Who Is Standing On Your Way? Part 1of4, Evans Olang

Numbers 22:1-41, “The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

I constantly struggle to know the will of God in a situation and not miss it. I also struggle to know whether I am acting in the flesh or I am led of the Spirit. There are times I am not sure whether what is standing on my way is of the Devil or of God. One time when prophet Elijah was waiting for God, there was great earthquake which would be a sign of God, God was not in earthquake, I believe it was followed by thunder but still He wasn’t in that, then finally a still small voice and that was of God. May be it’s just me but at times I find it hard to know when God is moving, I might see the results in the end, but I missed the opportunity to see Him move. I thank Him for His word, the best way to know Him, to know His ways and His will for my life.

Today let’s look at who is standing in the way. Many times we blame the devil when things are not going right but who really is behind all these? We know his mission from John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…”. We know that very well but I would submit to us that he will only finish what we have started in our lives. You give him a little room, he will be the master. Temptations are not evil by themselves, what is done with them can be turned evil. This why we need to submit to God first, then resist the devil for him to flee. So before we are too quick to blame the devil, let’s see who started the whole thing.

In my text this morning we are introduced to the children of Israel, Balak the son of Zippor king of Moabites, Balaam who the Lord speaks to and God Himself. The Israelites have left Egypt, they have subdued nations that stood on the way because God was with them, they are now close to Moab. Every nation was terrified at the mention of the Israelites and something has to be done real quick before they step in to take Moab. First mistake the king made was send for Balaam, Numbers 22:6, “Therefore please come at once, curse these people for me, for they are too mighty for me…for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed“. Could it be possible that he made his living through blessing and cursing? perhaps we are not sure of that. The more I walk with God the more I realize that what God has blessed can no man’s curse change it. He that God has blessed is blessed in the field, at home, at work, when driving, in the community. Everything that person touches, gets blessed because what God has blessed can no man go against. Listen to this response in vs. 12, “And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” I could stop there because I am blessed already so are you. We are not blessed when we have it, we are blessed on the verge of waiting for it. What God has said can no man terminate.

Balak was persistence, even after the Lord had refused Balaam from cursing the Israelites, he sent a message again giving promises of how he will honor Balaam, give him whatever he wanted. Very tempting but his stand was sure (or at least for now), he would not go beyond the word of the Lord. What disturbs me is that when the message from the king came again, he sought the Lord. Didn’t Balaam know that God would not go against His word when it comes to doing good? What was his motive of seeking the Lord again. He sought to know the will of God again in the situation hoping the Lord would change His mind. This time the Lord told him to go with them but only speak what He would put in his mouth. Immediately after he left God’s anger was aroused against him and this left me scratching my head. If God told him to go, why would God be angry with him? Remember I said that temptations are not evil but what we do with them can turn evil. Balaam has been tempted to bring curse on the Israelites and he will be honored (this was a benefit to him). He was torn in between as to who to listen to, God or Balak, if God gives him an okay to curse, then he will gain out of that curse. God evaluates, both motives and actions. Individuals inner heart attitudes, such as Balaam’s desire for power and money, will eventually be revealed no matter what outward disguise they use. He must have been quick to leave the place to go and meet the king. Vs. 22″…and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him”.

To get the series rolling, who do you blame when things are not going well? Do you feel blessed? Who is leading you? we will talk more about Balaam. Blessings Ev