God has the final say!

    In Numbers 22-24 we come across the interesting story of the prophet Balaam. He is hired by king Balak of the Moabites to curse the children of Israel. Balak is terrified of the Israelites because he has heard how they have defeated the Amorites. He therefore hires Balaam to come and curse the Israelites in the hopes that he will be able to defeat them and prevent them from destroying him and his people. He had heard, after all, that whoever Balaam blessed was blessed and whoever he cursed was cursed (22:6).
    Initially, Balaam refuses to come when the king sends for him. God does not give him permission to go with the messengers sent to get him. However, when king Balak sends more messengers with the promise of great honour, Balaam suffers a conflict of interest. When he enquires of the Lord a second time, he is allowed to go with them but is only allowed to say what God tells him to say. When he reaches his destination, he is able to do nothing less than bless the children of Israel much to king Balak’s distress.
    There is one verse in particular that catches my attention. Chapter 23:23 says: “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Oh what God has done!’” I was encouraged with this story and in particular with this verse because it is a reminder to me that no matter what comes our way, as children of God, it cannot prevail against us! In this case, even though Balaam was hired to curse the Israelites, he could not. Three times, he could only do what God directed him to do - bless Israel! It tells me that no matter what the enemy tries against us, it cannot and will not prevail against us. Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue which rises against you in judgement you shall condemn.” In short, efforts may be made to destroy you, to sabotage you, but that does not mean that they will succeed against you. 
    After the second blessing, when Balak becomes frustrated with Balaam for not doing as he had asked, Balaam reminds him that he had told him that he could only say what God told him to say (23:26). As a child of God, God will cause even negative efforts to submit to His perfect plan and purpose for your life! The enemy may try to bring you down, but at the end of the day, whatever is tried, God will use it for your good. We may be fearful at times in the face of what comes our way; we may be afraid many times that those negative situations will get the better of us. They may seem bigger than us and even more powerful but they will never be bigger than nor more powerful than the God we serve. God knows how to take big problems and make them small before us; He knows how to make those mountains in our lives like level plains before us. 
    It does not matter what is coming against you - sickness, disease, financial challenges, marital issues, problems on the job - none of these things have the final say in your life, God does. According to Proverbs 16:33, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” The situation is what it is but that does not and cannot determine God’s final decision. And, as His child, that challenge that you are facing is not writing your story - God is. As God’s child, you are in the palm of His hand and He is responsible for every detail of your life - every line, every chapter of your story. Things may not always go the way you want it to go, but everything will certainly work out for your good (Romans 8:28).
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. There is no greater privilege than to serve a God who will cause even your enemies to bless you. God will take care of you. No matter how challenging the situation may seem, it does not have the final say in your life, God does. And you can be confident that whatever the enemy sends to destroy you, God will use it instead to bring about good in your life!

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