There is an Old Testament story about The Old Prophet and the Man of God. The Man of God had heard from the Lord not to return to a place he had just come from to eat bread or drink water. However, an older prophet heard of this man and lied to him and claimed that an angel of God told him the man should return. The Man of God listened to the Old Prophet and returned back to the forbidden place. (1 Kings 13:11-34)
Since the Man of God did not obey what God had first told him, this angered God and on the man’s return back, a lion mangled and killed him.
What a story! We should take God’s instructions to us very seriously.
Have you ever felt like you have clearly heard something from God, yet rather than accepting it or obeying, you keep re-visiting it?
Or looking to others to confirm what God has already told you?
Perhaps even letting someone sway you away from what you know God wants you to do, much like the Old Prophet in Kings?
After having a similar experience lately, my advice is to believe and do what God has told you and move on. Leave it in His hands.
When God wants us to know something that is important and in His will, He will make it known to us in some way.
If we disobey, we will suffer the consequences like the Man of God in Kings that returned to the forbidden place against what God had instructed. At the very least, we will have no peace.
What is needed is fear of the Lord, which the Old Prophet in Kings did not have enough of. He listened to man, (& himself) not God, and it did not turn out well for him.
It will not come to a good end when we obey man instead of God. The devil is the author of confusion. He does not want us to obey God’s will. He will do everything in his power to thwart it.
If someone tells you God gave them a word for YOU, as the older prophet claimed, don’t necessarily believe it. Rarely this may happen, but be HIGHLY SUSPECT. And you must always first test it against scripture and the Ten Commandments.
Others, even if they be a parent, teacher, priest, or spouse, are not God. They do not ultimately direct our lives. Especially if it is against the Bible or what God has already told you.
This is like the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3) The sly serpent tempted Eve by causing her to second-guess what God had told them: do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge, yet she did.
Adam and Eve doubted and disobeyed God and listened to the serpent just as the Man of God listened to the Old Prophet instead of God. As a result, we are all stuck on this earth in the mess of sin, suffering and death. They were swayed by the sly serpent and look where that got all of us! Consequences can be far-reaching. Don’t believe lies!!!!
If you know in your heart what God wants you to do in a certain situation, obey. Don’t continually second guess it, don’t run to others to take an opinion poll, OBEY GOD! He knows what is best for you and your eternal life. Others often have an underlying selfish motive for whatever they tell you, whether conscious or not.
Let this story be a lesson to us. I had a decision to make lately where this was very applicable. I basically knew what the answer was. One day I wanted to take an “opinion poll” from others at church, oddly, no one was available that day. I got in the car to drive home and God told me: you don’t need to ask anyone about this, you already know the answer.
It was a closed situation, but I was trying to re-open it.
Was I allowing myself to be tempted by Satan like in the Garden of Eden? I suppose so. Some time later, I did by circumstance end up with an “older prophet’s” opinion as to what I should do and by then I clearly knew his answer was WRONG.
And not only that, the “older prophet’s” advice was against the First Commandment. I hate to think what would happen to me if I did not obey God. A lion wouldn’t get me, but something else equally horrifying could.
“I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by [the] grace [of Christ] for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach [to you] a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accused! As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accused! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.” (Galations 1:6-10)
Thankfully God does not want us to fall and if we heed His voice He guides us to the truth but we do not remain passive in this. We have to be open to hearing and following His voice.
Yes, at times we can make mistakes or misjudge what God has said or even willfully sin. He is merciful and will forgive us and sometimes may provide a Plan B, but we should not get into the habit of disobeying God, especially if we know better. It is your peace on the line and your eternal life at stake.
You don’t want to end up being “mangled by a lion.” Literally or figuratively.
