The Deceiving Spirit

Prayer: Father, may I listen to only You and Your Spirit. I seek only You and Your Spirit. May my enemies be led astray by listening to the deceiving spirits You send. Amen.

Reading: 2 Chronicles 18 key: vs. 3-8 “King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilled?” He replied, “I am as you are and my people as your people, and we will be with you in battle.” Jehoshaphat then said to the king of Israel, “Please, let us seek, today, the word of Adonai.” So the king of Israel assembled the prophets—400 men—and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold off?” They answered, “Go up, for God will give it into the king’s hand!” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there another prophet of Adonai here of whom we should inquire?” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of Adonai—but I hate him, because he has never prophesied anything good about me but always evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king never say such a thing.” So the king of Israel called an official and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly!” TLV

Attention: Oh, the wisdom of the king who followed Adonai, the God of his father David! He did not listen to the prophets of Ahab (1 Kings 18:19). The prophets king Ahab inherited through marriage to a foreign wife named Jezebel. The writer of Chronicles references only 400 prophets of (Asherah) Ahab, while the writer of Kings references another 450 prophets of Baal, who eat at the king’s table, “Now then, send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” The reference found in King’s has to be recording a time and event of possible war, prior to the Carmel event with Elijah, because he slew all the prophets after the fire of Adonai rained down and consumed his sacrifice.

Jehoshaphat exercised wisdom in calling Ahab to account regarding the unanimity of his prophets telling the kings to go to war. Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah because he did not follow the crowd of prophets but spoke only what God (Adonai) told him to speak. Since God knew, Ahab would not listen to His voice, He sent a deceiving spirit which Ahab listened too and it cost him his life. Even an aimless arrow guided by God will find it’s mark (vs. 33).

This event is a lesson in listening only to the voice and wisdom of God. Other voices will lead you astray and to your demise.

Action: I choose to listen to the voice of Adonai and His Spirit.

Yield: I choose to submit to the voice of Adonai and His Spirit.

Engage: I choose to engage with the Spirit of God in listening to His voice.

Relationship: I choose to live in holy, intimate relationship with Adonai.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the life example of Jehoshaphat who did not listen to the false prophets of Ahab, but sought the voice of Your prophet in determining whether to go to battle. May I always listen to your voice in making decisions in life. Amen.

Memory Verse: Psalms 32:8 ““I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you.” TLV

Music Video: Chris McClarney—I’m Listening https://youtu.be/Ef52AmdVwYI?si=uRFxCCWpN8ok-sz7

Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”

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