1 Kings 22:18-23. As Ahab and Jehoshaphat are trying to decide whether to join together to go to war again Syria, Ahab calls in all the prophets of Israel and asks them. They all say he will prevail in battle. Jehoshaphat, though, asks if there is another prophet, and Ahab reluctantly sends for Michaiah, who has prophesied nothing but doom to Ahab. Micaiah tells Ahab to go to battle, but Ahab is suspicious of this and presses Micaiah to say what God has shown him. Michaiah says he saw the Lord call for someone to entice Ahab into battle so that he would fall. A lying spirit came forth and said he would do it by having the prophets speak lies to Ahab. God tells the spirit to do do, for it will succeed.

Even after being told this, Ahab goes to battle and dies there! His pride won't let him see the trap that the lying spirit had set for him, instead he punishes Micaiah, and confidently goes off to war. God knows us so well! He knew that Ahab would become more stubborn and prideful when he heard the truth, so he let Micaiah speak it.

This is another lesson on how God uses bad people and things for his purposes. God hates lying, He is the truth. But lying exists because of the fall of the angels and of men, therefore God will use it for his salvific purposes. Ahab was a horrible man and a liar. His own sin and pride is used against him and it worked perfectly. The same will apply to us, if we fail to repent even when faced with prophetic truth.