THE PEOPLE AROUND THE LEADERSHIP
"NOW WHEN AHITHOPHEL SAW THAT HIS ADVICE WAS NOT FOLLOWED, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, AND HANGED HIMSELF, AND DIED; AND HE WAS BURIED IN HIS FATHER'S TOMB."
2 Samuel 17:23 (NKJV)
God defeated the counsel of Ahithophel over David (2 Samuel 15:31; 17:7,14,23).
Whoever is against or fighting God's delegated authority would meet a waterloo, a decisive or crushing defeat, and be disappointed big time.
Ahithophel was humiliated when his counsel was not taken, he committed a suicide as a result of it (2 Samuel 17:23).
This Ahithophel was one of the advisers in David's government, but he swapped his loyalty when Absalom, David'd son, plotted to topple his father's government (2 Samuel 15:12-14).
When it was told David that Ahithophel had joined conspiracy with Absalom, David prayed that God will turn the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness (2 Samuel 15:31).
David's prayer was answered by God, everyone who was involved in the conspiracy died a gruesome death—those who were in Absalom camp, who were against David, It was recorded that those who were killed by woods are more in numbers than those who were killed by the swords: (2 Samuel 18:6-8).
In other words, the woods fought for David and his men that day because the conspirators were against God's anointed servant (Psalm 105:13-15).
As a believer or a minister of God, you should learn not to defend yourself (Romans 12:17-19).
Let God defend and fight for you. Let Him put disagreement, divide their tongues and put confusion and disappointment, in the midst of the conspirators.
A servant of God must not quarrel (2 Timothy 2:24). Instead, a servant of God should commit his or her matters or whatever is done against them to God in prayers (1 Peter 2:21-23).
When you pray, God would work against whatever is plotted against you by the conspirators—those who conspired against you: "SO ABSALOM AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID, “THE ADVICE OF HUSHAI THE ARCHITE IS BETTER THAN THE ADVICE OF AHITHOPHEL." FOR THE LORD HAD PURPOSED TO DEFEAT THE GOOD ADVICE OF AHITHOPHEL, TO THE INTENT THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING DISASTER ON ABSALOM" (2 Samuel 17:14 NKJV).
God by Himself did arrange for the defeat of Ahithophel, though his counsel that was given concerning David was a good and accurate one (2 Samuel 17:1-4), which If Absalom and the people with him had followed it, they would have caught David and his men off-guard or unprepared and defeated them; however, David had prayed on it (2 Samuel 15:31).
God arranged for the defeat of Ahithophel because he betrayed David.
A number of things to note about Ahithophel:
• He was David adviser before he defected to Absalom, to conspire against David (2 Samuel 15:12; 16:23).
• Ahithophel was a betrayer, a traitor, who wanted a recognition.
• Ahithophel chose to support Absalom to do evil, It means his heart was not with David all along.
A leader should be watchful and prayerful:
• At times, it is not all the people around a leader do wish him or her well—some would not want the leader to live if they had their way.
• Let God reveal the heart of the people around you to you; pray and listen to God the more. In other words, be discerning and more sensitive to God's leadings.
• Lean not on your own understanding as a believer, especially If you are in a position of authority or leadership (Proverbs 3:5,6).
Why the watchfulness, even in the fold of believers:
• The heart of men are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
• Wickedness is on the increase daily, you can only be protected by God's leading and guide (Psalm 74:20).
Therefore, take time to pray for the people around you in the leadership and teach and train them.
When you pray, teach and train them, those who might want to be disloyal could have a change of mind:
23 BUT AVOID FOOLISH AND IGNORANT DISPUTES, KNOWING THAT THEY GENERATE STRIFE. 24 AND A SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT QUARREL BUT BE GENTLE TO ALL, ABLE TO TEACH, PATIENT, 25 IN HUMILITY CORRECTING THOSE WHO ARE IN OPPOSITION, IF GOD PERHAPS WILL GRANT THEM REPENTANCE, SO THAT THEY MAY KNOW THE TRUTH, 26 AND THAT THEY MAY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, HAVING BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL" (2 Timothy 2:23-26 NKJV).
Let God speak or talk to you about the people generally and do not take any step without asking for God's counsel (Proverbs 3:5,6).
If God has sent or called you and on your side, those who conspired against you will totally fail.
Let your relationship and communion with God stand strong and firm; If God be for you, no one can be against you (Romans 8:31).
If your walk with God is sound and cordial, whoever conspired would surely fail.
Test and check the heart of the people around you, If there is any sign of rebellion or conspiracy, take it up in prayer and work on it to get to the root of it and get it uprooted in your camp.
Tell God who knows all things to reveal people's heart to you.
Pray often and take to God's leading on every matter, do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5,6).
Peace in Jesus' name.