Are You in League With the Enemy?

1 Kings 22:1-35

Message No. 0791 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

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Many of God’s children are probably in alliance with enemies without knowing, and where they already know, they are too scared to sever relationships or do not know what to do to retreat. In this writing, we encourage believers to be careful to avoid such alliances in the first place, and to pray and seek counselling on how to get out if they are already in one.

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In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, the Bible says:

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Alliances are a good thing. In fact, they are recommended. There is a reason why we have the United Nations, though one would question how united the nations really are. The original goal is to work together on agreed principles, while giving rooms for disagreements. One of the most powerful military alliances on earth is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. The foundational principle of this alliance is to defend one another, with the slogan, ‘An attack on one is an attack on all.’ In theory, if a non member attacks a member, the attacker has just incurred the anger of all members.

Unfortunately, there are some alliances that are faulty ‘ab initio.’ In 1 Kings chapter 22, the Bible says that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, visited Ahab, king of Israel, while the latter was nursing a battle with the king of Syria over a levitical city of refuge called Ramoth-Gilead. Jehoshaphat was a follower of God, doing the right things before God, but Ahab? He was the most wicked king in Israel’s history. So, what alliance does darkness have with light? It happened that Jehoshaphat wanted the enmity between the two kingdoms to end, so he made his son to marry the daughter of Ahab, hoping for peace by marriage.

However, the devil might pretend to be your friend all he can, it is still the devil. On this visit, Ahab asked if Jehoshaphat would go to battle with him against Syria which ruled over Ramoth-Gilead. Without hesitation, Jehoshaphat said of course; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. But the king of Judah asked if Ahab could inquire of the Lord before going to the battlefield. Ahab called his 400 fake prophets who told them to go ahead to battle and that the Lord had given them victory. When Jehoshaphat sensed that something was wrong, he asked for a true prophet of God who prophesied that Ahab would not return alive from the battle.

Believing that he could die in the battle, Ahab disguised himself but told Jehoshaphat to put on his royal dress so (inn his mind) the enemy would mistake him as the king of Israel and kill him, and it worked; Jehoshaphat was almost killed if not that he shouted and showed that he was not Ahab. In the end, wicked Ahab was killed in fulfilment of the prediction of the true prophet of God, and Jehoshaphat was spared.

Everyone who has a conscience and reads this story will be shocked, at how an ally, who also was an in-law, could trick the other ally to death. But are there not similar alliances in the world today? Do we not have leaders who trick their loyalists and friends to death based on rivalry, jealousy and suspicions? Aren’t there hundreds of documentaries where spouses kill each other because the love is no longer there and they don’t want to be seen to be divorced? They pretend to be lovers and allies while planning the deaths of their partners. Countless number of business partners have murdered their co-founders so the businesses could become theirs alone.

Ahab did not disappoint, the devil is always a devil. This is the reason why the Bible warns believers to be careful whom they are in league with. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, the Bible warns:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

King Jehoshaphat should have had no part with a wicked king like Ahab. Similarly, if any child of God is in partnership with unrighteousness, this is a call to rethink and prayerfully sever relationships with the wicked, because if the wicked is caught, chances are that the law will not know the difference between them and the righteous. A child of God should be careful and not go into marriage with an unbeliever, nor should believing parents make the mistake that Jehoshaphat made when he gave his son in marriage to the daughter of a known wicked king. You cannot consummate marriage with the intention of converting the other party to christianity, this is not an approved Biblical process.

Do you think you might be in league with the enemy? Please prayerfully ask God how to handle your situation, and go to your pastor for counselling if necessary. The Lord will set you free, in Jesus’ name.

What to Do?

Don’t enter into alliance with the wicked. If you are already in one, please seek counsel.