Prophetic Words
About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: "This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness." 2 Kings 20:1
I have just returned from a women’s retreat where each woman had encouraging prophetic words spoken to her by our speaker. This is always a faith-builder, especially if we need a spiritual boost. However, as our scripture today shows very clearly, not all prophetic words are necessarily encouraging. The gift of prophecy is for encouragement, edification and comfort in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:3), but there are those who operate in the office of a prophet who are sometimes called to bring bad news. (Not many people are prophets in this way.)
The book of Proverbs tells us very clearly that death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21). Because we are each made in the image of God, our tongue is by nature prophetic. It holds great power. We have all experienced the power of words spoken over us. Sadly, it is often the power of negative words that has the most effect. We know that a child who is constantly criticized and intimidated will not usually grow into a very successful adult. We are told that it takes ten positive statements to counteract the effect of one negative one! When we understand that, we know that it is vital that our tongues speak words of life and not of death.
King Hezekiah was sick and near death when the prophet Isaiah came with words from God. “Put your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not live.” I don’t think that would have been the word Hezekiah wanted to hear. Perhaps you have heard a similar word from your doctor. See what Hezekiah did. He turned his face toward the wall, away from everyone. He didn’t argue with the prophet; his dealings now were with his God. He prayed, “Remember now, O Lord I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart and have done what was good in your sight.” He pleaded with God. In effect he said, “Lord I have been as obedient as I could, have mercy on me.”
Isaiah was on his way out of the king’s presence when the Lord spoke again – “Go, tell Hezekiah, I have heard your prayers, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”
We need to always remember that God has the last word. The doctors speak the truth as they see it, from their understanding and their perspective. But God’s truth and perspective can always supersede that of man. We can be given a medical verdict but we can always come and plead our case with God. If God still has work for us to do, then the doctor’s prognosis does not have to be the final word.
Jesus demonstrated the heart of God as he walked the earth. He constantly healed the sick and even raised the dead. Jesus is the Lord and giver of life. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He hears our cry, he gives instruction, he heals. For Hezekiah the instruction was for a poultice of figs to be placed on his sore, for Naaman (2 Kings 5) it was to go wash in the Jordan river 7 times, for the leper it was to go show himself to the priest (Luke 5), for the blind man it was to go wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9).
You can cry out to God about the negative words that have brought death or despair or failure to some area of your life and He can turn it around. Is there something the Lord wants you to do today in order to secure your healing, physical, emotional or spiritual? God often requires us to do something in order to demonstrate that we believe His words of life more than the words of death. Ask Him, seek Him. He promises that you will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13-14).
Prayer: Lord have mercy on me! Amen
About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: "This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness." 2 Kings 20:1
I have just returned from a women’s retreat where each woman had encouraging prophetic words spoken to her by our speaker. This is always a faith-builder, especially if we need a spiritual boost. However, as our scripture today shows very clearly, not all prophetic words are necessarily encouraging. The gift of prophecy is for encouragement, edification and comfort in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:3), but there are those who operate in the office of a prophet who are sometimes called to bring bad news. (Not many people are prophets in this way.)
The book of Proverbs tells us very clearly that death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21). Because we are each made in the image of God, our tongue is by nature prophetic. It holds great power. We have all experienced the power of words spoken over us. Sadly, it is often the power of negative words that has the most effect. We know that a child who is constantly criticized and intimidated will not usually grow into a very successful adult. We are told that it takes ten positive statements to counteract the effect of one negative one! When we understand that, we know that it is vital that our tongues speak words of life and not of death.
King Hezekiah was sick and near death when the prophet Isaiah came with words from God. “Put your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not live.” I don’t think that would have been the word Hezekiah wanted to hear. Perhaps you have heard a similar word from your doctor. See what Hezekiah did. He turned his face toward the wall, away from everyone. He didn’t argue with the prophet; his dealings now were with his God. He prayed, “Remember now, O Lord I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart and have done what was good in your sight.” He pleaded with God. In effect he said, “Lord I have been as obedient as I could, have mercy on me.”
Isaiah was on his way out of the king’s presence when the Lord spoke again – “Go, tell Hezekiah, I have heard your prayers, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”
We need to always remember that God has the last word. The doctors speak the truth as they see it, from their understanding and their perspective. But God’s truth and perspective can always supersede that of man. We can be given a medical verdict but we can always come and plead our case with God. If God still has work for us to do, then the doctor’s prognosis does not have to be the final word.
Jesus demonstrated the heart of God as he walked the earth. He constantly healed the sick and even raised the dead. Jesus is the Lord and giver of life. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He hears our cry, he gives instruction, he heals. For Hezekiah the instruction was for a poultice of figs to be placed on his sore, for Naaman (2 Kings 5) it was to go wash in the Jordan river 7 times, for the leper it was to go show himself to the priest (Luke 5), for the blind man it was to go wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9).
You can cry out to God about the negative words that have brought death or despair or failure to some area of your life and He can turn it around. Is there something the Lord wants you to do today in order to secure your healing, physical, emotional or spiritual? God often requires us to do something in order to demonstrate that we believe His words of life more than the words of death. Ask Him, seek Him. He promises that you will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13-14).
Prayer: Lord have mercy on me! Amen
posted by Daydrops For You at
11:57 PM
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