I Kings 22:14 should be the commitment of every Christian preacher and teacher: “But Micaiah said, ‘As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.'” He spoke these words in the specific context of :13, where King Ahab’s messenger told him to “go along” with all the other prophets and tell the king what he wanted to hear: something favorable.

Micaiah responded to the messenger that being a true prophet of God does NOT consist of telling people what they want to hear — but rather in sharing the truth of God — whatever it is, and whatever the response of the people is to it.

This certainly has application in ministry today. There are many who would pressure ministers to compromise the word of God in order to draw more people — basically advising them the way the messenger did Micaiah: “speak favorably.” We see multiplied examples of pastors and leaders who are doing that very thing — and many of them are indeed successful in drawing big crowds.

But the godly Christian pastor, teacher, or leader today will not give way to such counsel. He realizes that drawing people by watering down the word of God is not “success” in the eyes of God, but is in fact treason. He will stand firm and will declare like Micaiah: “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.”