Your Conviction: Standing Up When Others Come Against You

First, I think it's pretty awesome that I'm getting to share thoughts/blog with Mike. With similiar thoughts but different ways to approach certain topics, I hope that my contributions to this blog will become something that edifies and not destroy.

Second, the main topic:

Just this past weekend I had the pleasure to attend a men's retreat with some of the guys at Messiah College. This year's theme was "men of conviction" via Joshua 1:7-9.  It was a bittersweet experience because although I was with a group of three other guys, most city boys would panic from getting lost in the middle of the woods (and I might have for a couple of minutes when we finally declared "we're lost"), I enjoyed being in the stillness of God's creation. There were various lessons that I've learned throughout this retreat, but one was being able to speak out for God when the obstacle says otherwise.

After watching a sermon this morning by Francis Chan from the Passion 2012 conference on youtube, Francis Chan reads from 1 Kings 22  when Jehosphaphat king of Judah and the king of Israel wanted to reclaim land from the king of Aram that they believed belong to them but nothing was done to reclaim the land after years. What's the first thing that king Jehosphaphat does before going to war?

 “First seek the counsel of the Lord.” (v.5)

That was the best thing the king of Judah thought of before entering a situation that might get messy. For the most part, all of us have the desire to ask God for some approval. If God approves through a bunch of people, you know that things will turn out well. This comes to the point when we need realize that individually we need to seek God and His truth to distinguish what is the truth from the lies.
We’ve become accustomed to go to Sunday service to listen (hopefully we do pay attention) to the pastor preach, or an invited preacher and we decide to let our Bibles collect dust until Sunday comes around.


The verses go on to say that after bringing four hundred prophets to ask "Will I win this war?" (v. 6, paraphrase) all of them replied with "“Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”". How much more evidence do you need to proceed with whatever you desire after 400 people have approved? Although the king of Judah might have had selfish motives behind taking the land back and to go to war to reclaim, 400 prophets approved? OKAY!

 It reminds me of the times when I used to shoot hoops with my brothers and say "if this shot goes on, it means that God wants me to be with that new girl from church!" If it made it in (which for the most part happens...just kidding!), it would mean I would ask the new girl out. If it missed, I would try so many times to try to make it in so that I can say "yup! God wants me to ask her out!" How unfair is that?

To end, after 400 prophets confirmed that the war will be won by the king of Judah, the king asks if there are any other prophets left. The kind of Israel finally says,

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me..." (v.8)

Yet when Micah, the last prophet said "you're going to win this war." However the king asked for the truth and Micah finally said "you know what? to be quite honest, you're going to lose this war." (v.17, paraphrase).

When I read this, I thought "how could I ever do something like that?" It's so easy to go with the flow and agree with others when God tells you otherwise. Why? Acceptance. You (by you, I also mean myself) might be seen as "that guy/girl who never agrees", or maybe you're just scared how others will react towards what you say.

Are you able to stand up as women/men of conviction? When God gives you a word and tells you to do it even though others agree with the opposite of what you think, would you still be willing to proclaim what God has put in your heart? If not, we need to start strengthing each other up and start diving into the Word of God and become like a David - men and women after God's own heart! We are called to be unashamed of God and His will in our lives.

Be encouraged and continue to encourage others in the faith!

-  Moises -

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16