In the movie, Top Gun (1986), Goose said to Maverick, “The Defense Department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.” When the devil gets the best of us, when we make careless, thoughtless decisions, real consequences occur for the Kingdom of God. Ask King Hezekiah, after he had shown the Babylonian envoys his treasures, because he was impressed that they had taken notice of Judah’s deliverance from Sennacherib (2Kings 18) and Hezekiah’s amazing recovery from his sickness, which was accompanied by the sundial miraculously going “back ten degrees” (20:9 KJV). Little Judah was receiving notice from the great Babylonian Empire, which was not good. Hezekiah was not careful about being flattered by the world, and they later would overthrow Judah after performing a military, economic reconnaissance of Judah through an unsuspecting-but-stupid Hezekiah. He should have known better! But, so should we!
Listen to the prophet Isaiah analyze Hezekiah’s situation.
“14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. 15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them. 16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?” (2Kings 20:14-19).
How to Prevent a Similar Replay of Hezekiah’s Actions in Our Own Circumstances
First, the enemy exploits our weaknesses to turn them into sin, because there is no such thing as necessary sin. Our weaknesses are common to man. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13).
Second, if we have sinned, confess it, and throw yourself at the mercy of God to preserve us from repeating it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).
Third, God is not simply in the business of forgiving sin, but He is interested in preventing sin. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).
Fourth, here’s where most of us have traditionally missed the fact that the Holy Spirit was given to the Church through the New Covenant for the express purpose of inspiring us to obey God — not forcing us. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27).
Fifth, we have neglected the giving of the Holy Spirit, because we have not viewed it as a cooperative act of ourselves pledging loyalty to Christ through a public display, in particular, at baptism. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
Sixth, because we quarrel about water or grace through faith saving us, we neglect that it is Jesus that is saving us, but only so we will walk in a sanctified, Spirit filled way. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Seventh, we need to turn from merely a reactive, defensive walk into an offensive, mode of gaining souls for the Lord Jesus Christ, clothed with the “whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11), and in particular, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (6:18).
I invite you to improve upon this plan, but we can’t sit and do nothing!
Lord Jesus, You are standing on the right hand of the Father, and have told us, “If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14 ). Stephen prayed and received Your answer in the salvation of Saul of Tarsus. May You raise up Your witnesses to this generation. Count us among that number! In Your Name, we pray. Amen.
We Need A Miracle 