Date Published: 02/06/10

RESPONDING TO “AMAZIAH” (II) By Victoria Baiye

In Responding to “Amaziah” (I) we looked at how Amaziah the priest of Bethel brought a report to King Jeroboam against Amos whom the Lord had sent to His people. He also advised Amos to flee from Bethel and go and prophesy elsewhere. Amaziah wanted Amos to get distracted, lose focus, and fail in his calling. We noted that there are “Amaziahs” today that are instruments of distraction and failure fashioned against believers.

How did Amos respond to Amaziah? Amos 7:14-15, Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.” One thing you will notice from Amos’ answer is that he had no impure motive or ambition. He said that he was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son (and obviously he was not aspiring to be a prophet); he was just minding his animals in the fields when the Lord called him. A selfish ambition would make a Christian venture into areas that God did not call him into, and then he has to keep fighting on his own to remain there. If you mind only the business that God committed to you, and you allow Him to be the one to expand it as He wishes, one of the things that will happen is that you will be relaxed even when “Amaziah” comes against you. You will not fight “Amaziah” with your own strength because in the first place what you are doing is not something you fought to push yourself into but rather the Lord’s work, which He called you to do.

Again, doing only what the Lord requires of you builds your confidence and helps you to be bold and fearless. Proverbs 28:1 says that the righteous is as bold as a lion. A righteous person is simply the one who walks only in the counsel of the righteous God; the one who allows the will of God to be done in his life as it is done in heaven (Matthew 6:10). When you know that truly you are where God Himself positioned you, no matter how many “Amaziahs” rise up to accuse you before the “king” or ask you to flee from your “Bethel”, you remain unmoved.

You also have to recognize God as the almighty and believe that He can deliver you from the hands of both “Amaziah” and “Jeroboam”. Note, however, what the Psalmist said in 118:6, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” This means that confidence in God’s ability and willingness to shield us from the hand of evil workers comes from knowing that He is on our side. And the only way we can get God to be on our side is by staying away from wickedness because according to Proverbs 15:29 God is far from the wicked.

You have to be one who does not seek the ruler’s favor. The ruler may be your boss at work, your pastor, departmental head, etc. Proverbs 29:26 says that many seek the ruler's favor; but every man's judgment comes from the Lord. If you do not realize that your judgment is actually coming from God and not from any man you will continue to seek the favor of the rulers among men. This will make you to turn away from anything that will displease “King Jeroboam” even if it is what God wants you to do, because you do not want to fall out of favor with the “king”.

You also have to be determined to carry out the Lord’s instruction at whatever cost. That way, even if you would end up stepping on the “king’s toes” you would not be afraid. To get to this point, you must be weaned from the love of everything in this life except God. Jesus said in Luke 14:26 that anyone that is not ready to hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even his own life cannot be His disciple. We all know, of course, that Jesus was not admonishing us to abandon our responsibilities to our parents and families; He was also not asking us to neglect caring for ourselves (health, etc) but rather to choose God above everyone else where there is a clash of interests. If you choose God above yourself you will be ready to risk anything to fulfill His will. After all the people that are threatening you cannot do you any hurt if God is on your side.

In a bid to “protect” what they are doing for God, many Christians today are fighting “Amaziah” (with anger, panic, vengeance, cursing, anxiety, bitterness, etc.). This is not necessary. If God truly called you and “Amaziah” comes against you, you will let God answer him while you keep on working. Stay away from selfish ambitions, remain in the counsel of the Lord, have confidence that He will defend and keep you, refuse to seek the favor of any man, and do not attach much importance to this life.  This will help you to be able to answer “Amaziah” with the same calmness with which Amos answered the Amaziah of his time. The best way to respond to “Amaziah” is to hand him over to God and then keep moving as if he does not exist. That way he will not succeed in distracting and making you fail, which is his mission in the first place.