Micah Chapter Two
“1 Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. 2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellow-man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore, the LORD says: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity. 4 In that day men will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song: ‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up. He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.’” 5 Therefore you will have no-one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?” “Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright?
8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. 9 You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children for ever.
10 Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. 11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ he would be just the prophet for this people!
12 “I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.
13 One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.””
This morning in the prayer tower I had a heavy heart. We are a church divided. I went to the tower this morning to feel sorry for myself and get a feeling of comfort from the Lord (nurse my wounds so to speak). That was until I entered the tower and a powerful presence of the Lord was there. He was angry. Yes, angry. A great fear and dread fell over me and I left the prayer tower and got me a cup of coffee. I re-entered the tower and still this intense feeling came over me. I forgot all about what I had came there for and had a sense that I better be careful of what I said. Instead of praying I simply asked, "What's wrong, Lord?" Immediately a voice in my spirit said, "Read Micah!"
I opened my Bible and it fell to chapter two of Micah. So I just began to read there. Tears filled my eyes. The feeling that filled the tower was the anger of the Lord. "Is the Spirit of the LORD angry?" (Micah 2:7) As I continued to read it seemed that the Lord was standing ready to judge his people. I cried out, "Lord, who would stand?"
"But who can endure the day of his coming?
Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a
refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.”
Malachi 3:2
The Lord had already shown me that fire would come out of my mouth from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
“Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says:
“Because the people have spoken these words,
I will make my words in your mouth a fire
and these people the wood it consumes.”
Jeremiah 5:14
As I spoke of refreshing through the month of July, my spirit felt like the battle the Lord said was coming would be some time off. Then beginning in August the Lord said, "Open your mouth and they will attack you?" Who? "Open your mouth and you will see." I did and the battle is on.
However, I thank God for this. The undercurrents at Calvary had once again become strong and were beginning to sweep people away into deception once again. Although I thought I would not be prepared for more confrontation, I realized something new in my spirit. I didn't hurt like it did before. The ministry leave I had taken to go to Lansing, Michigan had healed my heart. Even then in the prayer tower I began to praise the Lord. "I can do this, Lord. Who are we fighting this time, Lord?" Absalom! Well, glory! Jezebel finally gave in and the devil had to send in another evil spirit to try and break us.
However, this spirit doesn't leave home base. This spirit dwells within the camp. Then I realized we are at the gate. We have conquered the territory and are about to bring down the stronghold. There is no where for this spirit to run. Unlike the Jezebel spirit that has to be trodden under foot until it leaves, we are going to drive this Absalom spirit through with the sword of the Lord. It is a spirit of pride that leads to rebellion. It's a process that says, if you can't control, then rebel.
For those who want to stay in tune with this next step in the Spirit, carefully read 2nd Samuel chapter 18. If you read the entire story of Absalom's rebellion, you'll find so much of it mirroring what Calvary is going through right now. After David had fought all the enemies outside the kingdom, he had to have his commanders fight the enemies within his own family. The greatest thing about the story is that Absalom hung himself with his own pride.
“Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men.
He was riding his mule, and as the mule went
under the thick branches of a large oak,
Absalom’s head got caught in the tree.
He was left hanging in mid-air,
while the mule he was riding kept on going.”
2 Samuel 18:9
I can say this to Absalom, "You are going to quit riding our people like a mule." The Lord has become angry with your actions. He himself is rising up against you. We will all just stand still and see the Lord deliver us from you.
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing
the LORD is about to do before your eyes!”
1 Samuel 12:16
Where people attack with their wants and their whines, the Lord arises with his Word to defeat his enemies. The Lord has said, "Step aside, Brian, I'll take care of this one."
“So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them;
do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.”
Jeremiah 7:16
What is the significance of this new battle? It means we are no longer fighting in the fields. We have approached the gate of the stronghold. The losses have been heavy, they are throwing rocks from the wall, and our hearts are faint, but look up. Can't you see the door? Can't you envision the prize? Press on. Take the battle to the gate.
“He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.”
Isaiah 28:6
In verse 12 of Micah chapter 2 we find the promise of deliverance after judgment. The Lord promises to gather us in unity again. He says he will bring together the remnant that remain, but then he goes on to say, "the place will throng with people." As I sat there in the prayer tower, the comfort for a heavy heart that originally brought me there this morning was met. Although I sorrowed over those who have followed an Absalom spirit, I rejoiced that we would be saved and the Lord's anger would subside. He will once again look on us with favor and continue his plan to build us up and not forsake us. As I was about to leave, the Lord said he had more thing to do. I said, "What, Lord?" "I want to give you a new name, Brian. You are The One Who Breaks Open The Way."
“One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
they will break through the gate and go out.
Their king will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.”
Micah 2:13
I am free from the spirit of control and will not submit to the spirit of rebellion. Our two words from the Lord are "STAND" with a sword in one hand and "BUILD" with a trowel in the other.
“From that day on, half of my men did the work,
while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor.
The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall.
Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,
and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked."
Nehemiah 4:16-18