HEAVEN’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S PROPHET

I. INTRODUCTION
 God has high regard for his prophets. He will not do a thing without revealing
his secrets to his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
 Elisha was not a prophet whose words should be taken frivolously or
carelessly, not with double anointing of Elijah that he carried.
 Even though he was dying and Jehoash the king of Israel came on a sympathy
visit, he summoned courage to assure the king of God’s preservation covenant
with Israel in a symbolic manner.

II. ARROWS AS SYMBOLS OF OFFENCE

 Servants of God and indeed prophets often use symbols when what is going to
happen cannot be adequately described by mere human words e.g. Elisha (2
Kings 6:1-7), Agabus (Acts 21:10-14), Zedekiah (1 Kings 21:1-11), Ezekiel in
the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-11), Serpent of brass (Num. 21:5) and
Jesus (John 3:14).
 The world is a battle field where battles are lost and won. For Christians to
win, overcome and recover all, we have a “good fight of faith to fight”. This is
the significance of the bow and arrow imagery (Matt. 6:33b, Gen. 2:9, Deut.
1:35, Jn. 16:33, Gal. 1:4, Eph. 5:16, Eph. 6:11-12, Rev. 12:11-12, 1 Pet. 5:8)
 Christians can no longer sit in defense if we must experience full restoration
and great recovery.
 Satan will not let his prisoners go unless there is an offensive, aggressive,
violent and relentless bombardment from us using our own arrows in Christ
Jesus. (Ps. 18:14, 2 Sam. 22:15, Ps. 21:12, Num. 24:8, Jer. 50:14, Ezek.
21:21-27, ps. 64:3, Is. 49:24-25
 Note that only those who know their God “shall be made strong” (Dan. 11:31)
and only “those who wait upon the Lord shall have renewed strength, mount
up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary and walk and not faint (Is.
40:31).

III. ARROWS AS SYMBOLS OF DEFENCE

 Evil men do not speak from their heads; they speak from their hearts and
when they have finished speaking (incantations), they spit into the air which is

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 a symbolic act of commanding the demonic spirits in the atmosphere to follow
and establish or fulfill their negative demonic words and intentions.
 Words spoken in incantations, spell, invocations or divination or
enchantments are like “arrows that fly in the noon-day” (Ps. 91:5) for the
purpose of injuring the life, health, business or the destiny of their targets
(Ezek. 21:121-27).
 However, words spoken from the heart of a man that knows “Christ and the
power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10) have the efficacy and potency to effect
positive (and even negative) changes on earth (Matt. 12:29; 16:19, 18:18)
 The word of God spoken from our heart which houses our spirit man (i.e
arrow) can be and is:
 A devouring fire (Jer. 5:14)
 A hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (Jer. 23:29); i.e crushing
hammer.
 Life-giving, resurrection, recovery power (Ezek. 37:7, John 11:43,
Luk. 7:14; 10:11; 7:7-8).
 Defensive weapons (Eph. 6:17, Heb. 4:12).
 Divine anti-satanic panacea capable of not only nullifying (defending
against) demonic arrows but also capable of sending back evil arrows
to the sender (Esth. 7:9-10) See Esth. 10:4.

IV. THE BOW AS SYMBOL OF THE SPIRIT

“Take the bow and the arrows”
 The bow is the spiritual atmosphere from which the arrows are shot.
 The spiritual atmosphere is that of faith, holiness and obedience.
 The stronger the bow the more exactly and precisely the spoken word hits the
target.
 Without the bow the arrows are useless and ineffective.
 It is only the hand of God that can bend the bow in a spiritual warfare (2 Sam.
22:35).
 We are not talking of physical hands but spiritual hands of prayer and fasting
(Mk. 9:29)
 The economic, marital, financial, family, spiritual recovery and restoration we
are pursuing and have defied the word of God from our mouth shall come to
us when we stand in the place of fasting and prayer.
 The words of God are the “bow and arrows” that our spirit man must use to
defend ourselves and possess our possession on Mount Zion/NEBC
 The heart is the mansion where the inner man (our spirit) dwells and processes
our thoughts. The heart is also the dwelling place of the word of God (Deut.
6:6, 30:14, Col. 3:16; Rom. 10:8).

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V. HEAVEN’S RESPONSE TO PROPHETIC UTTERANCES
a) Who is a Prophet? Deut. 18:18-20
 A man /woman who is holy 1 Pet. 2:15-16
 Closes his eyes to worldly things/ pleasures having food and clothing
(Matt. 6:31).
 Minds heavenly things, pleasing God always (Matt. 6:33, Rom. 8:5)
 Speaks the mind of God.
 Sees vision of heaven/ God the Almighty (Num. 24:2-4).
 Hears from God and says “thus saith the Lord” or “the Spirit of God fell
on me” i.e full of the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God.
 Ready to declare the instructions and commandments of God to his people
(Moses, Joshua, Isaiah).
 Can see into the past, present and future;
 Can be bold, fearless, raw and crude.
 Can be merciless – (2 Kings 2:23-24).
 Can say, do or direct to do illogical things (1 Kgs. 20:35-43)
 Their words and actions usually receive heaven’s backing.

b) Examples of Prophets and their Actions

- Moses - Isaiah
- Joshua - Jeremiah
- Samuel -Daniel
- Eli -Amos
- Deborah -Amos
- HULDAH (2 Chr. 34:22-27, 2 Kgs. 22:11)

VI. OUR RESPONSE TO PROHETIC UTTERANCE (2 Chronicles 20:20)

 For us to appreciate the blessings of God and have great recovery,
OBEDIENCE is key.
 Disobedience is idolatry and an iniquity. It is a sin and Rebellion is like the sin
of witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23).
 Our obedience must be total, not partial, full not half-full. (Ex. 17:14, Deut.
25:19 and 1 Sam. 15:2) for God’s clear instructions to Israel and Saul.
 Your husband is a Moses, Paul, Peter, etc and you disobey him –you are not
qualified for prophetic breakthrough or recovery.
 Your wife is a Deborah or Huldah or Elizabeth, Mary, etc and you disobey
her, you are into sin of disobedience (2 Kgs. 4:8-11).
 You are a youth, a child, you are not obeying your parents (Eph. 6:1-5)

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 The Junior Prophet and the Senior Prophet’s tragic saga at Bethel (1 Kgs.
13:1-25) culminating in the junior prophets doom.
 Servants obey your masters in the flesh with fear and trembling.
 Masters should also obey their servants in the Lord. Remember David David
and Joab (2 Sam. 24:1-end; 1 Chro. 21:1.
 Widow of Zarephath (2 Kg. 17:10-15).
 Peter launched into the deep in obedience to Christ’s command (Lk. 5:4) and
they caught multitude of fishes.
 Jesus was throughout His life obedient to God his father.
 Peter said, “we ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29)
 Moses in Exodus 16:15; 19-20) asked the Israelites not to leave out of the
manna till the following morning.
 There is a direct link between disobedience and sickness (Exodus 15:26;
23:25-26; Deut. 7:14-15; between sin and bondage and between disobedience
and fruitless labour.
 There is a force that is called “the prince of the power of the air” that usually
controls the mind of the disobedient (Eph. 2:2-3).
 The Hallmark of most overcomers, winners, prosperous and successful men
and women is obedience.
 Life of obedience is a “sine qua none” for our great recovery in our individual
lives, families, business, marriage, education, health, our church and Nigeria
 Matthew 10:40-41: Receive the prophet name in the of the prophet and you
shall receive a prophet’s reward.
 It is only when your obedience is full (2 Cor. 10:5-6) that you can have great
recovery and possess your possession.
 Isaiah 1:9….eat the fruits of the land willingness and obedience)
- Phil. 2:8….”Jesus obedience led to his divine elevation,
- 1 Pet. 1:13-14…….as obedient children

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 HYMN 260

WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word

What a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will, he abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But his smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil he doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of his love

Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor he shows, and the joy he bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet,

Or we will walk by his side in the way;
What he says we will do, where he sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.

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