Alliances

Rev John Kirby

I met someone in the car park and it seems it's been five years since Rev Gideon has been here. It feels like it's just two years ago. 

We're all in the Christmas season. 

Sometimes we have to separate to restore. Much like marriage counselling. Where we need to talk to each of the couples separately. 

I'll try to read this quickly but I like to expound on the word of God, verse by verse and even word by word. There's so much to hear from God's word. God is alive and he speaks. The problem is our listening. 

2 Chronicles 18:1

​Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

It was by marriage that he had alliance. Alliance with Ahab. 

I want to speak to people who are inclined to be married. Be not yolked unequally. Many think I can win her or him to Christ. Remember the priority is not to win the person to Christ when you entered into the relationship but it's because you are in love. This is where you get into trouble. And it gets worst after marriage and you find one is more inclined to the world. And with children comes more complications. Please honour the Lord. 

2 Chronicles 18:2

Some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead.

This is the will of the flesh being activated. He made a good impression so how to say no. Be careful of the world. Sometimes they tempt you with things of the world to slant your decision. 

2 Chronicles 18:3-4

Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” 

Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” 4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”

Listen to what the spirit of the Lord says today. Jehoshaphat is someone conscious of the Lord and his word. He seek counsel from the Lord. 

Some people freak me out when they pray for everything. Like I ask them to worship lead and they say let me pray about it. There are things where we need to seek the Lord but not for everything. 

2 Chronicles 18:5

So the king of Israel brought together the prophets–four hundred men–and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”

Without hesitation they decided to go as God has said it so it's a done deal. We have to study the word and not just hear what the internet says. We have to check it with the authority of the word of God. 

2 Chronicles 18:6

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”

There were already 400 so why wait for 401? The majority rules. But praise the Lord for Jehoshaphat who is looking for one who may hear from the Lord. 

2 Chronicles 18:7

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say that,” Jehoshaphat replied.

There is one who will prophesy but is not in favour of the king. But there is something about Micaiah and somehow King Ahab knew he has something from God or he would have got rid of him a long time ago. 

So he called his soldiers to bring Micaiah. 

2 Chronicles 18:10-11

Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ”

11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”

But all these still did not convince the King. Sometimes people say what you want to hear. But Ahab knew this prophet was different. Sometimes people around you sees something different in you because you're a spokesman for God. Like how Joseph spoke to the Pharaoh. 

2 Chronicles 18:15

The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord.”

Sometimes telling the truth Is the only right thing to do. By doing that you are in the right place. 

2 Chronicles 18:18

Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing on his right and on his left.

2 Chronicles 18:20

Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 

“ ‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.

This is one from the dark side. 

2 Chronicles 18:21-22

‘I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“ ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’

22 “So now the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”

This ministry has been abused over and over again that the church no longer wants to prophesy. False prophets and lying spirits can be found everywhere. Go back to the word. God speaks through his word and confirms exactly what he wants to do. Walk in the truth. You're going to be blessed. 

2 Chronicles 18:28-29

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

In those days the king goes out to battle in the front. It is so easy for the enemy to spot him. The world can spot us and know we are believers. Like at meals when the food is served but here is a group of people with their heads bowed. We are noticed. 

2 Chronicles 18:31-34

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32 for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.

33 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34 All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.

What God has spoken God has spoken. The king died as prophesied. God reminds us and speaks to us and knock at the door of our hearts continuously but it will end. Jesus is coming back again. What he says will come to pass. How will you end? Will he say I know you not? Or will he say well done my good and faithful servant. Alliance. Believers needs to connect with believers. God wants to make us one and we need to align with him. 

If we alliance with the wrong company, there is a price to pay. Let us wisely choose who we alliance with. We need to get it right. Maybe some of you are at the wrong place. Come to Jesus and ask him to save you.