I. Introduction

Good day to all! I shall speak briefly today. What you are hearing is a recording I made just a few hours ago, as I will be travelling today and unable to lead in person. This recording, nevertheless, is a brand new and freshly-minted piece of research. Do not assume that being present is necessarily better; unless I tell you, you would not be able to tell the difference. It's akin to dining in, buying food in the canteen and eating there, versus ordering takeaway. What you receive is still freshly prepared, a fresh result of my research. Including the worship leading recording from earlier, which was also a recording from a past time. I can only say that I owe you a slight apology, but the effect should be roughly the same.

Today, our topic is Beware the Spirit of Lies. Are we not supposed to be casting out demons? Why have we stopped? Some things cannot be cast out because you cannot cast out the spirit of lies. It is not merely that you have a habit of lying; rather, you are deceived by lies. Being deceived by lies is serious, for lies are a formidable force. Lately, online and telecom scams are rampant, and there is no end to those who take the bait. Wave after wave of people are sent to Myanmar by scam syndicates. Why are there always people willing to take the bait? Because lies are very powerful. Everyone goes to these scam encampments with hopes of betterment.

Thus, even today, scams are very marketable, with both large and small-scale swindles, such as multi-level marketing, which are incessantly banned yet never cease. How many people truly understand what multi-level marketing is? They change the name to direct selling, and people think it is direct selling? But it is still multi-level marketing. Therefore, many believe in lies, all with rosy expectations. The spirit of lies cannot be cast out; dealing with the spirit of lies requires discernment. How many people have ruined themselves today because they believed in lies? Countless!

In our generation today, you can see many stories in the news about certain large enterprises that suddenly collapse. Why? Because they are insolvent. Consequently, the founder is arrested. What will happen, we do not know. But regardless of how successful or how unsuccessful this person is, it proves one thing: many people live in lies! Supposedly, this enterprise has left over 1.6 million unfinished apartments. Meaning, over 1.6 million homeowners are still paying mortgages but cannot get their homes. How tragic! If this were to happen to you, would you not consider yourself unfortunate? Do you still believe that large companies cannot fail? Never believe that!

I do not like to take such risks. When I see something that seems dubious, appearing both as an opportunity and a trap, you never know which wrong move will bring you back to square one. They really think they are doing the right thing, yet they land themselves in jail, still imagining they were correct. How many people are harmed? Lehman Brothers in the United States harmed so many people. In Singapore, some elderly people bought Lehman Brothers stocks, losing everything, their entire life savings wiped out, harming themselves and others. All thought they were doing the right thing, thinking how great it would be to get all that money into their pockets. But the outcome was miserably awful, with many still sitting in jail today.

Recently, I have been studying a very shocking matter recorded in the Bible, which stemmed from King Ahab in the Bible. Jehovah God said, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? Then a spirit of lies went into the mouths of King Ahab’s four hundred prophets. When I read this, I wondered: why would God do such a thing? Is our God not a benevolent God? Why would He send a spirit of lies and allow Ahab to fall in battle? Can you understand this? I could not quite grasp it. However, after much exploration, I discovered that many people live in lies, but that spirit of lies truly cannot be cast out.

Ahab was deceived, not at the moment God sent a spirit of lies, but prior to that, when Ahab had already taken Naboth's vineyard and had Naboth killed. What was his issue? He simply felt that Naboth's vineyard was good, but he could not articulate why. He already had plenty of his own vineyards, so why did he fixate on Naboth's? We cannot fully comprehend it. This issue had long begun; Ahab was deceived by the spirit of lies, with his death in battle merely an end result. This whole matter is quite astonishing. Do not think that your astonishment is incorrect; I, too, am astonished. Today, let us explore this together.

I reasoned backward, and it gave me quite a shock! In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, and He also created a serpent. How did the serpent know about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? How did it know that after eating it, their eyes would be opened, and they would become like God, knowing good and evil? God did not inform it. Perhaps the serpent overheard from the side. Today, through God sending a spirit of lies to entice Ahab to his death, can we reasonably speculate that God also sent that serpent to entice Eve?

We might think, why is God so wicked? But that is precisely what God does. Later, I connected all these elements in the Bible. For instance, God hardened Pharaoh's heart, leading him to his death. Pharaoh and his army were buried in the depths of the Red Sea; all his elite troops were drowned there. Who arranged this? God did. Of course, I am clear that I do not have the right to question why God does things this way. I am not like some who always feel they have the right to question God. I believe that God must have His reasons for doing what He does; I simply do not understand them.

Consider how many people are ultimately led down the path of cancer, arthritis, or urticaria by these spirits of lies. These conditions do not accumulate in a day or two. Later, I pondered this matter, and it involves the issue of position. We have always thought: I am an individual, and I must be myself, viewing all matters from my own perspective, with God on one side and devils on the other. Wrong! In reality, God is at the center, with humans on one side and devils on the other, all under God's management!

Today, if we all stand in God’s perspective to view problems, many issues will be easily resolved. God says: I will do it this way. What can you do about it? Can the created question its Creator: why are you doing this? You have no right. But we can know that God has clearly written who will be cursed and who will be blessed. Therefore, I encourage you to ensure you understand matters of curses and blessings throughout your life.

A few days ago, I was with my younger brother. I wanted to minister to him and lead him from his current circumstances to a path of blessing. I mentioned an incident where my mother’s house deed went missing. I said, “Brother, did you take it?” He admitted, “I did.” Of course, my brother might blush and feel embarrassed when this is mentioned. However, it is clear that people are deceived by lies. Why are they deceived by lies? Because people do not know that coveting others’ houses is a curse.

Fortunately, he has me, his brother, who is clear about this matter. I said, “Brother, what do you want to do? Tell me, and I’ll help you.” Perhaps my brother is listening to this recording. This is the honest truth. He said, “I want one of the two houses.” I replied, “No problem, my share is definitely yours, and I will help you with the other share.” Later, I gathered our siblings and said, “Our youngest brother wants one of the two houses. Does anyone have any objections?” They all said no, it was fine!

Is this an advantage or a disadvantage? Many cannot calculate this properly. Think about whether the relationship between us brothers can be damaged. Impossible. Why? Because I know what to do. After laying this foundation, it is also like a mirror. This is what my brother and I are like. Then there are my cousins, my maternal uncle’s sons. They fight fiercely. It is so low-level, just like farmers arguing over trivialities.

Recently, when I saw my brother again, I wanted to explain clearly why I did what I did because I think I gained an advantage. Look at this matter; I think I gained an advantage, and he also thinks he gained an advantage. You cannot judge who gains an advantage based on your own logic; you must judge according to the Word of God. All who covet others’ houses are cursed, regardless of whether the house belongs to your father or your mother. Do not covet others’ houses.

I have seen many such cases. One of our colleagues had an uncle who insisted on coveting his grandmother’s house, wanting to take it for himself. His grandmother’s house was an apartment building resulting from relocation. As soon as he received the keys, his uncle rushed in to renovate. You must be careful about renovations. Just because you go in and renovate a house with someone else's title deed, does it mean it is yours? What kind of brain does this? Before the renovation was even completed, he discovered he had cancer and died not long after. When my colleague went home on vacation and asked, Where is my uncle? Everyone said, Don't you know? He died.” Isn’t it that a person believed a lie, thinking that having this house would make him live well? But he never got to live well.

Today, we must walk out of lies. What is advantageous, and what is disadvantageous? You must understand this clearly. Ahab’s death in battle, Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all resulted from believing a lie. Where did this lie originate? We think it is from the deceiver. But was the deceiver not created by God? You cannot ask God, Why did You create the devil, Satan? You cannot ask that. God truly allows the devil, Satan, to deceive people. The Bible says that without God’s permission, not a single hair will fall from your head. If Satan comes to deceive you and you are deceived, you deserve it!

Therefore, through this event, we recognize a fact, that concerning Ahab’s matter, the spirit of lies was sent by God. How many things are not sent by God? In reality, most things are sent by God. Why does God send them? To see if the egg has a crack. Flies do not land on eggs without cracks because there is nothing to eat. But flies will land on eggs with cracks, and maggots will certainly breed inside. Today, as I speak on the topic of Beware the Spirit of Lies, I must tell you that I have not yet fully researched this matter. However, I am sharing the current findings of my research, which is already very good.

How many people in this world have ruined themselves because of a lie? Too many! There was a girl who suffered from depression. Her mother brought her to us for prayer. When we scheduled a time, it did not work out. Why? Because she had a great opportunity, an investment opportunity in Guangxi. She rushed there, invested six hundred thousand, and then discovered she had been scammed. Why? Because she went with hope, all based on lies. Recently, these scam syndicates are still being apprehended. A scam syndicate was also caught in Singapore. It is chaos! So many people are being deceived. The deceivers deserve a horrible death, and those deceived also suffer greatly.

II. Scripture

And Micaiah said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:19-23)

III. Prayer

God, today, through this passage, let us awaken and be wary of these spirits of lies. God, today, let us be filled with the knowledge of Your truth and the knowledge of Your Word in our understanding, clearly knowing what curses and blessings are. God, guide us on the path of blessing and let us avoid the path of curses. God, give us wisdom and understanding today, so that both those who speak and those who listen can be edified. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

IV. Background of the Scripture

The background of this passage is very interesting. It is from 1 Kings 22, which records Ahab taking Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21. He was the king, and he had plenty of vineyards. Have you seen vineyards? They are short, dwarf trees, all growing the same way. I once stayed in a bed and breakfast in a vineyard in Australia. Driving there, it was far, far away, and all around were vineyards, all looking the same. How could Ahab feel that Naboth’s vineyard was better? Do you see? Coveting others’ property causes death. What was the result? He lost his appetite and could not sleep, his mind consumed with the vineyard. I truly cannot understand. Was any part of Naboth’s vineyard better than his own? In fact, Ahab could not explain it either.

Many people covet others’ wives; some covet others’ children, always comparing others’ children with their own, in all matters. Do we know today? Coveting others’ things will bring a curse. The result was that he was consumed with these thoughts. What happened? The spirit of lies. Meaning, he did not know why he thought that way. Let me tell you, you need to be careful about things that you cannot clearly explain or understand. Can you explain what was so good about that vineyard? He just wanted the vineyard. Is this not something strange?

I have found this world quite interesting. Whether in America, China, or the whole world, all rural areas look similar, and all cities look almost the same. If you see enough houses, they all look similar. Why? Because renovation contractors install them all the same way: one bed, two bedside tables, and a large wardrobe beside them. I am tired of seeing such things. I think, what is this junk? It is all the same. Some time ago, a renovation contractor showed me his work, and it all looked the same, with tiles everywhere on the floor and walls, wallpaper, and wall cloth. I said, “If someone pushes a refrigerator or washing machine and damages the corner of the wall, what do you do?” He said, “Replace it.” Does replacing it not cost money? I am quite tired of seeing it.

Why was that vineyard so good? It was actually just a lie. Once a person believes a lie, everything goes wrong. His wife then had Naboth killed. How was he killed? Through false accusations. In the Bible, are those who make false accusations cursed? They are cursed. Coveting others’ vineyards is cursed; coveting others’ wives is cursed; coveting others’ houses is cursed; bearing false witness is cursed. Oh, so many things that bring curses were done! Let me tell you, there are many like Ahab and Jezebel in this world. They have the resources and ability to do such things, but that does not mean you will not do such things; it is merely that you do not have the authority to do such things.

I find this to be quite interesting. Jezebel actually accomplished this. Was the vineyard taken back? It was taken back and belonged to Ahab. I ask you, was Ahab really happy? When he desired it, he thought about it endlessly; after getting it, he actually felt nothing. He thought, what is this? It is no different from our own vineyard. Why kill Naboth? Such a deep curse must follow. Then a prophet came and began to declare: where dogs licked Naboth’s blood, dogs will also lick your blood. After Ahab heard this, he said, “That is not possible!” Look at this person!

And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? (1 Kings 22:3)

This lie was not just at the end; it was there from the beginning, all the way through! Then the king of Judah came. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were having drinks together and began to discuss matters.

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle at Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth prophesy evil concerning me, neither good. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah. (1 Kings 22:4-9)

Ahab said he would take back Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat was also quite interesting. He said, My people are your people, my horses are your horses, let's do it together! Isn't this just a bit off? Even if he tried to dissuade him a little? Ahab then gathered four hundred prophets. But Jehoshaphat was different. He said, Is there another prophet called Micaiah? Why hasn't he come? Ahab said, Don't you know? This Micaiah never speaks good words, only evil ones. I must tell you, prophets are often like this, often not speaking good words, only evil ones.

Take a close look. If you read Isaiah, what did you see? Not speaking good words, only evil ones. It's even more outrageous if you read Jeremiah. If you read Ezekiel and Daniel, they all speak not good words, only evil ones. Why? Because there are so few who do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah! As a result, Jehoshaphat said, Don't say that, bring him here. They then brought Micaiah. This dialogue is quite interesting.

And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. (1 Kings 22:14-15)

====输出开始
Micaiah then said, Yes, by all means advance! For the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand, nice! That tune is off. What is this nonsense? And then a wink and a twitch of the eyelid.

> The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master; let each one go home in peace.’” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?” (1 Kings 22:16-18)

The job of a prophet is not easy. Why? If you want to be a prophet of the Lord God, you must indeed speak ill rather than good. If you often say, Ah, God bless you! be careful; you are not far from being a false prophet, because you only speak good and not ill.

> Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the hosts of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked. “‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. “ ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’ (1 Kings 22:19-22)

As a result, those prophets were not happy and slapped Micaiah in the face. And those prophets of the King of Israel shouted slogans loudly. The King of Israel said, Didn't you say I would die in battle? I took off the King of Israel's clothes and put on a soldier's clothes. As a result, he put on a soldier's clothes, which looked strange, and then he stood on the chariot and went up. Alas, someone casually released an arrow that entered through the joint of his armor, and he died. How could it be such a coincidence? After Ahab died, his blood was licked by dogs, just as the prophet had predicted in 1 Kings chapter 21. This is the context of this passage.

There are some things in the background of this passage that make us feel very puzzled. Did God do this thing that Ahab died in battle? Do you think God did it? God definitely did it. How did He do it? By enticing him to go to Ramoth Gilead to die in battle. In fact, this matter is not far from us. In our daily life, we often encounter all kinds of coincidences, and it is a bit difficult to avoid it. It is said that a person had his fortune told, and the fortune teller said that he would definitely die in a plane crash. He said: I will die in a plane crash, so I will not take a plane, and I will not live next to the airport. I will find a place far, far away from the airport. There can be no planes in this place.

As a result, one day, a fighter plane malfunctioned, and the pilot parachuted out. The plane flew by itself. My God, this plane flew more accurately than navigation, flying towards his house at a speed of hundreds of kilometers per hour, and then crashed headfirst into his house. He was killed at home by a plane falling from the sky. Do you think this can be escaped? It cannot be escaped. Sometimes, people really have to believe in Mingding Destiny in this life. Some things are more coincidental than we think. Don't just listen to me telling stories. If Ahab didn't listen to this lie, what would happen? Even if he didn't listen to this lie, he might not be able to escape. However, God wrote the story in this way and let him die in battle.

## 5. Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies 1: Thinking You Are Okay

I often see my colleagues arguing with me while I'm pastoring them. Of course, later I successfully pastored them and solved these problems. For their edification, I tell the truth and speak ill rather than good. These two days I asked them, What were you thinking when you were so emotional with me? He said: Teacher, when I first came to the church, I thought you were amazing. I said: What's wrong? Now you don't think I'm amazing, because you are amazing? He said: A little bit. When I first came to the church, I thought you were so amazing, so I studied hard at that time. However, now every time before my emotions come, I definitely think that I am quite okay, so you can't say that about me. I did this thing right, and I did that thing right. You can't say I didn't do it right. Although the method you said is okay, my method is not bad either. You can't say it. Thinking that you are okay is going to be tough!

Look, you worked hard to be a cook, but is your hard work right? You sawed the board into bizarre shapes. It's not easy to fix. I am a straightforward person and I like things to be square and upright. With a ka, it is so easy to nail them together. Then when I say something, you argue with me in your heart: What's wrong? You always look down on me for doing this? In fact, I do better than you. Look, I can make these bizarre shapes, but you can't. If I say a few more words, the emotions come up: What are you looking at? What if I look at you?

In fact, this Ahab felt that he was okay and thought: It's no problem to kill the King of Aram and take back Ramoth Gilead. What's more, I have King Jehoshaphat of Judah with me. He provides people, cars, and horses. Even without him, my rule over the territory of Israel is the largest in the history of Israel, and all the surrounding areas are tributary to me. Thinking that he was okay, when a spirit of lies came, it just followed this path and went down. It was ruined!

You should know that Ahab was a very capable person. He was an economist, and he made the economy of the entire country of Israel quite good. Think about it, he bought the entire mountain of Samaria and built there, which was quite impressive. He did a lot of things right. He thought: Shouldn't I take Naboth's vineyard? All of Israel is mine, and the entire country is mine. Don't you people have to rely on me for food? If it weren't for me, Ahab, as king, could you live this peaceful life? Thinking that he was okay, and when he thought he was okay, it was going to be tough!

In fact, this Ahab was really quite capable. I tell you, people have to have some capital to feel that they are okay. If they really don't have the capital to feel that they are okay, there will be fewer problems. Once they feel that they are okay, it will be troublesome. Arguing: What's wrong? Isn't my method good? I think it's quite good. I feel quite satisfied with what I'm doing. Didn't you ask me to train people? I am also training people while I am doing it. I am training them well, and I speak very clearly. Are you still not satisfied? What's wrong? Are you not satisfied with anything I do? Emotions come, and then it's uncomfortable and terrible. So, be careful of the spirit of lies, because thinking that you are okay is troublesome!

A few days ago, when we were studying the Bible, David always felt that he was not okay, that everything was grace, so his emotions were small. When people scolded him, he was fine. Scold him if you want to! So, the spirit of lies comes in this way. When you feel that you are okay inside, be especially careful! To be honest, I always feel that I am not okay, so I always have to rely on God. From the day I knew God, I felt that I really couldn't do anything. I really can't do anything in this world by myself. You say: People have such hobbies and such faith to support themselves to live on. Why can't they feel that they are okay? No, because once you feel that you are okay, you will be deceived by the spirit of lies.

I often encounter these Christians who feel that they are very good and very spiritual. There are many such things. Today, a sister showed me a public letter. What was going on? He had depression in those years, and his family was very rich. He met a pastor who used to be a drug addict. Later, he was released from drugs and became a pastor. It happened that he had depression, and this pastor ministered to him and ministered to him well. Later, the pastor married his daughter, and he became the pastor's father-in-law.

As a result, they built a church together. Later, as they were building, the father-in-law wanted to build his own church, saying: What's wrong? You can be a pastor, and I can be a pastor too; you can be a prophet, and I can be a prophet too. I am also a prophet! Because this church highly respects prophets. You can cast out demons, and I can cast out demons; you can perform miracles, and I can perform miracles. Why should I listen to you? As a result, he began to split the church, and many people followed him, and the church was also very prosperous. How do I know? In fact, he also stayed among us for a while.

If you want me to see it, this thing is a bit dangerous. Remember, never be an opposition party, never be a rebel, and never be a traitor. Learn from David. He felt that he was okay, so he started building his own church. He was arrested some time ago. As for the story inside, we don't know, but I think people are in trouble if they think they are okay. Who did he offend? He offended God!

In fact, I tell you, there is nothing to be afraid of the most, but being afraid of offending God. Can't God protect us? Yes; can't God send a spirit of lies to deceive us? Yes. It depends on whether you are careful or not. That is why the Apostle Paul said: I am humble and gentle in heart, and I weep with my eyes; Moses said: I am very humble; Jesus said: I am gentle and humble in heart. He didn't feel that he was okay, he felt that he was not okay, and that God was okay! Some people feel that even God is not okay, and that they are the only ones who are okay. Isn't that ruined? Isn't that a lie?

## 6. Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies 2: Don't Believe Prophets Too Much

We don't promote prophets among us. I hate this thing the most. Because if there is a large group of prophets, I don't know if he is a prophet or a hindsight. How do I find that they are all like hindsights? Ahab raised 400 prophets, but they became an outlet for a spirit of lies. Is it strange? Later, I saw that many churches that promoted prophets had many problems. You say: Isn't that recorded in the Bible? I'm really sorry, but we haven't studied this matter thoroughly. If we haven't studied it thoroughly, let's not do it. This prophet and that prophet, talking about this and that all day long, saying a lot of things, should you listen or not?

I have to tell you that these 400 prophets are not a joke. These 400 prophets served King Ahab. Were they accurate? If they weren't accurate, could they survive? They must often be very accurate. Is it okay if they are very accurate? It's not easy to use either. Because they are sometimes useful and sometimes not, Ahab completely couldn't tell the difference after the spirit of lies came. Ahab felt that they were all useful in the past, so they must be useful this time, and the prophecies they said all came true. He died in battle this time, so sometimes don't believe prophets too much, and believe in the word of God more!

I have to explain clearly to you that this kind of free prophet is a free evangelist. He doesn't build a church, nor does he belong to any church. He is just idle and issues a prophecy. You have to be careful about this thing. The theme of the New Testament Bible is to build God's church and build the body of Jesus Christ. So what are they doing as free prophets? So what I said is rather heavy, so everyone should be careful. Because this prophet does not do shepherding, he just issues a prophecy, which is similar to Ahab's prophets. I describe these people as spiritual adultery, because they are not loyal to any church, and they think they are prophets, and they go everywhere and issue prophecies. This thing is very dangerous. The couple I just mentioned are also prophets, and they also do this and do that. What happened in the end? God is not pleased. Can people be guided by the spirit of lies? The spirit of lies is powerful!

## 7. Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies 3: Don't Like to Hear Good Things

Good things really don't edify people. If you want to be a pastor, you have to be careful. If you always say good things, I think you are not far from the spirit of lies, because the prophet speaks ill rather than good. If you like to hear good things, can a real prophet still have cigarettes to smoke? You cannot accept a real prophet. But what about false prophets? They only speak good things and not bad things. No matter which church or which dynasty, people will be ruined if they only like to hear good things! There are many such records in Chinese history. If the emperor can listen to unpleasant things, then he is amazing! Today, everyone should know that one of the reasons why you are deceived by lies is that you like to listen to what you like to hear, and you get rid of what you don't like to hear. That is not far from the spirit of lies, so be careful!

## 8. Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies 4: Don't Think You Can Avoid Dying in Battle by Not Wearing Royal Robes

Did Ahab believe in dying in battle? He still believed a little bit. If he didn't believe in dying in battle, he would think: What's the use of wearing royal robes? My soldiers are powerful. Come on, kill the horses! He still felt that: Maybe Micaiah is right. I have a trick. I don't wear royal robes. I wear the same clothes as other soldiers, and I stand on the chariot as a soldier. The King of Aram only looked for the King of Israel, and even the soldiers of the King of Aram chased after Jehoshaphat. When they saw that it was not Ahab, they went to find Ahab again. In the end, the King of Aram didn't find Ahab anywhere. Alas, someone casually drew a bow and shot an arrow into the gap in the armor worn by King Ahab, and he died, just like that. Don't think you can avoid dying in battle by not wearing royal robes. If God wants you to die in battle, you definitely can't not die in battle.

There is a skit in which a snake is swimming on the surface of the water and plunges in and disappears. After a while, a turtle comes up, its head stretching out. As a result, the person in the skit said: What's wrong? Do you think I wouldn't recognize you if you put on a vest? It was thought that the snake was wearing a vest, but it wasn't, it was a turtle. How could a casual arrow hit King Ahab? Because this bow was shot from the spiritual realm. Once we embark on the road of being deceived by lies, we will really die in battle in the end. Can you avoid spiritual things with human methods? You can't avoid them! You need to have a very clear understanding of the word of God.

## 9. Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies 5: Take God's Word as the Standard

Do we follow God's word? If not, then be careful! Why? Because can you not be cursed if you do not carefully observe and follow it? If you are cursed, can you not be affected by the spirit of lies? What is a curse? It means that there are evil spirits disturbing you in what people do; if what a person does is blessed, it means that what he does is protected by God. Ahab had just killed Naboth, and then the prophet prophesied for him again, saying that dogs would lick Ahab's blood in the place where they licked Naboth's blood. Look at how clearly this is said. If people are really sure that we will do what is right in the eyes of the Lord all our lives, then even if the spirit of lies comes, it will not work!

Today, we must often ask ourselves a question: am I acting according to God's word? Am I carefully observing and following it? In fact, Ahab was really a bit confused sometimes. He really thought he was still an Israelite king, otherwise why would he raise prophets? He also asked the prophets in the name of the Lord. This thing is useless. Nothing can stop the spirit of lies. Only carefully observing and following God's word can stop the spirit of lies. Ahab felt that he was good and that he had carefully observed and followed God's word. He felt that he had carefully observed and followed God's word immediately after killing Naboth? This is the root of all problems! Today, I may not explain the spirit of lies so thoroughly, but I should have understood 30% to 40% of it. In the future, there will be opportunities to explain the spirit of lies in more detail.

## 10. Summary

Be careful of the spirit of lies. People who are rash are easily led away by the spirit of lies. They don't know where they will be killed by these spirits of lies. The spirit of lies is too powerful! Did Ahab walk to Ramoth Gilead himself? He went there himself. Was he shot to death by an arrow there? Yes. If he didn't go, this thing wouldn't have happened. Did he have to go to this Ramoth Gilead? He insisted that it was their land. If it's your land, you have to take it? Did he take the land in the end? He didn't take it. Did he die in battle? He died in battle. This is a warning we need. Although it is a series on casting out demons, it seems that this spirit of lies cannot be cast out.

Let's sing a hymn to prepare for today's offering. If you don't understand the meaning of offering, please don't give an offering. Some people are cursed instead of blessed by giving an offering. Someone once asked me: Why is my situation worse than before after I gave an offering? Because you don't understand the meaning of offering, and you think giving an offering to God is like giving a tip to God. Isn't that asking for a curse? Today, we must have a clear understanding of offering. No matter what we do, we must have a clear understanding. If we don't understand it, we must clarify it. You say: Can it really be clarified? It really can be clarified, because clarifying it is originally God's will. That is a declaration of faith!

The topic I am talking about today is Be Careful of the Spirit of Lies. Everyone should be careful of the spirit of lies. It is a grace for us to work, and it is also a grace for us to serve. No matter what we do, we must know that it is grace, not that we give it out, but that we receive it. The same is true for offering today. If we want to bless people and distribute blessings, God will surely bless us! If you come to believe in the Lord with a selfish heart, I think you will also be easily led astray by the spirit of lies.

At this time, let us reflect together and look up to God's grace and mercy. From now on, don't ask why God wants to do this and why God wants to do that again. Instead, say: Oh, God doesn't like people like Ahab. God will send a spirit of lies to lure him to die in battle. I will no longer be a person like King Ahab. Wouldn't that avoid a lot of trouble? So today, don't ask God why He did this. We only have one thing to do, which is to understand what kind of people God blesses and what kind of people He curses. We must be a blessed person.

At this time, raise your hands and pray: God, may You grant me grace and save me from all lies, save me from the lure of the spirit of lies, let me do what is right in Your eyes all my life, and let me be Your faithful and good servant all my life; God, may You personally reveal to me and let me know how to be a person who pleases You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for the kingdom, power, and glory are all yours, forever. Amen!

May God bless everyone!