Becoming an AMEN

When the three great armies came against king Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:1 – 30, the king set his face to seek the Lord. He prayed out of his relationship with God and from the activity of God from His word, and worshiped. He gathered all Jerusalem together and they heard a word from Jahaziel, the Levite, who encouraged them to stand before the Lord and to watch God win the battle for them. After Jahaziel spoke God’s word, Jehoshaphat fell down before the Lord, while the Levites rose up to praise the Lord. What a scene! Would that we had national leaders who would set their face to seek the Lord, hear a word from God, and fall before Him in humble worship.

The next day, Jehoshaphat addressed the nation, saying in 20:20, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” The word “believe” is the Hebrew word amen, which means to believe, to be firm, to affirm, to be certain. Our English word “amen” is from this Hebrew word. This word is used three times in this verse. It is translated “believe…be established…believe,” but it is the same word; amen.

This is one of the ways of God. When you believe, you become an amen, a believer. In that way, you do not have faith, you become faith; faithful. This new identity is an affirmation of what God has said. His word changes you from the inside out, but not until you receive it from the outside in. The first word that Jehoshaphat spoke was the word “Hear,” which is the Hebrew word shamah. This is one of the main words in the Old Testament for Israel. The word shemah, means to receive a word which then leads to obedience. For Israel, hearing was believing.

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, in Matthew 22:36 – 38, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:4 – 5, Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” This was and still is known as the Shemah. Paul referred to this in Romans 10:17 when he said, “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” God’s word produces faith in the heart of the one who receives it and carries in it the fruit of obedience. Obedience is the work of God, from His own word in you, with you, through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you.

You will become what you receive and believe. If you listen to and follow your physical appetites, you will become addicted and enslaved to them. But you are not your appetites! You are not defined by your feelings, either. Feelings can deceive you. You have physical appetites and feelings; you cannot deny nor suppress them. But you have something greater to guide, define, and empower your life; you have received the word of God! You are a blood-washed, born again, Spirit possessed, child of the Most High God! You are an AMEN to what God has said, because first He says it, then, He does it; in you, with you, through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you!

Today, hear the word from God as you read the word of God. Pray for His word to find the good soil of your heart, and to be planted deep, AMEN. Ask the Father to water His word with the Holy Spirit, by the reign of the Spirit, in order for Christ Jesus to be glorified in and with and through you, and you will become an amen of Him. This pleases the Father. You will become a true worshiper, one who worships the Father in spirit and truth.