BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 09, 2023.

SUBJECT : BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

Memory verse: "And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them: they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” (Jeremiah 14 vs 14.)

READ: First Kings 13 vs 13 - 18:

13:13: Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode on it, 

13:14: and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.”

13:15: Then he said unto him, “Come home with me, and eat bread.”

13:16: Then he said, “I cannot return with you, nor go in with you: neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place:

13:17: For I have been told by the word of the LORD, “You shalt not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.”

13:18: He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” (He was lying to him.)

INTIMATION:

False messages from supposed prophets and prophetesses (men and women of God) have always been a source of concern in Christendom. Many Christians are not conversant with the Scriptures, and are easily confused with false doctrine. The false messages of men and women of God are self-serving with the underlying aim of exploiting their audience materially and/or financially. Their messages are either often appealing to the expectations and desires of their audience or scary and targeted at getting you to part with money or materials for their own benefits. 

Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7 vs 15.) Beware of those whose words sound religious but who are motivated by financial and material benefits. Some are desirous of achieving fame hence they tell people what they want to hear, but they lead people away from God. If we encourage false prophets, we are guilty as they are. Most times their messages or predictions hardly come true, and it is common amongst them to reverse their predictions to fit what has already happened. They usually utilize small sections of the Bible to the neglect of the whole. 

The apostle Peter says this about them, “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgement has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (Second Peter 2 vs 3.) They will rightly be judged, and their destruction await them. The Bible called them, “grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.” (Jude 16.)

In the passage we read today, a prophet had been given strict orders from God not to eat or drink anything while on his mission (First Kings 13 vs 9). He accomplished his mission, delivered the message God gave him to King Jeroboam. He obeyed the instructions of the Lord and refused the king’s invitation for refreshment and reward. But he was deceived into disobeying the Lord when another prophet gave him a false message from the Lord.

He suffered the consequences of his disobedience and died because he listened to a man who claimed to have a message from God. It’s possible that the old prophet was unhappy that the message had come to the king through another prophet while he was in town, and lured him to disobey God’s command. His action was self-serving—to put a rivalry out of the way. Always trust what God’s Word says rather than what someone claims is true, and disregard what others claim are messages from God if their words contradict the word of God. Human flattery does not bring God’s approval. 

God warns us against false prophets who prophesy out of their own hearts, whose messages are not from God but are lies intended to win popularity by saying whatever made the people happy. Beware of people who bend the truth in their quest for money, popularity, and power. Lies are always attractive and liars may have large followings. Today, for instance, some spiritual leaders assure us that God promises His followers health and material success only. This is comforting, but is it true? God’s own Son did not have an easy life on earth. Make sure the messages you believe are consistent with what God teaches in His Word.

Be very careful who you believe. Do not believe someone simply because he or she sounds like an authority or says words you like to hear. Sometimes their messages contradict what the Bible says about God who is not an author of confusion; He cannot give you the command not to kill, and turn around to give you a message that you should ensure that your uncle in the village dies because he is the source of your problems, and your freedom is tied to his death. 

Jesus Christ gave His disciples a principle to guide their actions as they minister to others; “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10 vs 8.) Jesus has not changed: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13 vs 8). Jesus has been and will be the same forever, therefore, in a changing world, we can put our absolute trust on our unchanging Lord.

Mind you, evil and evil doers prevail, and there are satanic and demonic operations, but the apostle Paul says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6 vs 12.) The remedy for the wiles of the devil he stated thus; “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able withstand in the evil day...” (Ephesians 6 vs 13.) Study the Scripture for the whole armor of God detailed in Ephesians 6 vs 14 - 18.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with discerning spirit that I may know the truth from You and not follow after false prophets or messengers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!