FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
Scripture: 1 Kings 16:29-33

1 Kings 16:29-33 says, “In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” Ahab became king in Israel and Ahab started a pattern of absolute, total evil. His abominations are enumerated – from setting up the altar of Baal to marrying Jezebel, to making wooden images, to provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger. He did more of this than all the kings of Israel that went before him. There is a lesson for us here. When there are leaders who are rebellious, whether political leaders or spiritual leaders, it is necessary that God restrain that evil. No one can provoke God with evil and not eventually run into His Judicial Hand. But believers play a very necessary part. We have to cry out for relief and pray the breaking and dashing we are commanded to pray. We are told we need to use the Rod of Iron to break and dash, but believers have to be taught to do it. And that teaching process requires an emphasis on walking in righteousness and holiness. Only with that foundation can we stand when we are Spirit-led in praying that evil be broken with a Rod of Iron and dashed to pieces like a potter’s vessel. God will not sit by and let His purposes be destroyed by an ‘Ahab’. The same God who raised up Elijah, a restrainer of evil against Ahab, is raising up restrainers of evil today. Are we hearing the call? I trust we are, in Jesus’ name!