Floodgates of Heaven Devotions: The Earmarks of a Prophet...

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 19-20, Luke 23:1-25

Today’s Reflection: 1 Kings 20:41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

While false prophets must disguise themselves to try to convince others they are the real deal, true prophets must disguise themselves to try to convince others they are not! In other words, a true man of God needs no props to convince others of his calling. The authentic is readily and undeniably recognizable! As soon as this prophet removed his disguise (please read the passage for the backdrop), it was only then that the king of Israel knew that he was a prophet.

I then notice three things that gave him away. I wish to call these “The Earmarks of a Prophet!” First, and most obvious, was his countenance. There was just something about his face that gave him away. Perhaps it was the glow on his face that is so prevalent on God’s true servants (anyone who sees this knows what I’m talking about), or perhaps it was the glimmer in his eye.

We can only speculate what specifically about this young man’s face caused the king to recognize him as a prophet, but regardless of what it was, his countenance revealed it to him. King David, God’s anointed King, even said of The Lord in Psalm 42:11, “…for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” There is just something about the countenance of God’s anointed ones that is different than any other.

But not only did his countenance reveal his identity as a prophet, but also his cargo! And I don’t mean what he was carrying in his hands, but what he was carrying in his mouth. This man had a word straight from God to carry to the king, and it was undoubtedly a word from God, without any question whatsoever. True prophets speak only what thus saith The Lord. This is one of their primary earmarks.

In fact, in the Old Testament, they were taught that if a prophet speaks a word that does not come to pass, to mark that prophet as a false prophet. Simple enough, right? God’s Word is ALWAYS truth. PERIOD. And a true man of God will seek to speak only a true word from God!

And lastly, the third earmark of a prophet is his character. This man, as did all the prophets, spoke directly to power, not fearing men and what they might do to him for speaking raw, uncut, and in many cases, condemning truth. He had the character required to put himself on the line for the sole objective of delivering God’s message to its intended recipient. And so is the case today; a true prophet or man of God can be authentically identified by his countenance, cargo, and character.

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Floodgates of Heaven
Volume 2
Entry 125 of 365

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