When the 'But' Blocks the Blessing

 We say God can have it all… but what about the parts we keep hidden? In this episode, Pastor Jason explores the story of King Azariah (also known as Uzziah) and the “surrender gap” that blocked the blessing of God—not just in his life, but in his community.

With honesty, humor, and hope, this message challenges us to examine the “keep out” signs in our hearts. Whether it's pride, fear, or comfort, anything we withhold from God can hinder His work in us and through us.

But surrender isn’t about shame—it’s about healing. And when we let go, God begins to bless others through the very places we once held back.

🎧 Tune in for biblical insight, real-life application, and a Spirit-led invitation to full surrender.

Linkoln shares his story on why he started coming to Ravenna Church of the Nazarene and shares why you should consider doing the same.

Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472

Transcript

*not a word for word transcript, but the sermon manuscript*

WHEN THE ‘BUT’ BLOCKS THE BLESSING

     We are returning to my unofficial series, sermons from books of the Bible that no one cares about or notices. Today we are in 2 Kings 15.

     If you ever get to meet my grandma, she has all kinds of stories. One of my favorites is when my uncle was a teen. He was at school, and my grandma went into his room. As she entered, she saw a sign on the closet door that read, “Keep Out”. As his mom, that sign only set off alarm bells for my grandma. So, she opened the door to see what was in there. What she found was a heat lamp on and shining down on a certain green plant with seven leaves.

     My grandma said she did not get mad, drive to the school, and rip my uncle for it. She simply took it out of the closet and set it on his dresser, knowing my uncle would see it out when he got home. If I remember correctly, my uncle was a perfect and loving son to her until my grandpa got home.

     Do you realize, we do that with God? We tell God, “You have all of my heart”, but when the Holy Spirit begins to explore He discovers closets with signs on the door that say “Keep out.” There are hidden areas we have not surrendered. Maybe habits, mindsets you keep off-limits, or a reluctance to let your faith shape your relationships and community.

     God knows what is hiding in our “keep out” closets. Unjust like my grandma with the plant, God brings them out of the closet and places them where we know He knows. This is not a move God does to shame us, but to heal us. But that choice is ours to make.

     And that is what is happening in our text for today. Azariah is king over Judah, God’s people. He does so many things right. But there was a “keep out” sign on one area, a ‘but’ in his willingness to surrender. 

2 Kings 15:1-5 (CEB)

1 Azariah, Amaziah’s son, became king of Judah in the twenty-seventh year of Israel’s King Jeroboam. 2 He was 16 years old when he became king, and he ruled for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah [jeh-koh-LIE-uh]; she was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what was right in the LORD’s eyes, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4 However, the shrines weren’t removed. People kept sacrificing and burning incense at them. 5 Now the LORD afflicted the king with a skin disease that he had until his dying day, so he lived in a separate house. The king’s son Jotham supervised the palace administration and governed the people of the land. 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

     Verse one introduces us to Azariah. His name means “the LORD has helped.” If you study scripture, you will read about Azariah in the book of Isaiah, but there he goes by “Uzziah,” which means “the LORD is my strength.” I am not sure why he has two names in the Bible, but one commentator shared that “Azariah” may have been his personal name while “Uzziah” was his official name.

     Regardless, Azariah was only 16 years old when he became king. And to reign for 52 years, the Lord certainly helped Azariah. Because Azariah sought God’s help, verse 3 says, “He did what was right in the LORD’s eyes.” This means Azariah honored God’s standard. He was mostly faithful. But there was a “keep out sign” in Azariah’s heart; there was a “but” to his full surrender.

     Verse 4 says, “However, the shrines were not removed. People kept sacrificing and burning incense at them.” The word “however” or some translations will have ‘but’, signals unfinished business, a “keep out” sign. Again, other translations may have “high places” instead of “shrines.” These were places associated with worshiping idols or unauthorized worship.

     Now, I know what you are thinking. Azariah was not going to the high place; it was the people. And that is true. I am not suggesting that Azariah should have used his political power to remove the high places. He could have, but again the people were the problem. However, the people were the plant God placed on the dresser to highlight Azariah’s ‘keep out’ sign, the ‘but’ to his full surrender.

     Verse 5 is where we can begin to see the real issue for Azariah, but we do need a little more context. God strikes Azariah with a skin disease, one that made Azariah unclean and confined to a separate house away from everyone, unable to fulfill his kingly duties. 2 Kings does not record for us why this happens. To get that, we have to look in 2 Chronicles 26:16-20.

     Rather than turn there, I will summarize. Despite years of success because of God’s help, pride crept into Azariah’s heart. He thought that because of his position, God’s ordinances about the temple did not apply to him. Azariah invaded the temple, burned incense upon the golden altar that was before the veil. This was an act reserved only for the priests, not the king.

     The skin disease was God’s way of healing Azariah of his pride. His pride was the ‘but’ to Azariah’s full surrender. And while Azariah “did what was right in the LORD’s eyes” in terms of personal conformity, his lack of surrendering his pride had a negative impact on the community. If the king does not have to submit to God’s laws, then they do not have to give up their high places. Azariah’s lack of full surrender left a gap. That ‘surrender gap’ blocked the blessing of healing through Azariah’s influence on the wider community.

     What does this teach us? Partial surrender leads to spiritual gaps that can block God’s blessing in our lives and communities. Our “keep out” signs and ‘buts’ to full surrender create ‘surrender gaps’ that leave us isolated. Isolation is a disease that deteriorates the church, but when we fully surrender, it reaches the community, and healing begins, and the church becomes whole.

     God wants not just our good intentions or best efforts, but our full surrender—so that faith is complete, blessing flows, and transformation reaches beyond us. Blessing means peace, understanding, joy, and full salvation. Real change that is rooted in grace.

     How do we do that? How do we fully surrender? We each have to ask ourselves, “Where in my life is there a ‘but’—an area, habit, relationship, or attitude that remains unsurrendered? Bring whatever it is to Jesus. It is not about trying harder, but trusting Jesus more—He alone gives the power to tear down the high places. Let surrender move you beyond yourself. Jesus did that for us. His surrender closes the gap between us and God. If we are to take up our cross and follow Him, our lives become the bridge Jesus uses to close the ‘surrender gap’ to others. Our faith should not stop at personal piety; let it overflow to bless your family, church, and community.

     Azariah’s story shows us that it is possible to follow God in big ways, but still leave pockets of our lives—our ‘high place’, ‘keep out’ signs, ‘buts’—untransformed. God wants to close the ‘surrender gap’ in each of us, not just for our own sake, but so that His blessing and presence can fill our homes, our church, and our community.

     What is the ‘but’ in your life that is blocking God’s blessing? What high place is left standing? A song called “Pieces” is going to play. I invite you to bring that unsurrendered place to Jesus. Lay it down and receive His grace—not just for yourself, but for those your life will touch when you are fully His.

     Do not settle for ‘almost’—step into God’s blessing by giving Him everything. The blessing flows when nothing stands between you and Him.