Series in Micah - Standing Strong in the Spirit in a Time of Apostasy

 

Standing Strong in the Spirit in a Time of Apostasy

Micah 3:5-8

There are many who claim prophetic abilities, dreams, and visions in the past as today. Many rally around big events, crucial outcomes, and controversial political or governmental circumstances with a word, vision,or dream from the Lord. And there is usually a tag or string attached for the service, whether it be monetarily or notoriety. There is ‘no free lunch” or “free prophetic advice.” as the adage should go. 

And as in the days of the fall of Israel, there was no end to the propaganda, intrigue, and political and spiritual maneuvering by leaders, the wealthy, and the false seers.

Micah has seen Pekahiah, king of Israel, taken out by a military coup. Then Pekah, the assassin, reigned in the same wickedness as all before him, and lost a part of the land to Assyrians, then was murdered by Hoshea, another rising despot king, treasonist, and inmate in an Assyrian prison.

 So let’s read the first portion of the text. “This is what the Lord says about the men who speak in God’s name and lead my people the wrong way. When they have something to eat, they speak of peace. But they make holy war against him who does not feed them.” (NLV)

Micah finds himself surrounded by proclaimers and seers of prosperity and blessings and the purveyors of peace and security. Here Micah has a Word from God for these prophets of provocation for prosperity and the progressive status quo. 

Micah had to contend with the fallacious voices of his day that clamored peace for a price. The purveyors would gladly tell you “there is pie in the sky” ahead and then turn and support those who were using and abusing the people. And with this acknowledgment of future peace they expected a gift of remuneration for this word from the divine. Especially from the leadership and the wealthy. And when they may be stiffed by their emptors because of their proclamation, they beat the war drums of retaliation by creating an intifada or holy war against those who stood in opposition of their word from the divine or over their denied remuneration. Example Balaam and Barak (Num. 24:13 - Barak’s desire and wage to Balaam for prophesying a curse of his enemy) 

Application - We have many voices screaming to be heard today, and many of them have a price tag attached. It may be to save humanity, or a select lifestyle. They will pander to their cause as long as there is a remuneration. If Micah could see our times  he would be aghast at the false prophetic word being proliferated in the name of the Almighty. 

They don’t stand on the street corners any more, they hang their shingle of the prophet upon their social media site and hashtag. And they pursue the wealthy and influencers for support in lieu of divine guidance and assurance of prosperous times ahead.

If they get stiffed or ridiculed by defamatory claims or their prophetic words that didn’t pan out. Then they will sue and/or ridicule with their own slanderous remarks to shame or to their own shame and demise. 

God will not be mocked nor will He advocate this false profundity in His name. As in the days of old, He has the last word and will deal with false prophecy with judgment and damnation. (ex. false prophet of Revelation) What is sown will be reaped.

Second, Micah now gives them God's response and judgment upon them for their false prophecies and denial of God’s truth and divine Word. So let’s read the next portion of the text. “So night will come to you without a special dream. Darkness will come to you without any word about the future. The sun will go down on those who speak about special dreams, and the day will become dark over them. Those who tell what is going to happen in the future will be ashamed. Those who learn about the future using their secret ways will be ashamed. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.” (NLV) 

Micah draws in word pictures the torment to come upon them for foretelling lies for corrupt gains and the distortion of the truth of God’s actual prophetic word. They are going to face utter darkness, not just the lack of the light of day, but in the darkness of not hearing the Word of God via dream or vision. They will not receive a word from God and they will make up special dreams from their own minds and spirit to compensate, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.” (Jer. 23:16); and the darkness will thicken as God denies them the ability to see and hear the truth, and they turn to wages for foretelling the future possibly by demonic abilities (Acts 16:16-18). What word or dream they make up in their minds will fail and they will be ashamed before their emptors who have itching ears for any word that agrees with their apostate minds and plans. They will even fall to using other clairvoyant methods and secret ways, only to increase their shame and judgment as the people see and aren’t taken captive by charlatan tactics. The false prophets will mourn in loss of revenue and cover their mouths and beards in sorrow. For they had been exposed.

It was the custom of their days, they would cover their mouths, beards, and mustaches as a sign of shame and disgrace. (Ezekiel 24:15-22 - Ezekiel’s visual to the people of losing the one thing that they loved most, and it was to be taken from them by demise and death).

Application - It is a sad manner to live in darkness of the Word of God because of rebellion, iniquity, and demonic possession. For people have forgotten the Word of the Lord for God had given them over to blindness by the god of this age, Satan. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Cor. 4:4 NLT) 

They stagger in their blindness, engage in special dreams of their own making only to find that they too are an affront to God Almighty. But they will continue to proclaim divine revelation in the hopes of recovering their former stature only to fall into deep shame as the truth of God reveals their delusions and deceptions. And those who had believed in the deceptive words of the special dreams and visions of the future will be ashamed as well. For the illusionary dream, vision, or word from God will be proven false by God in time, and those who continue to follow their former illusions with further dreams and visions to their own shame, will eventually be silenced by the covering of their mouths or by the duped people.

 God’s truth, His Word, will always do as it was sent to do, and it will achieve its divine purpose. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11) God is not a man that he should lie “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19), and He will never fail. “Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.” (Isa. 49:23b)

Last, Micah finds justification for his foreknowledge, fortitude, and gratitude for God's strength and divine protection. So let’s read the last portion of the text. “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, with what is fair, and with strength. I am able to make known to Jacob his wrong-doing, and to Israel his sin.” (NLV)

Micah wasn’t being cocky or arrogant, he rejoiced in the truth of God’s Word and favor. He knew the power of God’s Spirit as it came upon him, for it strengthened him to speak the truth in boldness in the midst of adversity and the impending judgment upon Israel and Judah. He didn’t have to hang his head, or cover his beard in sorrow. Justice was given by God to silence the false voices of seers and prophets whose love was pride and money, and their clientele were those who were greedy, selfish, and abused the widow, orphan, and the poor. God had warned the people of their sins of harlotry and transgressions against His commandments. The covenant with God wasn’t to be trifled with, but honored and obeyed. Micah knew that he could stand before God vindicated and guiltless of the crimes of the false prophets and the blood of those he warned but wouldn’t listen. He stood tall amongst his adversaries in the power and might of almighty God. He had a clear conscience and moral fortitude.

Application - In truth, God sets his chosen ones apart for His work (holiness) and He fills them with His Spirit, who delegates the words and gifting so that the person of God can stand in the midst of adversity, apostasy, and painful trials. We should rejoice as Paul the apostle said in Philippians. “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!...I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  (4:4,12-13 NLT) 

The words to Micah from God brought him reassurance and confidence as he stood firm in the midst of adversity and the striving and contending for the people of Israel and of Judah. The power of the Holy Spirit upon him and with Him didn’t give Micah a haughty and arrogant spirit, but humbled him as he saw the justice and righteousness of God enacted on those who spoke words and used visions and dreams to placate the flesh and their pocketbook. 

We too must learn to stand firm in the Lord and speak truth in love to the lost and abused ones, as we bear the burdens of one another. “Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (Gal. 6:1-5 MSG)

We know that we are fallible and unrighteous in our flesh, but with the blood-covering of Christ’s atonement and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are able to stand as a witness and a herald of the Good News, and also the harbinger of the Word from God to a lost world. We have been warned that there will be false teachers, apostles and prophets, and other forms of clairvoyance to draw people away into heresy and into judgment from God. So let us be a light in this dark world, a voice of liberty to the oppressed and blind spiritually, and a bastion of hope in the peace of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” (Psalms 62:5-6 NIV)

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com