TEXT: 1 KINGS13:4-10, VERSE 11-16
Some years back, I did expository on this topic at Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship in Umuahia, and the message was impactful and stimulates a major Spiritual awakening. It is good to have mentors and spiritual Fathers, but you should be sure the belief and the spiritual state of your mentor before you will be wrongfully influenced. It is a saying that “you need a father or mentor to see farther” but on the contrary, some father or mentor can drain your oil and keep you discouraged over kingdom work or send you to your early grave.
The young prophet being zealous for the Lord did a lot of exploits and narrated how God instructed him not to eat, drink or to follow the same route he came with, but was deceived by the old prophet into disobeying God’s instruction. In Verse 18 “ He said unto him I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that they may eat bread and drink water , but he lied unto him” unquote.
THE DECEPTION OF THE OLD PROPHETS:
Similarity of Office:
“I am a prophet also as thou art” Pastor W.F Kumuyi of Deeper life Church once said and I quote “Others may do but I will not” unquote. Holding the office of the Prophet or Pastor does not make two different pastors/prophets the same or identical. No two prophets or Pastors are Identical in character, Message, anointing and mode of operation. Some receive specific instruction that makes them distinct. Not because he is a prophet like you, should war*nt you to indulge in similar sin like adultery, fornication, corruption, compromise, Gay marriage etc.
The Voice of an Angel:
The old prophet said that Angel spoke to him for the younger prophet to disobey the heavenly instruction. Any Angel which speaks contrary to the word of God as it is written in the bible or spoken word of God is a false Angel. It is true that God may sometimes pass His message through an angel, does not give us the room to worship them or obey their instruction. God’s voice supersedes the word of an Angel or prophets.
Doom Prophecy:
The same prophet that that prophesied the words of an Angel to deceive the young prophet from Judah was the same prophet that prophesied his death. This implies that the same old prophet that leads you to evil and sin will be the one to officiate during your funeral.
Envy/ Un-healthy competition:
The Old Prophet was not happy that the Young Prophet was used for exploit in his territory. God gives his Spiritual gifts for us to complement each other in the body of Christ and not to compete with each other. The Old Prophet was filled with the spirit of envy and competition and that leads to his desperate act of deception.
This is a reminiscent of what is happening in our Churches today, where Senior Ministers “Bench” Young Ministers or the Associates after being used by God mightily. This is a dangerous trend; rather they turn them to be “Offering collectors or announcement Ministers”.
** Self-Complacency:**
In Verse 14, the old prophet found the young prophet from Judah sitting under the oak tree. What is he doing under the tree? He could be tired physically and spiritually or meditating on the exploit God used him to do i.e. building a monument for himself contrary to God’s instructions to him. This Self-satisfaction and time lag of resting instead of going home; gave the Old Prophet the opportunity to release his deceptive message from the pit of hell. What do you do after a major accomplishment or fulfillment of a vision? You do not need to build monuments, blow your trumpet or rest, but rather dream another dream.
I am not writing this for you to avoid the old prophets or for you not to submit to their mentorship; rather you have to “shine your eyes”. This implies you have to prayerfully and carefully choose your mentor; and be sure that God leads you to a particular prophet as your spiritual father. Hence, who you follow determines what follows you, trade with caution
“SAFETY FIRST.”
Many have backslide through following the instructions of backslidden Spiritual fathers. It’s no longer crime to marry and divorce, commit adultery and fornication because your mentor is a victim. If the life style of your Spiritual father or Mentor is against the tenets of Christianity as enshrined in the Bible, prayerfully talk to him with respect; and if he refuse to change prayerfully select another prophet as your Mentor or Spiritual father.
As 21st century preacher you are enjoined to obey God’s instruction and not be misguided by the” Lions in sheep clothing’s” or Old Prophets Syndrome.
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