12.12.07

So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 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. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. - Numbers 22:21-24 (Read all of chapter 22 for entire context.)

Discerning God’s will for our lives can at times be difficult. It can be especially difficult when we want something that is not God’s will. God’s Word allows us to know much about what to do and not to do in accordance with God’s will. When we are trying to determine God’s will for doing one thing or another we should seek to use the principles revealed about God in His Word and His clearly stated commands. Some things can very quickly be revealed as being against God’s will. If what we want to do involves stealing, sex outside of marriage, abuse of our bodies which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, lying, deceiving, lashing out in anger, evil in any form - then this is not something God would have us to do. Balaam struggled with doing what he wanted instead of what he knew God wanted. I think many of us often have the same kind of struggle in our lives.

Numbers 22 is one of the more interesting passages in the Bible. Where else can you find a talking donkey? “Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” (v. 28) Balaam was a prophet who wanted to make some money out of his prophesying. Balak wanted Balaam to bless Moab and curse Israel. God would have none of that. God did give Balaam permission to go with the men from Moab. Balaam, when he received permission from God, planned in his heart to go and say what he wanted to say. The Angel of the Lord blocks the way and makes it clear to Balaam that he is only to speak what God wants him to say.

There is insight to be found in this passage in regard to God’s will for our lives and spiritual warfare. Sad to say, but sometimes we are so far from where God wants us to be we do not recognize when God says, “No!” God had said “No!” to Balaam but Balaam did not want to hear it. Balaam was blocked and he fought against it. He hit his donkey each time he was blocked to try to go on. To gain Balaam’s attention God finally opened the donkey’s mouth so she could talk. With that, Balaam’s eyes were opened and he could finally see the Angel of the Lord blocking his way.

When our way is blocked repeatedly are we being blocked by the enemy or are we being blocked by the Lord? Are we so determined to obtain what we want that we have left God out of the equation? Sometimes those are tough questions, which will only be answered when we spend time with our Lord in prayer and His Word. Sometimes we need to include fasting as well. Of course, if we decide to continue on there is always the talking donkey!