Summary of the preaching
Sunday, February 26, 2024 – Mrs. Pastor BILLEY.
Numbers 23
19 God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
The book of Numbers is the 4th book of the Bible. It is so called because of the censuses of the Israelites that were taken: one under Moses and another under Joshua.
It tells the story of the Hebrew people’s forty-year sojourn before entering Canaan, the promised land.
These forty years were caused by Israel’s refusal to take a stand for God in that they accepted the voice of the 10 spies who had rejected God’s word. The people rejected the testimony of Joshua and Caleb, who had taken a stand for God.
They were close to Canaan, but the Lord let them go around in circles for those 40 years so that the old generation would not enter, but only a new generation.
Only two people of the older generation were able to enter Canaan: Joshua and Caleb.
The Lord allowed there to be many battles – they overthrew many kingdoms, won many wars.
Along the way, they came to the borders of Moab and settled there.
Their reputation preceded them, and fear filled the surrounding peoples.
So much so that the king of Moab, Balaak – having heard of them, decided to call Balaam a fetishist to curse them.
He sent a delegation to fetch Balaam, because it was said that when Balaam cursed someone, this actually happened.
And Balaam asked that seven altars be built. And so it was.
However, instead of cursing, Balaam blessed.
And it’s at the second sacrifice so a second blessing – he spoke to Balaak declaring in –
Numbers 23.
18 Balaam spoke his oracle and said, “Arise, Balak, listen! Lend me your ear, son of Tsippor!
19 God is not a man to lie, Nor the son of man to repent. What he has said, will he not do? What he has said, will he not do? Here he speaks of fidelity, the power of God.
Why did Balaam, the fetishist, say that? How could even a sorcerer know this to be true?
We can see that a man’s word isn’t worth much.
Sometimes, when a man wants a woman, he’ll say a lot of nice things to seduce her, but when she succumbs and he gets what he wants, he no longer keeps his promises.
Even in the face of a fait accompli, a man caught in the act can continue to deny the facts, to lie.
A human being is capable of taking bribes and changing decisions and laws.
With a friend, you can sign a contract – but when there are problems, difficulties, promises are broken.
In the book of Genesis, the Lord created everything: the sun, the moon, the stars – he fixed everything in its place and the whole organization is identical – nothing changes.
He set the limit for the sea – and the sea respects those limits forever.
Jeremiah 5:22, Will you not fear me, says the LORD, Will you not tremble before me? I gave the sea the sand as its boundary, an eternal limit that it must not cross; its waves are agitated, but they are powerless; they roar, but they do not cross it.
But God is not a man to lie, and he does not deny himself. Everything he says, he does, he achieves.
God is his word. He has exalted his Word above all things. (Psalm 138.2)
He is faithful in everything he says. Even when the Lord has a plan and sends you, if you don’t do, he’ll change the person, but his plan will continue to be carried out. He’s not going to change his plan. God does not deny Himself, He does not lie.
It is to our advantage to seek God, for He does not change.
He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Despite 40 years of rebellion against the Lord – despite the complaints and murmurs of the people of Israel – God kept his promise to Abraham.
Once he’s declared something, he’ll do everything in his power to carry it out. His word is binding. His word is powerful. His word is himself.
If God changed, we’d find it hard to believe in him. He never changes his principles.
While Balak sought to destroy Israel, God fought for them without them even knowing it. Balaam was a sorcerer, but he declared that God does not lie.
Beloved, God is faithful -We must not doubt what he tells us.
** The Lord said this in :
Genesis 22.
17 I will bless you and multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and like the sand on the seashore; and your descendants will possess the gate of their enemies.
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed in your descendants, because you have obeyed my voice.
The Lord wasn’t talking about the big car, house you want… But he is talking about the blessing that is attached to himself.
Indeed, the greatest blessing we can have is to spend eternity with God.
Genesis 22. 18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed in your descendants.
This means that from Abraham’s lineage, one person had to come out.
We can see that since the Old Testament the Lord has fulfilled his promises – even the promise of a messiah.
Nb 24.17
17 I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not close. A star goes forth from Jacob, A scepter rises from Israel. He pierces the flanks of Moab, And slays all the children of Seth.
Who are we talking about?
The messiah, our Lord Jesus. And that promise has been fulfilled.
Luke 4:21
21 Then he began to tell them: Today this word of Scripture, which you have just heard, is fulfilled.
What is this word that has been fulfilled?
He was talking about the scripture that was in the book of Isaiah.
Luke 4. 17 and the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. Having unrolled it, he found the place where it was written:
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
19 To proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
When Christ came to earth, he came to seal God’s promise. And what’s more, and Christ also went to the cross he died – resurrected so that the nations might be blessed.
The whole world, the enemy, can’t dispute that.
God’s word is powerful because it commits God. For God is not a man to lie, nor the son of man to repent.
Through this cross, we have received everything.
There’s nothing more to add, everything has been accomplished for us through the cross.
The cross is perfect.
When a person is in Christ and knows the power of the word he has received. And she prays based on the revelation of this word, so the mountain cannot resist before this person.
Indeed, the moment you rely on the word to pray, the demons can’t dispute that, because they know who supports that word.
That’s why the Lord Jesus said he who hears my word and does it.
It is he who practices who, building, has laid the foundation on the rock.
So I can listen to the word, but if I don’t do anything with it – what’s going to change in my life?
The more you practice the word, the more you strengthen your foundation.
For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the feelings and thoughts of the heart. Hebrews 4.12
If listening only to the word gave the foundation, we’d be at a high level, and even surpass Jesus – because we spend our time listening.
But that’s not the case; someone may listen, but forget, not practice…and then start praying without basing themselves on the word. This makes his prayer ineffective. And will lead to frustration.
Beloved, what we lack is practice. Our words are worthless.
The word must be anchored in us – it’s God’s word that is effective, sharp, powerful…
It’s because we don’t practice God’s word that the church is weak.
In our generation, demons even threaten and/or strike us in our dreams.
Can we imagine demons coming into the apostle Paul’s dream and slapping him or even threatening him?
No, it can’t be. (Acts 19.15-16)
Beloved, we do not use the word as we should.
** Everything that comes from the mouth of God, we must practice.
The word corrects us and also lifts us up – It is a sword, it sustains the world. (Hebrews 1.3)
It’s a double-edged sword. (Hebrews 12:13)
If you sing that Jesus is in you, and demons strike you.
There’s something that’s not understood, that’s not practiced.
When the received word is used, the enemy is powerless.
Listening isn’t enough – practice what you receive.
It is God himself who gives himself through his Word.
When you read the word, and the Lord gives you revelation – you can spend hours on a single verse.
So by relying on just one verse – such as 1 Corinthians 6:20 – you can destroy the whole village of sorcerers who were manipulating you.
Situations and mountains must be smoothed out before us, for we belong to God, we have been redeemed -1 Corinthians 6.20.
And what’s more, we have access to God’s throne Hebrews 4:16.
Beloved, through these two verses fully received in the heart, victory is assured.
God is not a man to lie, nor the son of man to repent.
LET US PRAY →
Lord, your word is my foundation.
I was bought out at a Grand Prix.
Your blood flows through my veins, through my life…
As I stand on your word, my life receives God’s fire.
My life receives joy, strength, peace.
By your blood, I cancel all access to the world of darkness.
I disconnect my life, my family, my health, my work, my church…
I am blessed.
I’m protected.
I’m cured.
I am delivered.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.