What does God want me to do? This is a question we all wrestles with. If not yet, then sometime in the future.
• It’s not always easy to know God’s will in a particular situation. KNOWING GOD’S WILL is the subject we’re discussing through in our DG for these 2 weeks.
• God wants to GUIDE us, that’s a given. So we are going to learn some practical steps in knowing God’s will.
A prophet was put through a decision-making situation in Numbers 22.
• We can learn some principles in our attempt to know what God wants us to do.
[Read Num 22:1-35]
Israel was on the way to Canaan and came to the plains of Moab. The King of Moab, Balak was concerned because he has heard how Israel defeated the other nations.
• So he came up with a plan - hire a prophet and ask him to pronounce a curse on these people, so that he stand a better chance at defeating them in battle.
• Balak sends messengers out and they found Balaam, who was probably a well-known prophet because Balak says in 22:6, “For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
Having read the whole account, I find Balaam’s character questionable; I doubt he is a godly prophet.
• Some scholars preferred to call him a soothsayer; more like a fortune-teller trying to earn his wages.
• But one thing is certain – God speaks to him and he hears from God.
We see two kinds of people here - the Balak-kind, who is out to do his own will and wants God to help him.
• Balak does not know God and is not interested in knowing Him. All he cares about is to get his will done, even at a price. He will make use of God to fulfil his agenda.
• Sound familiar? I’ve heard it many times. It’s all about how God will serve their needs. He was motivated by self-gain.
There are the Balaam-kind of people. He knows God and heard from Him, and yet wanted to have something else for himself.
• He wants God and he wants the world. He loves God, but he also loves what the world can give him.
• James says a double-minded man is unstable in all he does. (James 1:8)
Balaam was tempted because the messengers brought with them a fee for divination (2:7).
• This is significant in the story. There is a bait that is influencing his decision. 2 Pet 2:15 mentions that Balaam “loved the wages of wickedness”.
• And likely, with that, also his desire for reputation and prestige.
In seeking God’s will, WATCH OUR MOTIVATION.
• There will be times when our will does not sync with God’s will. Be truthful but sincere is seeking God’s help to submit to His will.
• What are we going after? What really drives us to do the things we are doing today? Are we seeking what God wants, or WHAT WE WANT but disguised as what God wants?
There was this letter written by a father who wanted to apologize to a certain
young man for not allowing him to marry his daughter.
Dear Tony,
I have been unable to sleep since I broke off your engagement to my daughter. Will you please forgive and forget?
I was much too sensitive about your tattoos and pierced nose. I now realize
motorcycles aren’t really that dangerous, and I really should not have reacted that way to the way you dress. I’ve been very insensitive and backward.
I am sorry. I know for sure you will make a good son-in-law. I have now come to my
senses and you have my full blessing to marry my daughter.
Sincerely,
Your future father-in-law.
P.S. Congratulations on winning the lottery!
What’s motivating you? Let God and His will drives you!
Balaam actually started well. He asked the men to stay the night so that he could seek God for an answer.
• This is the good part. Many of us fail right here – we don’t even ask God. We look at the perks and we decide what we want.
• Balaam asked God and the answer came back loud and clear. “No, don’t go with them. You must not put a curse on them because they are blessed.” (22:12)
That’s simple enough. That’s not hard to understand.
• The next morning he tells them: “Go back to your own country...” and the reason? “The LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
• He left out the important part – “I cannot curse them because they are blessed. It’s a definite NO, NO. It is not God’s will.”
He did not say that. Do you notice that he did not say it at all throughout the many times met Balak and his men, from Num 22-25?
• Balaam’s only words were: “I can only do whatever the Lord says”, “I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
• Imagine you come to me for help and this is what I say.
But what is this, whatever the Lord says? God has already said! The first time you asked Him!
• If God has spoken, don’t complicate it by your own thoughts, or entertain other possibilities. We are complicating what is plain and simple.
In seeking God’s will, WATCH OUR ATTITUDE.
Are you willing to take God’s Word for an answer? Are you open to receive it?
• According to the Parable of the Sower, is your heart the path, the rocks, the thorns or the good soil?
• Obviously Balaam was reluctant to accept NO for an answer. He wanted to leave his options open. So he tells them: “God don’t let me go.”
If you say a clear NO, that would be the end of the deal and they would leave for good.
• It’s like a kid telling his friends, “My daddy says I cannot go with you to the playground with you” and giving them a very sad and pitiful look.
• What the messengers really heard was: “I want to but God won’t let me go now.”
There is still a chance. What do you think Balak will do? Come back again, of course! And he come back with more perks and bigger baits.
• Verses 18-19 reveals more of Balaam’s wayward heart.
• Num 22:18-19 “But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. 19Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me.”
He says in one breathe: “I cannot go beyond the command of God” and then, “let me find out what else the Lord will tell me”.
• God has spoken. Balaam need not have to seek His guidance. He needs to obey.
• But he wants to seek the Lord again. You can almost read his motive. “Can you just agree and do it my way?”
I can identify with this because I did that in the past. There were times I’m stubborn and wanted something badly, I asked God, and asked and asked, wanting to persuade God to accept my will.
God’s answer has already come but I brushed it off because that was not what I want.
So I kept asking, not because I was spiritual, pious, fervently praying for God’s will to be done, but hoping that with LOTS of prayer and some COERCION, I would convince God to do it my way. Do you do that?
God saw Balaam’s motive. He said in verse 20, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them…”
• We have to read this with the right tone of voice, within this context.
• God has already stated His stand in 22:12. When Balaam left the next morning, 22:22 says God was very angry with him.
• So this line must be read this way: “If you keep insisting, so be it. Men summon you and you want to go; I told you no but you are not willing to listen. Go then, and do what you like! I’ve already warned you.”
It’s a warning. God will have to teach him the HARD WAY. That’s to EDUCATE him.
• God does that sometimes, teaching us the hard way.
Remember the incident when the people asked for meat:
Num 11:18-20 The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20but for a whole month - until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it - because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" '"
They ate it until they puked! God has a sense of humour, right?
They learnt not to insist on their own way. You asked for it! But God will use it to EDUCATE us and teach us.
In seeking God’s will, watch your own motivation and attitude.
1. Are you motivated by the approval of men or the applause of God? Are you motivated by what you want or what God wants?
2. And watch your heart. Be open and teachable. Be humble and submissive. Be prepared to obey. Be willing to stand corrected.
GOD WILL SPEAK. We will surely hear from God if you seek Him!
• Most of the time, it is not because God does not speak; we are hard of hearing. We are not really listening.
• It is obvious that God is keen to SPEAK to Balaam. He will even use a donkey, if He needs to.
Imagine, even when the donkey speaks, Balaam wasn’t awakened. He can hold a conversation with a donkey! He was totally self-absorbed in his own will.
• It was only when God OPENED his eyes (22:31) that he knows what was happening.
Is our heart so hardened that we are blinded to His will?
• Make time to listen to God. Set aside quiet time when you can be alone with God.
• Like Elijah’s experience, we will not hear Him in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. His voice will come to us in a gentle whisper.
Bill Hybels wrote a book, The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, Having the Guts to Respond, addressing the attitudes and actions that help us hear from God.
• Open your heart to Him and God will OPEN your eyes to understand His will. It is His GRACE.
PRAY: What is God’s will for me? Tell God you are prepared to listen to Him.
Dear friends, God loves us and wants to bless us. But we must open our hearts to Him. Put your trust in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. Let Him guide you and show you the blessed way to live life.
