Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken

Numbers 23:19-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
    He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
    Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
20 Listen, I received a command to bless;
    God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!
21 No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob;
    no trouble is in store for Israel.
For the Lord their God is with them;
    he has been proclaimed their king.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;
    for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
23 No curse can touch Jacob;
    no magic has any power against Israel.
For now it will be said of Jacob,
    ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’
24 These people rise up like a lioness,
    like a majestic lion rousing itself.
They refuse to rest
    until they have feasted on prey,
    drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

The one thing that I'm absolutely loving about this quarantine is the opportunity it gives for me to be able to sit down and listen to sermons in its entirety and take notes, which I never get to do even during the online services we're now doing for the ministry I'm in. I have also had the opportunity to find more stories in the bible other than the typical, David and Goliath, 3 Hebrew Boys, Daniel in the lions' den. Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with those stories but there are 66 books in the Bible, but growing up I only knew like maybe 10 stories. So I really get a chance to dive deep into the word. 

One of the stories I have discovered is the story of Balaam and Balak. I'm going to be honest, I've never read this story before now. I know that I used Numbers 23 as the main chapter, but to get the real story you have to go back to Numbers 22. 

Numbers 22:4-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

4 The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!”

So Balak, king of Moab, 5 sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor[a] near the Euphrates River.[b] His message said:

“Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. 6 Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”

7 Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel.[c] They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. 8 “Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.

Now I'm going to break this thing all the way down because there are so many things about this story that is so eye opening to me. So in the text, Balak is trying to get Balaam to curse the Israelites. Now here's the thing, the Israelites didn't do anything to him. They probably don't even know who he is. But one thing for certain, God has been with them, and when God is with you, all kind of doors open. They hadn't even gotten Jericho yet. They hadn't even seen the promise land yet. For some of you reading this, some people want to curse you not for what you've done but simply because God's favor is on your life and they see where you're heading. They've watched all of the things you've overcome and they feel threatened just like Balak did. 

Here's the other thing for all the prophets out there. Prophets are the mouthpiece of God. God never does anything without first telling his servants the prophets. That is scripture. Although many understand that concept, not everyone is a prophet. So Balak has been watching Balaam and he's been seeing everything Balaam spoke come to pass. Why did that happen? Because Balaam was being the mouthpiece of God. If God said it, it has to come to pass. Period. 

The key here is making sure you heard God, and that comes through relationship. Too many people are out here doing things because it's a good idea and not a God idea. Balak sent all these influential people to talk to Balaam.If Balaam was carnal, he would've went because it would be great to be seen with the likes of these people. But God said otherwise. 

Numbers 22:14-19 New Living Translation (NLT)

14 So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15 Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. 16 They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me. 17 I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

18 But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God. 19 But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”

So now Balak sent even more people and he's offering to pay Balaam. Now let's stay here for just a moment. Once again, a good idea does not always equate to a God idea. I'm not going to attack itinerary preachers. There are some great ones out there, but there are some people who will do anything for some money and notoriety. That's not God. That's why you have to be very cautious of taking on the assignment. You have to go to God for everything. 

Do not prostitute your gift! My mama used to say "Not all money is good money." All truths! Just because somebody is going to pay doesn't mean that you should do it, especially when it comes to your spiritual gifts. Once again let's talk about the itinerary preachers. But part of the reason that itinerary preachers have  to charge an honorarium is because of the risk. By agreeing to go anywhere, you're putting your safety at risk. When it comes to your spiritual gifts, you absolutely are putting yourself at risk both spiritually and physically. You don't know what kind of spirits are in that place, and spirits can transfer. So, yes, you absolutely are going to accommodate them for whatever it is that they are doing when they were booked. 

But that's why you have to consult God about everything. Yes God is greater than anything, but sometimes (and I hope yall hear me when I say this) but sometimes we put ourselves in situations that God told us not to go into and we expect God to pull us out. You reap what you sow! I don't want to reap anything from something God aint tell me to sow in the first place. So we have to say what He wants us to say and do what He wants us to do. I believe that's why God sent the angel when they were on the way to Moab.

And so as the story continues, Balaam goes before God time after time and God is saying the same thing over and over. Nothing can stop His blessings. Not a curse, not a witch, not a warlock. God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all of that. 

1 Corinthians 2:9 New Living Translation (NLT)

9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”[a]

They can't see it. They won't believe it. Because they don't have your faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence for things unseen. You're in this storm and trying to figure out why and how you're surviving. It's because God made you a promise. 

2 Peter 1:4 New Living Translation (NLT)

4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

Promises made and promises kept. Can't no devil in hell stop the promise from being fulfilled. 

Isaiah 43:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

So even in a global pandemic, you're surviving. Nothing missing and nothing broken. 

John 14:27 New Living Translation (NLT)

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

You are the righteouness of God, no good thing will He withhold from you!