Real or Deceived

Four hundred men stood before Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Ahab, king of Israel, said they were prophets. Not convinced, Jehoshaphat asked if Ahab knew of any “prophet of the Lord.” In fact, Ahab had been deceived: none of these men were real prophets.

Ahab had been deceived by appearances. These men must have looked like real prophets. Their words sounded right. But, in fact, they were counterfeits.

The only real prophet was Micaiah, who, in some ways, defied the stereotype. Yet he alone was genuine and called by God.

The Bible warns that “many deceivers have gone out into the world” (2 John 1:7). This means we need to be on guard, for we, too, could be deceived. We must not place our faith in labels or the opinions of other people. Instead, we must gain deeper dimensions of spiritual maturity. We must know God’s Word and make it the standard of our judgments. We must have a close personal relationship with the Lord and be sensitive to His Spirit.

Like Micaiah, we need to be real and honest before God. We must be in tune with Him, ready to obey Him and complete His assignments, and not distracted by the opinions of other people. Instead of worrying about the applause of the crowd or the approval of kings, our only concern should be pleasing Him. And this will require a commitment to speak the truth no matter what the consequences may be.

Today, ask God to give you discernment and help you to be on guard against deception. Remember that Satan can disguise himself “as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Seek to be more sensitive to God’s leading, always trusting Him and listening to His instructions.