The enemy may fight, but we serve a great and mighty God who will contend with those contending with us, and fight against those who are fighting against us.
Life is full of challenges and almost everyday we face different challenges. Most of them genuine and for our lifting; others are powered and manipulations from hell for the individuals’ destruction. Incidentally many people believe in lies, they run with vision and dream of lies, they believe in Prophets of lies, and they call the sent ones and the prophets who declare the truth(remember, the truth they say is biter) accursed. Child of God it may glow, but the glory may not be there; it may shine but it is only a reflection and has no light in it. In 2 Chronicle 18, we see the Prophets prophesying lie in the name of the Lord (it is happening for real). Imagine them lying and calling God’s name, (vs. 4-5, 10-11).
(2Chro. 18:4) And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
(2Chro. 18:5) Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.
(2Chro. 18:10) And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
(2Chro. 18:11) And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
Not all breakthrough programmes brings breakthrough because, there are conditions for breakthrough in God. Let no man tell you a lie that you will brake the rules of God and receive a breakthrough. Our connection must be right. The prodigal son got a breakthrough and went into a far country, Luke 15:13,
(Luk 15:13) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
He went so far that he could not access the father; there was no conviction, except a faint idea of his relationship with his father. His name didn’t change and he still claims his fatherhood but something is wrong. It is the relationship with the father that determines the sustainability, maintenance or otherwise of every breakthrough. And when it ceases to be a breakthrough it becomes a breakdown. He soon discovered it was not his (prodigal son) blessing but the father’s blessing and by himself cannot keep it (Luke 15:14)
(Luk 15:14) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
The devil will never tell you of trouble ahead, if you go far from God.
The evidence of no relationship with the father is “want of all things” –lack. This state made him to join a people he ought not to relate with. Many of us have made friends with fools because of our state and state of mind. Many have joined bad gangs or groups because of situation they find themselves. They join group of liars or gossips to massage their ego. The prodigal son did same thing. A woman once told me in tears of pain how her life was destroyed because she joined bad groups of women who celebrate adultery (jumping from one man to another) because she was frustrated – but unknown to her it was the beginning of sorrow. As at the time she came to see me she is with the eight men and has fifteen children she is responsible for the upkeep as none of the men could stay with her. Now she is suffering and regretting the day she met the woman that introduced her to that kind of lifestyle because she is frustrated (Luke 15:15)
(Luke 15:15) And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
The association of the prodigal son with the citizens of that country brought him into another union with swines (do you remember it is forbidden for a Jew to touch swine?)
There are associations you join yourself to that brings you to the family of swine – removes honour from you and clothe you with reproach and shame Luke 15:16
(Luke 15:16) And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
What brought him to this level of life? He believed a lie that he can survive without his father. Jesus said in John 15:4-5.
(John 15:4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
(John 15:5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
To avoid believing in a lie or trusting in yourself, we must form the habit of deep communion and fellowship with God such that we can recognize deception no matter where it is coming from. Preaching in Canada recently I told them that some Christians can even lie to God and swear in His name. We live in a crooked and perversed world, but we are to be models of light, we are not to join them but stand for the truth, conscience and God. Phil 2:15
(Php 2:15) That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Let’s go back to 2 Chro.18. The king Jehoshapat had a check in his spirit 18:6
(2Ch 18:6) But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
This clearly brings to light that there are prophet of the Lord and prophets of men; but he needed a prophet of God. Remember Pharaoh and his various prophets against Moses and his spokesman, Aaron? (Gen.7:10-13)
Child of God, no matter how many prophets of men or demons your enemies may gather round themselves to fight you, they will fall before you in Jesus name. The king of Israel replies in verse7
(2Ch 18:7) And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
Wao! In my few years on earth, I have seen that sometimes those you think loves you more are the ones killing you and all yours. – Sweet tongue of hypocrisy and sweet lies which closes your eyes from the truth. Jehoshapat said, “Let not the king say so” something in Jehoshapat suspects those Prophets that what they were saying was too good to be God. Thank God for Micaiah; even the messenger sent almost manipulated him too, verse12-13.
(2Ch 18:12) And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
(2Ch 18:13) And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
Could it be a demonic set up? Does it still happen today, that man chooses to believe a lie?
A woman told me how bad and terrible the husband is. The husband is everything except good; only her is good and trying her best – as I bow my head to pray, the Lord said to me, “Spirit of manipulation” and I lifted my head and said, “woman, you are wrong. It is not his fault; and line upon line God opened our eyes to see the demonic network at work in the family. The Spirit was broken, the man woman called me yesterday (22-9-08) celebrating God as their eyes are now opened to understand the battle at hand. We need understanding to win the battles of life.
The truth might be bitter but go for it; the bitterness is the sacrifice we needed to come forth as strong example and light of the world (Psalm 23:4). When the man of God came, knowing the King of Israel has made up his mind to believe a lie, he gave him what he wanted verse 14,
(2Ch 18:14) And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
May God’s Prophet not give you what you want to hear but what God wants?
In verse15,
(2Ch 18:15) And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
We see clearly the heart of the King. He has no honour for the Prophet and by extension God. Because he could not buy Michaiah with his wealth, he didn’t like him and as a result speak ill of the true Prophet of God and even hated him for being a Prophet verse 7
(2Ch 18:7) And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
No doubt, some Prophets have been pocketed by the rich and affluent in the society because of their belly and money. The Lord forbids that your prophet is a man pocketed – because he will not speak the truth. Once, I was in the house of an important personality in our country Capital, Abuja, Nigeria on invitation. On getting there, I met many Prophets praying and prophesying in different corner of the massive seating. as I came, he quickly took me to his private room and made nasty comment about them – May your Prophet not lose his conscience because of money or for those in power – Can I hear a big Amen.?
That the blood of men will not be upon his head and bearing in mind to prophesy the will of God at all time, he declared in verse 16 and verse 17,
(2Ch 18:16) Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
(2Ch 18:17) And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
He told him the atmosphere he has been operating from, the atmosphere of lie and self delusion. When men praise you more than whom you are and you allow it to make your head swollen and seem bigger than normal size, it is dangerous. God made your body in proportion to the entire body, but the moment your head becomes bigger than what your neck can carry, the body will collapse. Many have collapse and are leaving in regret- that will not be your portion.
Verse 18-22.
(2Ch 18:18) Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
(2Ch 18:19) And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
(2Ch 18:20) Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
(2Ch 18:21) And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
(2Ch 18:22) Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
A lying spirit was at work: they believed it and have been living on it. We are in the end time and like Jesus said, “many will come saying many things, deceiving and been deceived.” But hold on to the word, not men’s opinion.
For the word of God is different from men’s opinion; and it will always take hold of man.
(Zec 1:6) But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? And they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
Apostle Lawrence Achudume
The General Overseer of Victory Life Bible Church Int'l
With branches spread across the globe
Can be reached on victory2life@yahoo.com
This message can be reproduced but must be duely credited.
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