Yes Men

Hearing what God has to say sometimes is tough to swallow. Being in full-time ministry over the last 4 years, I have learned that it is easy to fall into the temptation of surrounding ourselves with people who say what we want to hear rather than the truth.

Reading through 2 Chronicles this week I was reminded of how important it is to listen to God's direction when facing a decision.

2 Chronicles 18 tells the story of how Ahab listened to what he wanted to hear rather than the truth. Ahab was the king of Israel and he desired to fight against Ramoth-gilead. He asked the King of Judah, Jehoshaphat, to have Judah fight alongside Israel. Prior to making a decision about fighting against Ramoth-gilead, Jehoshaphat asks Ahab to seek out the word of the Lord.

Ahab calls in his prophets and they all say that it is good to fight against Ramoth-gilead. Yet Jehoshaphat isn't satisfied with this answer. He asks Ahab if there is another prophet. Ahab explains that there is another prophet. This prophet named Micaiah hears from God and speaks His truth. Yet Ahab hates Micaiah because Micaiah always speaks evil of Ahab and never good.

Micaiah is called in and Ahab asks him to speak. Micaiah explains that God will put a spirit of deception upon Ahab's prophets. The Lord has proclaimed disaster against Ahab.

As a result of the truth, Micaiah is put into prison by Ahab until after the battle. If Ahab returns, then Micaiah has not heard from the Lord. If Ahab does not return then Micaiah has correctly heard from the Lord.

Ultimately Ahab dies in battle and Micaiah's prophecy from the Lord is fulfilled.

Yet look at what happens. Micaiah is placed into prison for doing what is right. He speaks the truth and gets in trouble. Ahab surrounded himself with people who told him what he wanted to hear rather than what he needed to hear. He put "yes men" around him so he would be comfortable. As a result, he paid the price with his life.

It is important to not only receive the truth in love from others but it is also important to speak it out as well. In order to keep on going in the direction that is set out by the Lord, we must continually seek out what He has to say and then obey his direction. This task is not always easy but it is how we position ourselves to hear from God and act upon his commands.