“Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin (Isaiah 30:1 NIV).
Alliances play an important role in life. They can help you or cause your ruin. So one should enter into alliances very carefully and with much prayer. Here, it talks about the stubbornness of the Israelites.
They refused to change their attitude towards wrong alliances. God had clearly warned them not to make alliances that were not according to His plans. But they were unwilling to listen.
Here lies the danger. It is not the absence of warning that is the problem; for God always warns us when we are about to enter into wrong alliances. But the problem is our refusal to listen to Him.
Know for sure that God does not acknowledge alliances made without His approval. He calls them plans that are not His. The question is, “Are you stubborn enough to go ahead with your plans without God?”
Another most important element is the role of the Spirit of God in your alliances. When godly alliances are made, the Spirit of God will give His approval. His favor and blessing will rest on it. He will cause things to work out for your good.
But when you make plans that are not from God and make alliances without His consent; then you will find God fighting against you. For example, God destroyed the fleet of trading ships of the godly King Jehoshaphat because he made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness (2 Chronicles 20:35-37)!
Finally, you have to note that God sees your making alliances without His consent as “heaping sin upon sin.” To depend on man’s strength is sin in God’s eyes.
Instead you should learn to depend on God. You should learn to consult God in important matters of decision though there is nothing wrong to receive help from others. But trusting them instead of God, like the Israelites who trusted in Egypt and Pharaoh’s protection, is sin.
Therefore make plans by consulting God. Make alliances that has got the approval of the Spirit of God. Then you will have success in life.
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