1Ki 13:1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
1Ki 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
The man of God prophesied Josiah over 300 years before he was even born. Of course, Jeroboam probably displayed some doubt, and was angered by the rebuke coming forward. Nevertheless, God allowed the man of God to show forth a sign, canceling any doubt concerning the prophecy.
1Ki 13:3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
1Ki 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
1Ki 13:5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
Now, this is the God we serve. When Jeroboam became angry and put forth his hand, probably as a sign of anger against the man of God, the Lord caused it to dry up AND fulfilled the prophecy spoken forth by the man of God. Saints, we cannot be afraid when the truth is resisted. However, we MUST be sure we are hearing from God. There is an order that must be followed, especially when speaking to a leader. The Bible tells us not to rebuke an elder. However, we MUST pray for them. It is also wise and essential to seek God as to how that leader may be approached.
1Ki 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
Isn't it funny how the very ones who doubt you and your relationship with God will seek you out for prayer in times of adversity? This is the true sign that they, too, understand the power of God within you. Don't be fooled. People (saved or unsaved) know to seek God when help is needed. Furthermore, they know who has a direct line to ear of the Father. When people call you a liar, a false prophet, a troublemaker...just watch to see who they go to for prayer and advice when times get hard. More importantly, when they come, be careful not to become prideful. Be humbled, and receive them in love. This is a prime opportunity for ministry, and that's what it's all about!
1Ki 13:7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
1Ki 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
1Ki 13:9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
Saints, if we want to carry a special anointing, we can't hang out with everybody. We can't do everything that everyone else does. Oftentimes, other leaders in church may think we're anti-social or even stuck up. This is not the case. God just doesn't allow his mouthpiece to spend time in certain environments. Be humble and remain holy. I have often made the wrong choices in this area. I have accepted too many invitations to spend time with friends and acquaintances, from the church, because they appreciated the ministry God placed in me. Nevertheless, I knew the Lord would not have me in their homes. Instead of obeying Him, I would go, fearing the person might find me rude if I declined. My God! 100% of the time, I regretted it in the end. I learned, over time, that sanctification is truly the act of being "set apart."
1Ki 13:10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
1Ki 13:11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
Watch the gossipers. In your churches, ministries and even on Yahoo boards, the enemy ALWAYS uses someone to go and spread the latest news about what's going on. Don't be surprised. Do not be alarmed. There is nothing new under the sun! Hallelujah!
1Ki 13:12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
1Ki 13:13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
In the same manner, the enemy ALWAYS sends someone to try and rebuke you. Beware of outside voices coming to correct specific situations in the ministry God has called YOU to fulfill. Godly advice is a wonderful thing, but it does not stem from the spreading of UNGODLY GOSSIP. Gossip and Prophecy are two different things. Before you are rebuked about a thing from an outside party, question the source. My God! Our Father doesn't need to use a sinful means to get a message a rebuke to you!
1Ki 13:14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
Now, this is interesting. The prophet, who shall be proven to be a false prophet, found the man of God under a tree. This was the first mistake made by the man of God. He was found still - not working. My God! Don't let the enemy and those used by him find you inactive in the ministry. It does not bring glory to your Father to have you stagnant and unproductive. The second mistake made by the man of God is that he was moving slowly. God gave him specific instruction to go a certain way. He followed the direction, but did not move with haste. If he had moved quickly, and gone right into Judah as he was instructed, he would have missed the word of the false prophet. Hallelujah! We must always be where God wants us to be. We must also follow his instructions quickly, rather than slothfully. AMEN.
1Ki 13:15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
1Ki 13:16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
1Ki 13:17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
1Ki 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
ANYONE who calls themselves a prophet of God, yet contradicts the Word of God, is a FALSE PROPHET! I know this is a bold statement, but I have been caught in this trap TOO MANY TIMES. Women of God, please allow me to encourage you here. So many times, I have heard a thing from God very clearly, yet allowed someone else to talk me right out of a revelation. Why? Because they were a "Prophet" or "Prophetess" by title. How is it that we can receive a word from an unholy vessel, and allow it to replace and nullify the very things we've heard, read, and/or received DIRECTLY from the Father? We must be confident of this very thing - He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1.6)! Where is our godly confidence? We are receiving a word from so-called prophets who are smoking, fornicating, messing around with homosexuality and even cussing in the pulpit! My God! Yes, we all have sin. However, there is a difference between living in sin with no conviction, and attempting to live a holy lifestyle. When will the true people of God stand up and say, "NO MORE!" This is something I've struggled with for a long time. However, I'm at the point where I'm fed up with people insulting the God I serve. How dare anyone get up and prophesy in the name of my Father with alcohol on their breath, cussing on their lips, and the pure scent of adultery on their body! Satan, I rebuke you, in Jesus name! And as for those you are using, satan, to go back and gossip about the truth that is shared on this board, I beg you - print it out! Mail copies! Be my guest!
1Ki 13:19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
Disobedience. Hearkening to the voice of a false prophet leads to disobedience, and we will pay the price for disobeying the voice of God. Saints, when we act on a "word" we must ask ourselves, "Who told you that?" God cannot and will not contradict himself.
1Ki 13:20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:
1Ki 13:21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,
1Ki 13:22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
We must watch how the enemy works. The same voice that will rebuke you when you follow the Word of God, will come back and blame you for your failure when you turn against it because of that false prophet's word. Have you ever noticed, with most of these false prophets, when their word is proven wrong, they find a way to blame you. The worst part is that it is our fault - only because we listened to them in the first place, rather than believing God. A few weeks ago, the Lord had me to share a word on this board called "Chasing a Word...Hmmm." It talked about how people who hear directly from God should not be chasing a word from a prophet. Instead, we should hear from God ourselves, by developing a relationship with Him. The word of the prophet will then be confirmation for us. If the prophet's word differs from that of God, we must pray and seek God for clarity and revelation. We must TEST that word. We should never assume it to be so, and completely dismiss what God has already said.
1Ki 13:23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
1Ki 13:24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
1Ki 13:25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
My God! Again, those gossipers. When we fall, they are always there to run and tell everybody about the failures. Everyone will know when your dream dies. Everyone will know when your hope is lost. They will walk right past you, take notes, and spread the news. Think it not strange...
1Ki 13:26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.
1Ki 13:27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
1Ki 13:28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.
1Ki 13:29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.
1Ki 13:30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!
1Ki 13:31 And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
1Ki 13:32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
I praise God that in the end, even our enemies will know we are true people of God. After all the man of God suffered, even the very false prophet who tricked him understood that he did hear the voice of God. He understood it so much so that he wanted to be associated with the man of God, by being buried beside him. Ladies, be careful of who tries to attach to you! Be careful of your associates. Some of them are just trying to gain from your anointing. My God! Be careful!
1Ki 13:33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
After all this, the leader who needed the ministering was still in sin. Don't be surprised, women of God. Make your face like flint when speaking forth the word of God. Don't assume you're in error just because a person in "leadership" doesn't accept what God speaks through you.
My sisters and brothers, be encouraged. Seek God like never before. Know, with confidence, when you hear His voice, and don't allow ANYONE to talk you out of what God says. Weigh every "word." Chew the meat and spit out the bones, in Jesus' name! Please, before you doubt yourself in God, ask yourself, "Who told you that?"
