By Pastor Shana Wise
· We are living in a day in time where the current events can have us feeling like there is no hope in the world. It seems to be that the world we know today is getting worse and worse and it seems like more curses are taking place than blessings. Between the natural disasters, mass shootings in and out of our schools, gang violence, immorality running ramped in our society, divided governments and churches, persecution of the church, pollution, wars, famine, scandals, individual having identity crisis, suicide, divorces/ marriage misconceptions, lack of love for one another-or even valuing another human life---it can be overwhelming and we have to question---what’s going on?! Is this world living under a curse?
· The answers to these questions can be deceiving if we refuse to look at the current events through the Word of God. We, as the children of God, must understand the sign of the times and our role in it.
· No matter what is going on in the world, we are blessed. Why? Because God’s Word stands forever and ever.
· In this present day and days to come, we will experience hardships, and our faith will be tested through the enemy and his tactics. We will experience spiritual warfare and attacks from the enemy, however, we must be encouraged in who we are and who we serve. Jesus states in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
· Jesus wants us to know that no matter what is going on: The enemy cannot curse what God has blessed! Let us examine the story of the Israelites and Balaam and see not only how this is a fact, but how it can encourage us whenever we are going through the various trying times of our lives.
Numbers 22:1-8
Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites
The enemy sees you (the believer, God’s chosen people) coming to his territory-and he does not like it! (vs. 3)
and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
· The Moabites were pagan worshippers and because of this, the Israelites presence threatened them. They had heard about how God fought, rescued, and delivered them in Egypt and now they were facing the same fate as the Egyptians.
· We as believers must remember that when God sends us out into various territories of the earth, the enemy is not going to like it because of the God we serve. We are the light of the world and the darkness fears it! John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Part of your adversary’s tactics is to hinder your progress (vs. 6)
The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field. “So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
· When others are insecure in who they are and in God, as the King of Moab was, it will lead to doing things that are contrary to the Word of God. King Balak wanted Balaam (one who practiced divination) to come and put a curse on Israel.
· Insecurities mixed with fear, and lack of worshipping the True and Living God, caused King Balak and Balaam to conspire against the children of God. They should have realized if the king on Eygpt could not stop God, why would they be able too?
· Instead of trying to bless the people of God and leave them alone, King Balak wanted to try to hinder them from entering the promise land-unfortunately for King Balak and Balaam, their plan backfired on them.
Point 3-God will confront the enemy! (vs. 7-13)
7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. 8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So, the Moabite officials stayed with him. God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
· The men cam again to Balaam and asked him to come, and the Lord allowed him, but he told him to only say what He tells him (vs. 13-20). God saw that Balaam’s heart was still turned to gaining profits over obedience.
· God went to Balaam and confronted him!
(Balaam’s Donkey vs. 21-35) (Even though God said go, Balaam’s motives were still wrong, and it took an angel and a donkey to rebuke him to repentance)
Point 4-The enemy will have to submit to the authority/sovereignty of God!
Numbers: 23:7-8
7 Balaam spoke his message: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’ 8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?
Point 5-The enemy’s camp will be ineffective and divided when they continue to try to curse God’s people-their plans will fail!
Numbers 24:10
Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
About the Author
Dr. Shana Wise is an ordained Pastor and CEO of Wise Choice Ministries (est. 2016). She is the founder of The Well Christian Women’s Network formally known as Christian Women Preachers United. Dr. Wise is the author of women’s devotional, Acts of Intercession, and The Impact of Your Election (available on Amazon). She received a doctor of divinity degree in 2019 from St. Thomas Christian University. Her passion is to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, equip others to apply the Word to their lives, and demonstrate the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is a televangelist that appears on social media outlets and television. Shana is married to Ron Wise and is the mother of four children.
