Tues.’s Devo - Prophecy

Read: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37, Acts 21:1-16, Ps. 149:1-9, Pr. 18:8 Fear and intimidation are two of the devil’s most effective weapons against the body of Christ. We see him use these weapons against Hezekiah. Rab-shekeh was the spokesman for the king of Assyria. He kept reminding Hezekiah of all the other nations they had taken and how there was no way Jerusalem would win against him. Hezekiah was afraid, but he kept turning to God for his answers and God continued to assure him that He would protect their nation. God did just that, exactly like Isaiah said he would. Thank God for the prophetic gift. I listened to a message from a modern-day prophet the other day who has the ear of important men in Washington D.C. When God tells him what is in store for America, they listen because he has always been right. That is encouraging to me to know that God has men in Washington that are eager to know what God is saying through His prophets. In Acts we see the ministry of the prophet as well. Paul stays with an evangelist whose four daughters all prophesy. (We can all prophesy. 1 Co. 13:41) Then a prophet named Agabus prophesies that Paul will be bound once he goes to Jerusalem. No amount of persuasion will keep Paul from going. Paul does not fear what men can do to him even if it means being put in prison for the Lord. He knows that following Jesus is sometimes not comfortable or convenient, but always worth it. Though the prophesy came true, and Paul was bound with chains, he was free in his soul and God was able to use him mightily in prison. Many books we now have in the New Testament were written while he was in prison. Lord, may we heed the voice of the prophets of our day and desire to prophesy.