Our text for consideration is 1 Kings 13. The story here has to do mainly with a young prophet with a dynamic message from God that was confirmed with signs following, and an older prophet who claimed to have heard from God and got this young man killed. Well, the young man was simply called a man of God. I like that, a man who lives and walks for God. The story when heard in isolation can be used to confirm many lies about God and His operations on the earth. Nothing excites Satan more than a distortion of the image of God in the minds of people. To get a fuller picture of the story we need to read from chapter 11 of the book and see how compromise in the heart of people in authority releases a spirit of compromise into the community and every one can be involved and affected. There are lessons to learn from each character in this chapter we are considering.

The King Jeroboam has been responding to his insecurities rather than to God's Word that made him king. Compromising the standards of God even to fulfill God’s will becomes a risky business as this will lead to all kinds of things if not repented of. Thank God for His mercies. The prevailing climate got polluted with the King in compromise. Recognize the climate you are under, as this will usually influence your decisions and actions. The young man of God helps us to see that there are tests of all sorts in the spirit. Only a strong intimacy with God will help us in our tests. Many have obeyed God's prophets in the bible and experienced God’s blessings. This tells us that blessings are guaranteed only as the prophet speaks the Word of God as from God. Titles bearing past obedience will not suffice. We must be current with the now Word from heaven. From the old prophet we must get it right that God is not in the business of using and dumping us. That is a lie from hell. We get too familiar with Him and tend to become presumptuous using stale methods to carry out fresh instructions. We end up not being able to carry command in the spirit.

Usually when we function in a place we tend to get under the prevailing influence in the area. It is normal for people from another place to see what we are under. We need the input of others as we let them be all that God wants them to be.

God's judgment is usually as intense as the quality of light revealed in the place at the time. The man of God knew better than to yield to his flesh in purported obedience to the old prophet. The old prophet had lost it where God is concerned, why he was listened to surprises me. A man's clout in the society cannot be used to determine God's will in these last days.

Whenever God is going to do a new thing, expect opposition from the old order and be sensitive so you don't lose your guard in your heart to know where to draw the line as you stay in obedience to God. It is amazing how so often the enemy uses the world, the flesh and demonic lies to thwart God’s plans in people’s lives.

God bless you.

Rev Kola Ewuosho