How can we apply Balaam's experience to resist worldly pressures against God's will? The setting: Balaam between God and Balak Numbers 22:11: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now please come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.” The prophet is invited to use his spiritual gift for profit, prestige, and political favor. Balak’s offer embodies every form of worldly pressure: wealth (v. 17), honor (v. 17), repeated persuasion (vv. 15-17). Identifying worldly pressures in our own lives • Money that promises security yet drags us into compromise (1 Timothy 6:9-10). • Recognition that flatters ego but dulls obedience (John 12:42-43). • Persistent invitations that wear down conviction when left unanswered (Proverbs 1:10). First response: seek and believe God’s clear word • Balaam actually inquired of the LORD (v. 12) and received a direct answer: “You are not to go with them…” • Immediate consultation with Scripture and prayer keeps the issue from taking root in imagination. • Psalm 119:11—treasuring God’s word in the heart erects an inner barrier before temptation matures. Recognize the danger of negotiating with God • Balaam’s second consultation (vv. 18-19) was not genuine seeking but an attempt to gain permission. • Numbers 22:32—God calls Balaam’s way “reckless.” • James 1:8 warns of being double-minded. Reopening a closed question erodes resolve. Guarding against repeated temptation Practical safeguards: • Close the door firmly—state convictions aloud, as Balaam initially did (v. 13). • Remove the lure—decline environments or conversations that keep the bait before the eyes (Matthew 5:29-30). • Recruit accountability—believers who reinforce God’s no (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Half-obedience equals disobedience • Balaam went but limited himself to speaking only what God allowed (v. 35). Outward obedience, yet the heart still coveted reward (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11). • The New Testament records him as an example of someone who “loved the wages of wickedness.” Motive matters (Hebrews 4:12). Fear God more than people • Proverbs 29:25—fear of man proves a snare, but trusting the LORD brings safety. • Galatians 1:10—seeking human approval nullifies servant-hood to Christ. Daily strategies to resist pressure • Start each day declaring loyalty: “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10). • Fill the mind with God’s promises rather than potential gains (2 Peter 1:4). • Practice small obediences; victories in lesser tests fortify for larger ones (Luke 16:10). • Cultivate contentment—when God is enough, bribes lose force (Philippians 4:11-13). • Remember the consequence of compromise—Balaam’s counsel eventually led Israel into sin and judgment (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14). Promises that anchor resistance • James 4:7—“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” • 1 Corinthians 10:13—God provides a way of escape with every temptation. • Psalm 84:11—“No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Balaam’s story warns that gifting and knowledge do not immunize against pressure; only unwavering submission does. Hold fast to the Word, close negotiation with temptation, and treasure the greater reward of faithful obedience. |
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