Do You Really Want To Hear What God Has to Say?
So the king of Israel brought together the prophets -- about four hundred men -- and asked them, "Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?"
"Go," they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king's hand."
But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?"
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah."
"The king should not say such a thing," Jehoshaphat replied. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once."
I Kings 22:6-9
"Go," they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king's hand."
But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?"
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah."
"The king should not say such a thing," Jehoshaphat replied. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once."
I Kings 22:6-9
Four hundred prophets were assembled by the king to tell him the mind of God. They all spoke with one voice: "Go for the Lord will give it into the king's hand." But King Jehoshaphat was not convinced that those four hundred prophets were hearing authentically from God. So he posed the question: "Is there no longer a prophet through whom we can inquire of?" That is when the truth came out from Ahab, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad."
There are several things worth noting but let's focus on just two:
First: Be very discerning when it comes to prophets, pastors or spiritual leaders who purport to tell you what God says about your life. Those four hundred prophets were concocting lies. They had not heard from God whatsoever! Jehoshaphat was so discerning that he was rather dismissive of what those false prophets had to say, hence his question to Ahab: "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of." He could tell what was genuinely from God and what was not. He could tell true prophets and servants of God from those who were not. This spirit of discernment comes from the Holy Spirit of God. When we have a close personal relationship with the Spirit of God, we can not be easily deceived.
Second: Ahab did not really want to hear truthfully from God. Ahab wanted to hear what was pleasant to him. He wanted his itching ears to be satisfied. He wanted to be told that God endorsed his sins when the truth he needed was that God disapproved of his sins. He wanted to be told in the name of God that all was well when all was definitely not well.
These are days when people do not really want to be told the truth that God has revealed in His word. Some pastors are also afraid to preach the truth for fear of offending people and losing their attendance. Scripture tells us that, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Hearing the truth from God about our situations might not always be pleasant but it is the surest way for us to receive help and be redeemed out of whatever rot we might find ourselves in. Jesus said when we know the truth, it will set us free. So, question: "Do you really want to hear what God has to say?" Then receive it and be set free and be made prosperous.
There are several things worth noting but let's focus on just two:
First: Be very discerning when it comes to prophets, pastors or spiritual leaders who purport to tell you what God says about your life. Those four hundred prophets were concocting lies. They had not heard from God whatsoever! Jehoshaphat was so discerning that he was rather dismissive of what those false prophets had to say, hence his question to Ahab: "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of." He could tell what was genuinely from God and what was not. He could tell true prophets and servants of God from those who were not. This spirit of discernment comes from the Holy Spirit of God. When we have a close personal relationship with the Spirit of God, we can not be easily deceived.
Second: Ahab did not really want to hear truthfully from God. Ahab wanted to hear what was pleasant to him. He wanted his itching ears to be satisfied. He wanted to be told that God endorsed his sins when the truth he needed was that God disapproved of his sins. He wanted to be told in the name of God that all was well when all was definitely not well.
These are days when people do not really want to be told the truth that God has revealed in His word. Some pastors are also afraid to preach the truth for fear of offending people and losing their attendance. Scripture tells us that, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Hearing the truth from God about our situations might not always be pleasant but it is the surest way for us to receive help and be redeemed out of whatever rot we might find ourselves in. Jesus said when we know the truth, it will set us free. So, question: "Do you really want to hear what God has to say?" Then receive it and be set free and be made prosperous.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that only the truth of your word has the power to set me free. Help me never to tune you out but to always thirst and hunger for your voice and your word. Amen.