God instructed the children of Israel to dispossess the nations that occupied their promised land. Deuteronomy 7:18 says, “You shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.” We also need to remember how the Lord worked through His mighty power to set them free from their captivity.

We wage war against the enemy of our soul through God’s promises. We must remember that satan came to steal, kill, and destroy. He uses deceptive means to lure us from what God has set before us. Philippians 1:28 says, “And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.” Where does our help come from? Psalm 121:1 says, “…My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

1 Peter 1:4-5 says, “To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” This is our standing. We stand by this promise. Romans 5:2 says, “Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:8 says that if the rulers of the age knew, “…they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Colossians 2:15 says that through the cross, Jesus disarmed principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them. The battle is won. However, just like the Lord gave the children of Israel the promised land, they had to possess it. That meant they had to engage the nations who inhabited it in battle.

2 Peter 1:3 says, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him…” His resurrection  power dwells within us. Through it we engage and defeat the one who is attempting to destroy our faith. It is all about faith. Our faith is constantly under attack. The enemy uses fiery dart lies, but we are equipped. Ephesians 6:16 says, “…taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

How does our enemy seek to destroy our faith? In Deuteronomy 7:25 they were warned to not take anything for themselves of the nation’s idols. It would cause them to be snared.  Verse 26 says, “Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.”

Proverbs 6:17-19 lists seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. Verse 17-19 says, “A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” The question comes: Have I brought any of them into my life? Hidden lies, erroneous mindsets, and strongholds have to be cast off and replaced by truth, or our faith is undermined.

Paul had an essential desire. He expressed it in Philippians 3:13 says, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Is this your desire? While the world seeks to press us into its mold, we have to press through anything that would pull us away from our devotion to the Lord.

Moses recounted what the Lord had done for the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 6:23 says, “Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers.” The moment we accept the Lord’s finished work on the cross for ourselves, He brings us out, that He might bring us in.

Think about what He has laid hold of us for. Everything in our life is designed intentionally by our Creator for our good. Every trial is His strategic way to conform us to His image. Every relationship is part of His plan. Ephesians 1:11 says that He is working everything in our life according to the counsel of His will.

The question comes: Am I pressing in? What is pressing me into a mold that isn’t God’s way? Think of putting a round peg into a square hole. It doesn’t work. Neither does it work in our walk with the Lord. His purpose for you, is as individual as you are. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” You are who He has designed you to be.

Philippians 3:12 Amplified says, “…I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.” Our trials are ours. Have we really grasped them to make them our own? Trials are not punishment. Hebrews 12:7 says, “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” The Greek word means education or training.

Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” The purpose in every trial is to take us deeper in our faith. It is in our trials that the Lord reveals Himself to us in a way we have not experienced Him before.

His attributes are like a kaleidoscope, displayed in various ways. Ephesians 3:10 says that He is using us, His church, to display His manifold wisdom to principalities and powers, rulers in high places that have dominion over unbelievers. 2 Timothy 6:12 is key. It says, “Fight the good fight, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The way we do this is through our heart. Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” We lay up His word by hiding it in our heart. We don’t want to take up heart-real estate with buried unresolved issues. They cause us to sin through fleshly reactions.

John 10:10 says, “The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy…” This is an essential truth that we have been equipped to battle. There is an interesting verse in Deuteronomy about possessing. Moses was recounting what the Lord had said. Deuteronomy 2:24 says, “Rise…I have given into your hand…king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle.”

2 Corinthians 10:4 says that our weapons are mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds. A stronghold is a mindset that opposes God’s way. It is the ground that we gave over to satan through our disobedience. When we do not take God at His word, we give opportunity for satan to work his wiles.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about obedience. It was about forgiveness of the brother who sinned. In 2 Corinthians 2:9 says, “For this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.” In verse 10 he urged them to forgive. Verse 11 says, “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

Here is what we know from Scripture. John 8:44 says that the devil is a liar. Revelation 12:10 says that he is an accuser of the brethren. James 1:16 warns us to not be deceived. Hebrews 3:13 says to not be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. When we arm ourselves with truth, it will stand like a sentinel within our heart to warn us when the enemy approaches.

Nahum 2:1 helps us prepare to engage. It says, “He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.” Colossians 1:11 was Paul’s prayer, “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”

Here is a key to understanding when we are being set up. IF we are not walking in the Spirit, then we are not being led by Him. It is evident to others when the fruit of the Spirit is not our testimony. Think of a cluster of grapes. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” When we are walking in our flesh, we are opposing God’s way. When we do that, James 4:7 says that He will resist us. Sin is pride.

Therefore, in order to possess what is ours we must engage the enemy by confronting the lies we have believed. It is through these lies that the enemy is currently working his devices. He works in darkness, therefore we must walk in the Light. Accountability is a great safety net. Heart integrity keeps us from succumbing to satan’s deceptive ways. Psalm 15:2 says to speak truth in our heart.

We possess what is ours through bringing God’s truth into our heart to uproot the lies we have believed. James 1:21 says, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” Verse 22 is our strategic engagement. It says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. 

In Deuteronomy 1:6 the Lord spoke, “…You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.” Verse 8 says, “See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land…” Two questions beg to be asked. What futile circular pattern are you in? What has the Lord told you to possess but you have neglected to do so?

Luke 21:19 says, “By your patience possess your souls.” Patience is the fruit of our faith having been tested. James 1:3-4 says, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” These two verses are speaking about our state.

Here is our standing. Colossians 2:9-10 says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” That is a perfect statement of our unchangeable position in Jesus. It is through our progressive sanctification that He works on our state. Hebrews 13:20 says, “Make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

His righteousness is a gift to conform us to His will in our thoughts, purpose, and actions. It is essential to remember that our righteousness, according to Isaiah 64:6, is as filthy rags. He is working His righteousness into our soul, like a potter works water into dry clay. Isaiah 32:17 says, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”

What gets in the way of this work? Our flesh! Our flesh keeps us circling the mountain. It blocks us in every way possible. Unless. Unless we are dwelling in His word, and allowing it to do the work that He desires. Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it…” Observe means to look closely to catch every nuance of truth.

Liken it to watching a tide pool. I used to sit for hours and watch tide pools because they were so fascinating. I had to be absolutely still to see the life within the tide pool in action. What keeps you from deep diving into His word? I love Psalm 25:14 in the Amplified. It says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”

We are called to move beyond the things that bind us. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” It is through our trials that we grow in our knowledge of the Lord. Trials have a way of removing the dross of superfluous activity, and causing us to refocus to prioritize. 

Matthew 6:37 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Our priority is to deepen our relationship with the Lord by abiding in Him. He calls us to dwell in the unchangeable standing of His fullness. Psalm 36:8 says, “They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.” As the potter works water into the clay, the Lord uses the water of His word to work His character in us.

The Lord had told the children of Israel to dispossess the inhabitants of the land and to dwell in it. Then He gave them a warning. Numbers 33:55 says, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you go to dwell.”

How can we make personal applications for our lives? First, we need to ask some questions. What harasses me? What is a constant irritant in my life? What remains a thorn in my side? Making a correct assessment requires an understanding between our standing and our state. In our standing, 1 Corinthians 2:16 says that we have the mind of Christ. In our state Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23 say that we must renew our minds.

Before salvation, we were bound in sin. Ephesians 2:3 says, “…we…conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind…” Psalm 37:3 says, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.” John 15:4 Amplified says, “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. (Live in Me, and I will live in you.) Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.”

When we do anything apart from the Lord, we are acting in our state. When we dwell in Him, we are abiding in our standing. All flesh is state activity. When we follow the Holy Spirit, He will be leading us in righteousness. My working definition for righteousness comes from Hebrews 12:11 Amplified. It says, “…in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action…”

Let’s go back to these words in Numbers. “…those you let remain…” What unresolved issues have you let remain? What harasses you that is an irritant or a thorn? You can define them through stubborn negative habits, negative dialogue, and fleshly reactions. Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our heart with all diligence. 2 Peter 1:5 says that with diligence we are to add certain inward graces to our faith.

Diligence is a character quality that is developed. Romans 5:3-4 gave the progression of our trials. They produce perseverance, character, and hope. Verse 4 in the Amplified says, “And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character (of this sort) produces (the habit of) joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.”

Negligence is a negative character quality. The Shulamite woman in Song of Solomon 1:6 said, “…but my own vineyard I have not kept.” The lazy man of Proverbs 24:30-34, through negligence, allowed his vineyard to become, “…all overgrown with thorns, its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down…” Our fleshly reactions spring up from the unresolved issues that we have let remain. How are you keeping your vineyard?

Our fleshly reactions reveal the root that we have neglected, and that should have been replaced through the diligence of renewing our mind. Ephesians 4:23 Amplified says, “And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude).” It is not a hit and miss correction, but one that is constant. If you have been negligent to take care of the hidden, then confess it as sin. Lay hold of Scriptures that will help you root out and destroy those fleshly things that harass you.

Isaiah 45:1 was written about a pagan king that God used as His instrument, “…to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him te double doors, so that the gates will not be shut.”

 
God’s promise in verses 2-3 was, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.”

The above verses are a great illustration of the power of intercession. The Lord uses us as His instruments to break the iron bands that hold prisoners captive. Psalm 105:18 was about Joseph. The Amplified says, “His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron and his soul entered into the iron.” How descriptive of one bound in sin.

Luke 4:18 says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” The Amplified says of the oppressed, “…(who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity).”

How many do you know that are oppressed? The present worldwide crises certainly has increased that number. The Lord is a Strategist. He has an army, us, at His command. Paul told the folks in Ephesus to pray without ceasing. Jesus told His disciples why they couldn’t help the young epileptic. Matthew 17:20 says, “…Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” Did you notice the condition? When we pray His words that are hidden in our heart. All our abiding-communion with Him is through His word. He is watching over His word to perform it. It will never return to Him void. When we pray His word, He directs it like a deadly arrow right into the enemy’s bullseye.

Psalm 149:6-9 says, “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetter of iron; to execute on them the written judgment–this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!” We intermingle praise with intercession.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 says this about captives, “…if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” See how opposite this is to what God has called us to do? We glorify Him when we do His will. Of course, satan will use every deceptive temptation to derail us.

The prodigal son is a picture of hope for all prodigals. We can pray this word over them. Luke 15:17-18 says, “But when he came to himself, he said…”I will arise and go to my father…” Let us intercede for those in our lives, our nation, and the world that we see are held captive. Jesus came to set the captives free, and He has called us to do the same.

Intercession is covert ministry. The enemy has no clue of our position. I like to think of intercession as an ambush. We see this picture in Joshua 8:3. Joshua hid 30,000 men behind Ai. The folks in Ai had no clue. At the key moment, through Joshua’s signal, the ambush came out of hiding to set the city on fire. The enemy was defeated.

When we hide God’s word in our heart, it becomes our covert power that the enemy has no way to counter. God’s word will not return to Him void. It will accomplish what He sends it out to do. Therefore when we use His hidden word as our weapon, it will be like a straight arrow that hits its mark.

Luke 4:1 says that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He was hungry. He had a felt need. What did the devil tempt Him with? A way that would fulfill His hunger. The devil told Him to command a stone to become bread. In verse 4 He answered, “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Jesus countered every one of the devil’s temptations with ‘It is written’ which stopped the temptations. 

Jesus gave us an excellent example to incorporate. He used His word as a weapon to end the temptation’s enticement. Every temptation comes with a hidden intent to destroy our faith. An enticement is never seen as a temptation. The trap is set and we fall prey. James 1:14 says, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”

Proverbs 7:21 says, “With her enticing speech she caused him to yield…” Verse 23 says, “Till an arrow struck his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life.” Though this is speaking of a young man void of understanding, lured by a harlot, we can make an application. Proverbs 1:17 says, “Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.”

The devil’s traps are always set and baited to catch us unawares. If we are not daily in God’s word, observing truth and making it our personal application, our faith will be weakened. We become easy prey. 1 Peter 5:8 says that our adversary is seeking whom he can devour. Verse 9 says to resist him, steadfast in our faith. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing God’s word.

That means that we need to keep our heart inclined. Incline means to listen attentively. Psalm 119:36-37 says, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.” 1 Samuel 12:21 says, “And do not turn aside, for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.”

Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” This is where intercession is key. We stand in the gap made by their sin. We can encourage them through God’s word. Their heart though, needs to be opened first through our intercession. As we pray Scripture over them in our prayer, God will intervene. He watches over His word to perform it. 

Never give up. Though we don’t see something happening, remember that our intercession is covet. It is under cover. We may be tempted to be that person’s Holy Spirit. That is a tempting enticement. Yet, we must remember that apart from the Lord we can do nothing. It is the divine work of the Holy Spirit that brings conviction. It is our intercession that fulfills the Lord’s desire for a man to stand in the gap.

Jesus is a wonderful example for us of intercession. Isaiah 53:12 says, “…because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Ezekiel 22:30 helps us understand what intercession is. It says, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”

Let’s go back to Balaam. He was enticed by Balak to curse the children of Israel. When we read the whole narrative, in hindsight, we can wonder at why he didn’t just take God at His word. Take note for your own life. That would have been the end of the enticement. Apparently Balak’s enticement lured Balaam’s hidden flesh to the surface. I say that because of the verses in the New Testament about him.

In my Bible Numbers 25 is entitled: Israel’s Harlotry in Moab. Verse 3 says, “So Israel joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.” The Lord told Moses to hang the offending leaders. Then the Lord sent a plague. In verse 6 one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman and had sex with her in the tabernacle. In verse 7 Phinehas rose up and took a javelin in his hand. Verse 8 says, “And he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through…So the plague was stopped…” Verse 9 says that 24,000 died in the plague.

Psalm 106:30-31 says, “Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness for all generations forevermore.” When we believe, and take God at His word, that is accounted to us as righteousness. Believing and acting on what God has written is faith. As we go through our trials, satan will use enticements to get us to do things in our own strength. 

Intervene, intercept, and intercession are all actions of stepping in on someone’s behalf. Jesus made intercession for us. Phinehas intervened for the children of Israel. God intercepted Saul of Tarsus. Our intercession is believing God’s word, and bringing our requests to Him on behalf of others. We see a gap, we make a wall through intercession.

There are huge gaps in our nation. How can we effectively intercede? We can use Scripture as part of our prayer. That is what Paul did for the churches. Ephesians 1:15-19. Colossians 1:9-19. Philippians 1:3-11. These are just a few examples. We pull principles, promises, and power from His word and add them into our prayer. 

Let’s go back to Balaam. Hopefully we can pick up key understanding to apply to our own lives. We will always be enticed with deception. That is how the enemy of our soul operates. 2 Peter 2:15 says of false teachers, “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Let me slip in Romans 1:18 which says that we suppress truth in unrighteousness.” 

Jude verse 3 was an exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith. Why? There are deceptive enticements set up to destroy our faith. Verse 11 says, “Woe to them! For they have…run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit…” Balaam was not allowed to curse Israel, but he was the one responsible for leading them into sin through his greed.

Proverbs 15:27 says, “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.” One last verse about Balaam. This was an indictment against the church at Pergamos. Revelation 2:14 says, “…those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.” Let us heed the Lord’s warnings, and use them as our tools for effective intercession that will stop this plague.

Wheedle means: coax, persuade, entice, or lure. In Numbers 22 and 23 Balak is a picture of our flesh. He was wheedling when he tried to convince Balaam against what God had said. Our flesh wheedles when we present an argument or our alternatives to the Lord. If we have a ‘but’ when God calls us to do something, that is an example of how our flesh wheedles.

Heart obedience is a joyful response because we want to please the Lord. However satan will cause the lies that he has hidden to prevent our obedience. Let’s go back to Eve and the serpent. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” He asked her what God had said. When she told him, he cast doubt, then contradicted God’s words. Verse 4 says, “…you will not surely die.” All of satan’s lies contradict God. They oppose His way.

When Balaam disobeyed the Lord, He opposed him. He opened his donkey’s mouth. Can you imagine it? Then He used impossible situations to block his fleshly driven ways. When He opened Balaam’s eyes, he understood what had been happening to block him. Who or what has the Lord been using to oppose your fleshly ways? He is very creative. For Balaam He used a talking donkey, narrow places, and walls he couldn’t get around.

The next time you feel frustrated, you might ask: what way am I going that is contrary to Your way? Balaam didn’t know why his way was blocked until the Lord opened his eyes. Ephesians 1:18 was part of Paul’s prayer for the folks in the church in Ephesus. It says, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling…”

Joy is a high watermark of an authentic follower of Jesus. Our heart-joy keeps us sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Acts 16 is a great example for us. Paul and his team sought to go preach the gospel in Asia. Verse 1 says, :…they were forbidden  by the Holy Spirit…” In verse 2 they sought to go into Bithynia. It says, “…but the Spirit did not permit them.” 

I need to visit 1 Thessalonians 5:24 often. It says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” Our flesh always opposes God’s way which is narrow. Our flesh does not like to be hemmed in. It gets frustrated easily when its way is blocked. Yet there is marvelous fruit from God frustrating our way. When we yield, He will cause us to course correct. Acts 16:10 revealed to Paul and his team where the Lord wanted them to go. 

They went to Macedonia. The fruit of that obedience was eternal. We reap the benefits of it through the book of Philippians and Thessalonians. Psalm 37:23-24 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

I want to illustrate the root of frustration through the story of Balaam. When God says, ‘Do not’ and we do, He will block our way. Numbers 22:1-35 is the narrative. The king of the Moabites was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. He sent his men to hire Balaam to curse them. God gave clear instruction when Balaam recounted what the men said. 

Verse 12 says, “…You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Balaam went. Verse 22 says, “Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him…” The donkey saw the Angel. Verse 23 says, “…standing in the way with a drawn sword in His hand…” The donkey turned aside and Balaam struck her.

Verse 24 is a great description of frustration, “…a narrow path…with a wall  on this side and a wall on that side.” Have you ever felt hemmed in when you tried to do something? Verse 26 says that the Angel stood in a narrow place, “…where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.” First the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, then He opened Balaam’s eyes. The Angel asked him why he struck his donkey three times. Verse 32 says, “…Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.”

Years ago the Holy Spirit gave me a working definition for frustration: God intercepting my way to redirect me into His way. When we push through in our flesh, the Lord will block us. Romans 8:8 says, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” What else doesn’t please God? Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

Paul gave definitive clarity to what sin is. Romans 14:23 says, “…for whatever is not from faith is sin.” Certainly, anything that we do in our flesh is absent of faith. Have you ever considered that when God says, ‘Do not’ and we do that there is a hidden lie behind our disobedience? Let’s look at a few examples from  Scripture.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing…” Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life…” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you…” What is the common denominator? Self focus! Every fiery dart lie that we accept penetrates deep into our heart. From that one lie, satan will build an inner fortress of lies that will opaque our view of the Lord.

Every lie is planted to defeat our faith. Faith is believing God’s word and acting upon it. Any resistance to His will will be blocked because our way is perverse. Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” Do we really hate what God hates? Proverbs 3:32 Amplified says, “For the perverse are an abomination (extremely disgusting and detestable) to the Lord; but His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the (uncompromisingly) righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him).”

Do you see satan’s scheme? He will do whatever he can through his lies to break up our communion with the Lord. When we seek our way, we depart from His way. It is only as we yield to the Holy Spirit that we can be led. The rest of Hebrews 11:6 says, “…for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” There is nothing on this earth that is worth blocking our intimate communion with Him.