TEXT:  1 Kings 22:1-14

INTRODUCTION:

A.      MICAIAH'S STATEMENT TOOK COURAGE.

B.      THE POSITION OF GOSPEL TEACHERS TODAY IS THE SAME.

C.      A PARALLEL - "WHAT THE LORD SAITH...THAT WILL I SPEAK."

I.      ONE OF OUR GREATEST OBSTACLES IS PREJUDICE.

A.      AHAB HAD HIS MIND MADE UP BEFOREHAND( vs. 3-4 ).

B.      NOTE HIS REACTION TO JEHOSHAPHAT'S PRECAUTION( vs. 5-8 ).

          1.       This is the attitude Paul feared the most( Gal. 4:16 ).

          2.       Jesus warned against it( Mat. 13:14-15 ).

          3.       We should place a proper value on truth( Prov. 23:23 ).

C.      SEE HIS REACTION WHEN TOLD HE WOULD PERISH( vs. 26-28 ).

D.      AHAB DISREGARDED GOD'S WARNING.  HE ACCEPTED ONLY WHAT

          HE WANTED TO HEAR.  SO GOD SENT HIM A MULTITUDE OF LIARS

          THAT HE MIGHT

          1.       Judah was like Ahab in the days of Ezekiel( Ez. 14:1-5 ).

          2.       Could we be "no better" than Ahab?( 2 Thes. 2:10-12 ).

          3.       What do you want to hear?( 2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).

E.      MICAIAH WAS RIGHT IN STANDING FOR THE TRUTH.  THE SCORN AND

          PUNISHMENT OF AHAB DIDN'T CHANGE THE TRUTH.

II.     MAJORITY DOES NOT CHANGE WHAT IS RIGHT.

A.      400 FALSE PROPHETS AGAINST MICAIAH - GOD'S PROPHET.

B.      400 FALSE PROPHETS WEREN'T ENOUGH FOR JEHOSHAPHAT( vs. 7 ).

          1.       He desired to consult God in spite of the opinions of 400.

          2.       We need to learn the majority is not always right( Mat. 7:13-14 ).

III.    WE CAN LEARN FROM MICAIAH'S COURAGE.

          A.      THE MESSENGER'S WORDS HAD OBVIOUS IMPLICATIONS( vs. 13 ).

          B.      MICAIAH'S REPLY( vs. 14 ).

          C.      MANY TIMES WE ARE UNDER THE SAME PRESSURE TODAY. 

                   WHAT MUST WE REPLY?

          1.       Gal. 1:8-10.  1 Pet. 4:11.  1 Cor. 2:12-13.  Acts 5:29.

          2.       Jude 3.  2 Tim. 4:2-4.  1:13-14.  Amos 3:8.

                                        "WHAT THE LORD SAITH...THAT WILL I SPEAK!"

CONCLUSION:

A.      THERE IS MUCH ERROR IN THE WORLD TODAY. ( some examples ).

B.      THERE IS MUCH PRESSURE IN MANY FORMS TO TEACH IT.

C.      WE MUST LIMIT OURSELVES TO "WHAT THE LORD SAITH..."