{"id":1532,"date":"2011-10-31T07:11:14","date_gmt":"2011-10-31T11:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/godonomics\/?p=1532"},"modified":"2011-10-25T16:12:12","modified_gmt":"2011-10-25T20:12:12","slug":"am-i-trying-to-hear-god%e2%80%99s-will-for-me-or-trying-to-hear-my-will-for-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2011\/10\/am-i-trying-to-hear-god%e2%80%99s-will-for-me-or-trying-to-hear-my-will-for-god.html","title":{"rendered":"Am I trying to hear God\u2019s will for me or trying to hear My will for God?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning we are continuing our STRONG journey digging into the life of Jehoshaphat. \u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s review… We are living during a time called the \u201cDivided Kingdom.\u201d Israel had three main kings when they were one nation:\u00a0 Saul, then David, and then Solomon. \u00a0\u00a0Because of Solomon\u2019s sin, God divided his people into the Northern Kingdom, usually called Israel, and the Southern Kingdom, called Judah. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We learned last week that the next 50-100 years have good and bad kings in both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. \u00a0One of the Kings, a man named Jehoshaphat, became King of Judah (Southern Kingdom). \u00a0He led the people back to strength through spiritual disciplines of celebration, Bible study, fasting, and prayer. \u00a0\u00a0Last week, we looked at the Spiritual Habit of Celebration and Joy. \u00a0\u00a0This week, we want to look at how to strengthen ourselves through prayer and meditation. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll begin with a Quest and end with a Question.<\/p>\n

1) The Quest of Ahab and Jehoshaphat<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Background: Chapter 17-18) After Jehoshaphat strengthens himself through Bible study and after turning back to God in chapter 17, things look good. \u00a0That is, until chapter 18. In chapter 18, the king of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) is named Ahab. \u00a0\u00a0Ahab realizes that Jehoshaphat is STRONG and wants an alliance. They are connected as family by marriage. \u00a0Ahab throws a party to celebrate Jehoshaphat’s strength, but really wants his alliance against his enemies Ramoth Gilead.<\/p>\n

2 Chron 18\u00a0 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. 2 After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, \u201cWill you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?\u201d<\/em>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

The violet color represents the northern kingdom of Israel. \u00a0The light blue color with the \u201c#5\u201d is Jehoshaphat coming to join Ahab for the party. \u00a0He wants to talk him into going to the \u201c#6\u201d location on the map to drive his enemies back from Ramoth Gilead. \u00a0Jehoshaphat says, \u201cI\u2019ll help, but only if God tells me it\u2019s okay. Let\u2019s pray. Let\u2019s communicate with God on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

4 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, \u201cPlease inquire for the word of the LORD today.\u201d <\/em>
\n5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, \u201cShall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?\u201d So they said, \u201cGo up, for God will deliver it into the king\u2019s hand.\u201d 6 But Jehoshaphat said, \u201cIs there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ahab has many prophets to pray to God, and they all say, \u201cGo for it, God wants you to do this.” Jehosaphat realized that these prophets are speaking not for God, but for one of the many foreign gods Israel is worshipping. Many think these are the prophets of Asherah, an idol god associated with Baal.\u00a0 Asherah was the female counterpart of Baal. This is a little Asherah statue you can buy today at a \u201cspirituality\u201d store online. \u00a0\u00a0The ancient ones look similar. \u00a0\u00a0This is the \u201cmost\u201d modest image of her I could find. She is always without clothes and showing off her chest. \u00a0This is the \u201cgod\u201d that Ahab suggests they talk to, in order to get God\u2019s wisdom. \u00a0\u00a0 Jehoshaphat suggests that possible they should talk to God, rather than the topless statue….<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

1 King 18:19 \u00a0the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel\u2019s table<\/em><\/p>\n

How does Ahab reply to the idea of making sure you are communicating with God vs some other voice?<\/p>\n

2 Chron 18:7\u00a0 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, \u201cThere is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ahab says, \u201cWe have ONE guy… BUT I HATE HIM! \u00a0\u00a0Why?\u00a0 He never says anything good about me.\u00a0 So I don\u2019t talk to him.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0So they call on Micaiah to come see what God has to say…. \u00a0Ahab sends a message that says, \u201cMicaiah, this better be a good message from God.\u201d Meanwhile one of the false prophets gets very dramatic in trying to make it clear that god will grant victory.<\/p>\n

10 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, \u201cThus says the LORD: \u2018With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.\u2019 \u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, \u201cGo up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king\u2019s hand.\u201d 12 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, \u201cNow listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

So Zedekiah is running around the courtyard with some iron horns stabbing things promising God will gore the Syrians. \u00a0\u00a0Micaiah is threatened to \u201csay what the king wants him to say.\u201d \u00a0What will Micaiah do? \u00a0Next scene, Micaiah walks in the door.<\/p>\n

14 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, \u201cMicaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?\u201d \u00a0And he said, \u201cGo and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The king must realize that this is the first time Micaiah ever said anything good, so he says, \u201cIs that really what God said…?\u201d To which Micaiah replies…<\/p>\n

15 So the king said to him, \u201cHow many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?\u201d \u00a016 Then he said, \u201cI saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, \u2018These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.\u2019 \u201d \u00a017 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, \u201cDid I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The king hears the real message of God. You are in sin, you are heading for disaster. Now the king gets mad. I told you not to tell me that. \u00a0\u00a0So Micaiah told him what he wanted to hear then when pushed, told him what God wanted him to hear.\u00a0 Now he\u2019s mad, but Micaiah continues.<\/p>\n

18 Then Micaiah said, \u201cTherefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left. 19 And the LORD said, \u2018Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?\u2019 22 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Micaiah says, you\u2019re going to die, and the prophets over there are lying to you to kill you. \u00a0God allowed or \u201cput\u201d a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets. Romans tells us that when we exchange the truth for a lie, God gives us over to that lie and its consequences. \u00a0That\u2019s what happening here. (Now it gets hilarious.)\u00a0 A fist fight breaks out among the prophets.<\/p>\n

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, \u201cWhich way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Now, Jehoshaphat and Ahab have a decision to make. \u00a0It\u2019s the same decision you and I have. When we begin a discipline of prayer and communication with God. When we begin to pray and mediate on what is true. \u00a0\u00a0Their Quest is Our Question… We began with The Quest of Ahab and Jehosaphat… now we move to…<\/p>\n

2) The Question For All of Us.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Am I trying to hear God\u2019s will for me, or trying to hear My will for God?<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it Thy Kingdom come, or My Kingdom come?<\/p>\n

This is the problem with most of our prayer lives. We come to prayer not with \u201cthy kingdom come, thy will be done, but with \u201cMy kingdom come, My will be done.\u201d We, like Ahab, know how our life should look. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have cancer.\u201d \u00a0\u201cI shouldn\u2019t have troubles.\u201d \u00a0\u201cI shouldn\u2019t have this or that happen.\u201d We try to \u201cmanipulate, guilt, yell, even smack God upside the head\u201d with our will. We bribe him with our good works. We sit in self pity under our \u201cwe deserve better\u201d helmets. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But the reason we need communication with God, the reason we need prayer and mediation as a spiritual habit, the real purpose of prayer is to deal with our biggest problem…the natural broken stance of the human heart is arrogance. It\u2019s putting yourself in the place of God. It\u2019s the arrogant belief that we know better than God how to run our lives, who to forgive, who to judge. \u00a0And then we \u201ccommunicate with God\u201d or pray as an expression of that arrogance. \u201cGod, do what I want, do My will.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0If you listen to your heart carefully you\u2019ll hear it, \u201cMy kingdom come, my will be done\u201d is what our prayer life really looks like under an X-ray.\u00a0 Why do you and I need to pray and hear from God? Because we are putting ourselves in the place of God. We are worried. We are fearful. We are resentful. We are angry at God, at people. \u00a0\u00a0We think we are mad at others or God. But the real reason is, you are in pain. You are putting yourself in the place of God. \u00a0\u00a0This is the real reason you and I need prayer. \u00a0Here is the greatest prayer you can pray:<\/p>\n

\u201cPrayer, Holy Spirit, the most important thing I need to know is that YOU ARE GOD, AND I AM NOT. \u00a0\u00a0I can\u2019t overcome my unforgiveness, I think I know better how to judge. \u00a0I can\u2019t stop worrying because I know better how to control the universe. \u00a0You are the king, not me. \u00a0\u00a0I don\u2019t need to prove myself. I don\u2019t need to control everything anymore. \u00a0God, \u00a0You need to heal your heart through prayer.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For a free first session of Godonomics, please visit:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.godonomics.com\/watch-session-1<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=37vfb5UknGI<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This morning we are continuing our STRONG journey digging into the life of Jehoshaphat. \u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s review… We are living during a time called the \u201cDivided Kingdom.\u201d Israel had three main kings when they were one nation:\u00a0 Saul, then David, and then Solomon. \u00a0\u00a0Because of Solomon\u2019s sin, God divided his people into the Northern Kingdom, usually…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[449,275,442,440],"tags":[431,450,22],"class_list":["post-1532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-communication","category-decision-making","category-disciplines-2","category-prayer-2","tag-disciplines","tag-gods-will-for-me","tag-prayer"],"yoast_head":"\nAm I trying to hear God\u2019s will for me or trying to hear My will for God? - Godonomics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2011\/10\/am-i-trying-to-hear-god\u2019s-will-for-me-or-trying-to-hear-my-will-for-god.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Am I trying to hear God\u2019s will for me or trying to hear My will for God? 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He loves volleyball, movies, and hanging out with his wife Beth and their three children.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.godonomics.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/author\/chadhovind"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/353"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1532"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1542,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions\/1542"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}