As we transition from the Church Age into the Kingdom Age, God is looking to see which voice we have become attuned to, his voice or a man’s voice. There are many leaders which have plans for you that are certainly not God’s plans. The fivefold giftings must work tightly together to have a fully functioning church. One gift cannot be allowed to dominate the others as is currently happening with the pastoral gift. The foundation of God’s church as clearly displayed throughout the new testament is not pastor and evangelist, the foundation is apostle and prophet with Christ as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). And then the pastor, evangelist, and teacher are able to build atop this foundation and God’s kingdom grows in perfect balance and harmony. This message comes from the book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 18 if you wish to read along.

We see two distinct characters here: Jehoshaphat the King of Judah and Ahab the King of Israel. Judah here represents the Kingdom. Israel represents the church and the world (which in this age can be considered one and the same). We see here Jehoshaphat has riches and honor in abundance because of his obedience and submission to God. God always blesses and rewards obedience, obedience is better than sacrifice. But now we see Jehoshaphat is in affinity with Ahab and we all know what Ahab is like. In the same way many of the Kingdom leaders God is raising up are largely still trapped in union with church leadership many of whom have no connection with God. An uncomfortable relationship between the Sauls and Davids. As we know God is calling us to a separation in the end-times. Some spiritual leaders are not striving to raise those under their stewardship up in their unique gifts, callings, destiny or helping them learn the voice of God. The people are instead used as pawns to run man-made programs that have little impact on the Kingdom. The emphasis on "excellence" results in a perfectionism attitude with no respect for volunteer hours. Israel was a larger nation than Judah, and sometimes we are just too attracted to ministers because of their ministry size we believe it must be of God, yet in reality the devil can grow a person's ministry to keep people in bondage to their system. Just because a church is large does not mean God brought grew it, it is often grown by programs and commercialism rather than by God’s blessings. Thus the megachurch only increases in size because it syphons members away from other churches that preach the true gospel with hard parts and repentance included in the message. The growth rarely comes from actual evangelism of the neighborhood.

These leaders will try to get you to follow them in their ministry and help them out in their projects and programs, but if you receive a call to start your own independent ministry they become hostile to the idea.

We see here the current state of the institutionalized prophetic where the words are constantly positive, affirming, and encouraging people that they will win all of their battles. Yet many times God is on the other side of the battle and what those leaders need is a fiery word to be woken up and repent, not the positive cushy words that affirm people in their sin. This is a major issue God has with the institutionalized merchandized prophets. They will give you a positive word so that you will keep listening to them, following them and thus donating to their ministry. The real truth of God often is quite uncomfortable but this word which convicts and hurts to hear is what is necessary.

For every four-hundred prophets who give constant positive and encouraging words there may only be one who will release the judgement and conviction of God. Yet no one will repent based on a word of encouragement,  a word of conviction is needed to bring change. Not many are willing to be the unpopular prophet to say this. After all, we enjoy our status liked, ministry subscribed to by many, donations receieved. Prophets are humans and the human desire to be the big shot is something we struggle with and must overcome. To be a prophet of God you must deliver the message he gives you to deliver no matter what. Some revelation will be popular and some will be unpopular but we can't only release the popular ones or else no one will grow in God. Seeking to be popular is what creates the ‘soothsayer.’ A soothsayer can have a prophetic anointing from God, but they are still a false prophet because they only release positive soothing words that appeal to the comfort of our fleshly nature.

He asked this because he was unsatisfied with Ahab’s 400 prophets and knew they were false (4 is the number of the “world” and 100 is the number of “fullness.” “400” prophets therefore has the symbolic revelation that they are speaking “full of the world”). Jehoshaphat knew that Micah was the prophet of God. Despite clearly hearing the word of God through Micah,  Jehoshaphat nonetheless went along with Ahab to fight in the doomed battle. Take time now to ask God which worldly battles you are fighting that are distracting you from his perfect will for your life. Are you joining up with someone's manmade vision by mistake?

Did you see what just happened here? Ahab just convinced Jehoshaphat to dress up in his kingly robes meanwhile Ahab disguises as a regular soldier so that he will not be a target. Jehoshaphat will be the target and Ahab will be disguised away! Ahab has convinced Jehoshaphat to sacrifice himself as a pawn to Ahab’s purpose.  There are plenty of leaders who will feed you right into their human vision for your life. You become a slave whose job is to spend weeks training and decorating at church for worldly 'holiday' events, meanwhile God's own plan for your life goes ignored. We are meant to be a "nation of priests" as scripture says. That means everyone needs to have their own relationship with God. There are too many places operating in the Catholic mindset where the function of 'priest' has shifted to the pastor in which this person is expected to go to God for you in place of you having your own relationship with God and your own call on your life. A real leader with the heart of God will allow you to spread your wings and move on to your next stage when the time is right. They won't see you as only a pawn meant to further their expansion ambitions.

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