Micaiah | From the Voice of God

God is speaking to us today, but the question is: Are we listening?

He can speak to you in the morning and He can speak to you in the midnight hour. It is the voice of God that created the heavens and the earth.

In this generation we are faced with a challenge, and no matter the cost, we have to reverence and uphold God’s word as the Absolute standard of truth.

Are you ready to do that today and under what circumstances will you give into the pressures of those who oppose you?

With so many voices to in the air, if we are not careful, we could be following the voice of Satan, who loves to misuse the word of God to deceive us like Eve in the Garden of Eden. That old serpent has the same old strategy: “Did God really say?”

He gets us to question God’s word, based on the desires of the flesh.

How do you hear the voice of God?

Pastor Edwin of Culture City Church says it like this, “It’s in the Word!” I love it.

Yes, it is in the Bible that we find God’s voice and if we listen closely, the Holy Spirit will speak to you personally.

When you are willing to follow the voice of God something happens.

Right now, I’m going to give you 5 benefits that come from obeying to the voice of God:

1. You share in His righteousness
2. God’s promises are fulfilled in your life and others’, through your obedience
3. Miracles happen
4. You defeat the devil’s strategies and overcome evil
5. You become more sensitive to being able to hear and receive God’s divine guidance, through the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Danny of Remnant Whittier Church says that, “It causes you to be dripping with favor!”

But see there is another maybe unpleasant, yet honorable side of obeying the voice of God. Jesus says, “You will be persecuted for my name sake!” This is an honor because you have rewards in heaven for sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

It’s time to reject those lying spirits of the world and listen to the Holy Spirit, because God has a plan for your life, but the clock is ticking, because Jesus Christ is coming back to take His church out of this world. Don’t miss you opportunity!

The Story

Micaiah was a prophet of God and we call him a minor prophet, but in a small section of scripture, it records that through the Lord he did a major work.

Micaiah’s name means: Who is like God? Who is like Yahweh? Who is like Jesus Christ (God revealed in the flesh)?

The most wicked king of Israel’s history King Ahab joined forces with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, who was a good king, but he made some mistakes, one of those mistakes was forming an alliance with King Ahab.

They made plans to take back a plot of land from Syria. That would be the 3^rd war that Israel had with Syria at that time.

King Ahab gathered up his 400 false prophets that were left on his payroll. Originally, he had about 850 false prophets, but the prophet Elijah executed 450 of them, who challenged God Almighty, but it cost them their lives.

These 400 men were bought and payed for, like most of our political leaders in America today.

These false prophets were asked to give a word from the Lord, but they counterfeited the voice of God. They gave the 2 kings a lying word and false hope in defeating Syria.

The bible says in 1 Kings 22:6

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

1 Kings 22:6

But King Jehoshaphat wasn’t satisfied. The Holy Spirit was trying to get through to him.

Jehoshaphat said,

7 “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”

8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”

1 Kings 22:7-9

Micaiah was given favor before his enemies, by King Jehoshaphat because of his reputation for speaking the truth from the voice of God.

Isn’t it true today that people who are living their lives in rebellion towards God, don’t even want to hear the man and women of God anymore?

They can sense the light of Christ shining on you and they want to turn your light off. But we must keep the lights on because Jesus tells us that it is this “light” that “testifies to the world that it’s deeds are evil.” (John 7:7, John 3:19).

10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

1 King 22:10:12

These liars are doing demonstrations with horns on their heads and stuff and chanting.

People do the same things today, presenting convincing philosophies and even show you videos to convince you to believe what the devil says so that you reject what the Spirit of the Lord is saying.

But the bible says,

“Let God be true and every human being a liar.”

Romans 3:4

The word of the Lord tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:18-21,

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 1:18-21

The Apostle Paul says, “We believe and therefore we speak.”

What do you believe today? We have to be careful not to say what we don’t mean and be confident about what we say. We will make mistakes, but this is called being watchful, as the bible tells us.

The Messengers “Way out”

In 1 Kings 22:13-14

13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord, encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

14 And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”

1 Kings 22:13-14

Listen! Every one wants to be encouraged by the preacher nowadays, but nobody wants to be convicted, or corrected, even if it comes from the very Word of God.

No. The disobedient want you to speak, think and act just like they do and there are many in the world, who want to force you to conform to sin, but Micaiah made a decision and he put God over everything.

You must to be willing to do this. You must to be willing to be set apart for Jesus Christ!

We continue in 1 Kings 22:15-16

15 Then he (Micaiah) came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”

And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

1 Kings 22:15-16

So, Micaiah is testing the king here, and he discovers that the king has totally lost it!

God was conditioning King Ahab for defeat and many times that is what God is doing to your enemies.

Now Micaiah reveals the truth:

17 Then he (Micaiah) said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

1 Kings 22:17-18

But isn’t that what you wanted to hear King Ahab? It’s insanity, but it was obvious that he was out of his mind.

The truth is not based upon the desire of human beings and the opinion of so-called educated people, because it really depends on how you’ve been educated anyway, but as Jesus Christ said in John 17, God’s “word is truth”, but people hate it.

My wife and I were in my college and we were required to take an astronomy course. Our professor convinced most of the class that the Big Bang created the Universe and that all life was created through evolution, by natural selection. And believe it, or not, this is a common trend in most colleges, but we stood on the truth, that the universe and everything in it was created in the beginning, when God said, “Let there be!”

Me and my wife were always determined to defend the truth in God’s word and there were students who would actually join in with the professor, against our Christian worldview, but with no success, because the evidence for God is overwhelming, which is exactly what Romans 1 says that, “…people are without excuse.”

All the battles we fought, defending our Christian faith, were worth it.

Divine Revelation

Now the prophet Micaiah is about to blow their minds with his revelation, from God, but will it be enough to convince them not to go to war?

The bible tells us in 1 Kings 22:19- 23, that Micaiah had received an amazing vision and it says:

19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ 22 The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23 Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

God sent a lying spirit and gave permission to it, to speak through King Ahab’s prophets and deliver Judgment upon his household and there’s nothing that his evil wife Queen Jezebel could do to save him, because God’s Judgment was ultimately, going to bring her down, too.

The Climax of Micaiah’s Account

24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”

25 And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

26 So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”

1 Kings 22:24-26

Micaiah was persecuted because he obeyed the voice of God, but he did not back down, when faced with punishment. He took a stand and verse 28 says,

28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

1 Kings 22:28

 He knew that he was most likely, going to die in prison, but he saw his future home in heaven. He went all out and warned everybody to be careful to respect and obey the voice of God and to reject the counterfeits.

God is looking for men and women of God, who will stand in the gaps and be strong and courageous, for His kingdom.

Because of the two kings’ stubborn hearts, they went to war against Syria and King Ahab was killed while trying to hide in his chariot, and King Jehoshaphat barely escaped with his life.

 And it’s crazy because King Jehoshaphat heard the true word of the Lord, but he was more loyal to his friend Ahab than God.

Who are you loyal to and who’s hands will you put your life in?

God is the only one who knows the end from the beginning and His word the bible says, “will accomplish what He pleases and prosper in the purpose for which He sends it.” God says, “I will perform it!”

The only way that you will fulfill your calling as a Christian, is by listening to and obeying the voice of God, no matter what!

Mark 9:7-8 Testifies about Jesus

7Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

Mark 9:7-8

Salvation Plan

Today, if you have not received Salvation or you would like to rededicate your life back to Christ, say this prayer:

God, I know that I am a sinner. Right now, Lord, I turn from my sins, and I ask you to forgive me. Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross and rose from the grave, for me. I open my heart and life for You to come in, and I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You, God for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Read the Book of John in the Bible. Find out who Christ is, and how He loves you, yes you!

Come back and read through our Live Inspired articles, videos, and Today’s Devotions, to gain wisdom and insight into God’s Word. It is a guide to you as you read His Word, the Bible.

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We hope today’s message has blessed you! Testify how the Lord is working through your life in the comments below.

Love,

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