrated that that there was no change, hear that now. No change on the first time, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, that he just gets up out of the water and he goes home. Pride gets in the way, he's embarrassed, he's feeling uh like people are maybe mocking him. And I'm just getting out of here. Nothing changing physically on the outside. But what he couldn't see was what God was working up. With each dip, Naman was getting closer to where God wanted him to be in obedience. And it was about more than just the physical healing. Watch what happened next. Praise God Almighty, hallelujah. Glory to God. Watch what happens next. Because the 15th verse says this. Then he returned to the man of God and all his company, and he came and stood before him, and he said, Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So accept now a present from your servant. But he said, As the Lord God lives before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused. Naman saw the leprosy as a disease. God saw it as an opportunity. Had it not been for the leprosy, Naman never would have approached Elisha's house. Now, don't get frustrated by what you see. Don't get frustrated by what you hear. Remember, in the beginning of this episode, I was telling you that you could have everything going on in the way that you wanted to go on. Everything could seem just right, just perfect, but maybe you're wrestling that one thing. I want to encourage you today, friends. Don't be frustrated. Don't be frustrated. Do not accept defeat. Do not let fear ruin you. Do not let anxiety bring you to ruin. Don't let the one thing, or maybe even many things that you're battling against. And that's trying to beat you down. Don't let that be the thing that takes you out of here. Trust that God is working it all out for his glory. Because you may see it as just that one thing that's trying to take you out. But God sees it as another opportunity to lift you up. Let's pray. Father, in the name of the blood of Jesus, I just thank you so much for these listeners. I thank you, Father, most of all for your son Jesus. I thank you for your word. I thank you, Father, that we could get into your word. And because it is truth, it brings life and we can rejoice and celebrate and just have fun digging into the scriptures. God, I pray that the listeners have seen as they have listened to this episode of Beyond Sunday, they have seen how they can take your truth and apply it into their own lives right now. And I pray, Lord, that scales would be removed and people would be able to see clearly the attack of the enemy and understand that we are already, as Christians, standing from a position of victory. We're not going to let the one thing take us out. We're not going to let the one thing take our legs out from up underneath of us. We are going to stand tall, standing on the rock, standing on the word of God, standing on our faith. We thank you, Father, that your word is the foundation in our lives. We love you. We praise you. We honor you. In the mighty, precious, powerful, cleansing name and blood of Jesus Christ. All God's people said. Amen, amen, and amen.