Text: 1 Kings 13:11-25
Memory text:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A vibrant brother, who was a former cultist, attended a program in a church. There, he met a bishop who was a guest speaker from another city. At the end of the meeting and with excitement, the host pastor introduced him to the bishop, and both connected.
Thereafter, the bishop invited him to a program in his church. During the second invitation, the brother was stunned when he met the bishop drinking alcoholic wine in his living room. The bishop said to him, “Open the fridge and satisfy yourself with any brand of your choice.” Reluctantly, the brother yielded, and his old lifestyle was awakened. Eventually, he backslid and became worse than his former lifestyle – he was misled by the bishop!
God sent a young prophet from Judah to Bethel to deliver a message of judgment against King Jeroboam’s idolatrous altar. The prophet obeyed and refused the king’s invitation to eat or drink in Bethel, just as God instructed him. Later, he was deceived by an old prophet and he yielded. His strange death was a tragic reminder that human voices must never replace or override divine instructions.
Sometimes, some believers get so lopsided in their followership that they revere human figures, such as General Overseers, Founders, Bishops, Pastors, Prophets, Spiritual leaders and mentors, so much that they stop discerning the truth from the word of God. They believe it must be right, as long as a prophet has said it! (Rom 8:14; 1 John 4:1; Psa 103:7).
Respect does not equal worship. Submission does not cancel discernment. When you idolize a man, you silence the Holy Spirit’s witness within you. Honour men of God, but obey the God of men.
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” ( 1 Cor 11:1 NIV).
When you believe a person so much that you think that he can never fail or make a mistake, you become vulnerable. Only God is infallible and error-proof. Every man is prone to failing in every way.
Ignorance of the Word of God dulls discernment. People who love to serve God but are disinterested in learning His ways are prone to spiritual deception.
Friends, when you idolize a man, you silence the Spirit. May you not fall into the deception and manipulation of men, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer points
1. Father, sharpen my spiritual sensitivity and deliver me from confusion and deception of men, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, help me to honour men without disobeying You. Let reverence for You outweigh respect for people, in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. I will not idolize man nor allow any man’s opinion or human tradition to override God’s instruction in my life.
2. I honour men, but I obey God. Through my intimacy with God, my discernment is sharpened.