The Holy Spirit in a Slave Girl

She said to her mistress, If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy. 2 Kings 5: 3.

Most believers, if not all believers, know or have heard of Prophet Elisha curing Naaman, the Syrian Captain, of his dreaded leprosy. Today however, we are being reminded of the faith and trust of a slave girl, and how the Spirit of God uses her in a mighty way. Too often we dismiss, half mention, or mention only in passing, vessels whom God has used to prepare, or make the way for many of His great and marvellous works.

Such is the case of a nameless Israeli girl, who has suffered one of the most dastardly, harrowing experiences, for mature people, far more for a young girl.  This is all we are told about her case. Bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel and she served Naaman’s wife. 2 Kings 5: 2. 

What do we know? We know that she is young and she has been taken away from her home place, her mother and father, her relatives and friends. She has also been taken away from her religion for she is not in a place where the One True God is worshipped and honoured. What can we infer? We can confidently infer that as an Israelite, she would have been schooled in the commands and laws of Moses. She would be a person of prayer, praying as she was taught by her family. We know that she believes in God and His Almighty Power as demonstrated in His seer. 

Now note! In this foreign place, in this place to which she has been taken captive, a place where Jehovah is not respected or revered, we witness here, the heart and mind she demonstrates. Who else but the Spirit of God is evidenced here?

Who else, but the Spirit of God, gives her the disposition not to be vengeful and quietly antagonistic towards those in whose house she has been placed? Who else, but the Spirit of God, makes her so free and caring, as to have a heart that only wants good for one who has taken her as a slave in his house? She was never a slave in her life back home.

Who else, but the Spirit of God, grants her the deep faith and trust in the seer back home, to be able to speak about him and his miracle-performing works, in a foreign place, where she is a captured slave?

Who else but the Spirit of God, endues her with the boldness to not just testify about the seer, but she is doubly bold to give her slave-owners, the dead assurance that the seer back home will heal her master?

I ask you, is this not the Holy Spirit Himself, working mightily and freely in this captured vessel? Have you ever stopped to think of some of these facts, and others as well, which show the total boldness, fearlessness and Spirit-orchestrated talk in one in whom He dwells? This girl knows about the works of the Spirit of God, as He gives open manifestation in His prophet Elisha. Indeed, she is young, but not too young to know that the Spirit of God, works mightily in His servant Elisha; is faithful to Elisha; is never phased or overpowered by any illness.

Let’s examine the words of the young girl with further spiritual insight. If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy. She does not go to Naaman, but speaks to his wife, her mistress.

If only – If only, is a heartfelt, longing, wish or desire. It is deep and most personal as well. In this girl’s case, she should be saying things like these. If only I could be returned home. If only I could see my father and mother again. If only I were not a slave. Behold! That captured slave girl, never has such an, if only. No! I submit to you that this is the perfect work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, to seek in one’s most cruelly imprisoned state, an, if only, for one’s slave-owner.

If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! - This imprisoned, held captive, girl has an, if only, for her diseased master. There is something truly mystical and divinely wonderful in her desire. She wants him to see the prophet in Samaria.  I had wondered about the reverse, the prophet coming to Syria, but I am quickly reminded of some facts, two of which I share with you.  

Fact one. The prophet is a working person and it is not uncustomary for people from other places to seek him out. The girl knows that Naaman is the commander of the Syrian army and travelling is second nature to him. He has the latest transportation inventions, and has it with style, comfort and safety, beyond compare. It will be nothing for Naaman to travel to Samaria. Come on then, did not some people from this same place travel to her home place to raid them? Did they not bring her there? The other fact is that nobody who is ill and has the open opportunity to travel to another place where healing can be had, will refuse. As long as the resources are available for travelling, a very ill person will more than likely seek healing. If only he will go to Samaria to the prophet.

As simple as this may seem, don’t ever be so deceived, as to attribute the Power of the Spirit to only what is spectacular and supernatural to us. May we be so dead to self that we recognize the mighty and powerful acts of God the Holy Spirit, in the ordinary and the simple. Remember, Jesus’ birth! The Supernatural and Spectacular came to us in an ordinary human baby, through an ordinary human maiden. Never limit the power of the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit.   

He would cure him of his leprosy - When you hear these absolute words, coming from a human being about another human being, what is taking place within you? As for me, I am literally transported back to listen to Jesus, God the Son, speak about God the Father.  Jesus has openly promised us, all who believe in faith, this fact. Ask and it will be given to you. Matthew 7: 7a.  Are not these absolute words of Jesus about Father God? A young Israeli, in a place, not her own, personally knows God’s prophet so intimately, and believes in him so implicitly, she confidently and fearlessly tells Naaman’s wife, if only her husband will go and ask the prophet to heal him, it will  be given to him.

Jesus, in this world, a place, not His Own, personally knows God the Father so intimately, so well, that He confidently, fearlessly and freely tells you and me, if only we will go and ask Father God for whatever our needs, it will be given to us.

May we know such boldness of faith in God, as that young girl knew in the Prophet of God.