The Fatal Mistake

One should constantly be dependent on God’s voice to grow in the ability to hear God and to the same extent, the person will be successful, provided for and cared for. One’s elevation depends on his/her ability to hear God.

Every step that is taken without hearing from God can potentially be fatal; fatal to the relationship with God, fatal to the relationship with families and even fatal to one’s life. One can lose their lives on earth because of one mistake they made without hearing from God.
2 Chronicles 35:21 NLT says, But King Neco sent messengers to Josiah with this message: “What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my way to fight another nation, and God has told me to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”

King Neco was the king for Egypt and Josiah was the king for Judah. Josiah had done many political and religious reforms in the nation and was known as a revivalist and a man of God. King Neco led a gentile nation that didn’t have any understanding of God. The Bible says that the king of Egypt sent a message to the king of Judah (a nation that follows God) discouraging him from coming to fight with him. The king of Egypt picked his battle based on what God had ordained for him but the king of Judah did not consult God before going to fight with the king of Egypt. The king of Egypt knew who he should fight or not fight with because he was hearing God better than the person who was building the temple, helping the priests and rebuilding the Levites. Even though what King Josiah did seem perfect, he was not dependent on the voice of God.

The one thing that made David stand out among the other kings of Judah was that he was dependent on God for every step. Once, the enemy stole his wife and children, and the wives and children of all his men; yet he didn’t pursue them or attack them without hearing from God. He waited to see what God spoke and only after that he picked up the battle. Josiah (David’s great-grandchild) was going to battle without hearing from God, consulting Him, or seeking direction from God. The king of Egypt on the other hand didn’t do the same. The revivalist, King Josiah, who brought about political, economical and religious reforms in Judah, died on the battlefield because he was not led by the voice of God.

We should take this as a warning. We have been given the Holy Spirit and have access to the throne of grace that these Old Testament kings didn’t. We can come anytime to God boldly when we need grace, mercy, help or an answer. Why are we not dependent on the voice of God, on the presence of God, and the instructions that God wants to give us? Only to the measure that we hear God, we will be successful and protected. We may end up losing our lives and be miserable failures if we just live our lives without depending on His voice. Depend on God and take time to hear Him speak without just making your prayer time about what you want from God. Keep quiet and let the Lord speak to you and give you a word of instruction for the day ahead.