“But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what my God says, that will I speak.” 2 Chr 18:13 (Amplified)
An apostate world that is determined to defy God and go its God-denying way can only be held in check by a virile Church that is steadfastly fulfilling her God-given mandate. It is therefore not surprising that the main goal of the world is to seek to silence the prophetic and often irritating voice of the church. The world menacingly points a gun to our heads and dares us to speak God’s truth and be damned. It tries to intimidate us into keeping silent on important social issues while dangling the carrot of financial support and increased influence as rewards for our acquiescence, while also threatening us with the stick of severe repercussions for our defiance. The Church seems to have forgotten the timeless truth uttered by Hudson Taylor that “God’s work done in God’s way can never lack God’s support” and as a result we are dejectedly trading our birthrights for pitiful mess of pottage in the unfounded fear, no doubt concocted in the depth of hell, that if we do not have the world’s patronage, God’s business will collapse. The reality is that as a Church we are either prophetic or we are nothing. Any thing or inducement that forces us to remain silent rather than speak up and stand for God’s truth whenever and wherever the situation demands could only have originated for the depths of hell. Our duty is to resist it with all of our being.
At it was with the Prophet Micaiah, the challenge facing the Church today is whether to stand for God’s inviolable truth or pander to the desires of the world. If we do the latter, we will enjoy apparent prosperity for a while as the devil takes our credibility to the cleaners and we are disqualified from speaking on God’s behalf. In reality, the only choice open to us is to side with God as we entrust our lives and ministries into His capable hands. We must understand that if indeed He has called us, He will surely supply the means to fulfil our calling, even if in the interim like Micaiah, we are forced to eat the bread of deprivation and drink the water of affliction. When we go cap in hand to the world for her measly support, how then can we kid ourselves into believing that she will be content to not influence how we dispense that resource? We must never forget that faithful is He that has called us and faithful is He that will do it.
When the Apostles and the early Church were confronted with the challenge to deny the name of Jesus Christ and were threatened with grave repercussions, they did not hesitate to choose God. They repelled this demonic attack on their liberty and turned it on its head by imploring God to “Stretch forth Your hand to heal and to perform works of miracle through the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.” God obliged and granted their request and the rest as they say is history. The Apostles’ defiant response to pressure provides the precedence we need to emulate. Compromising on God’s word has never advanced the ideals of His kingdom and it never will. It always leads to a dead end. So, trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He WILL direct your path.
Prayer:
Father, help me understand that you are my source and the reason for my being even as I commit my all to you. Like Jabez, I ask that you put your hands upon me, expand my horizon and keep me from evil. Cause my lips to extol your virtues as I confess to the glory of your name. Amen.