What can we learn from Balaam about speaking only "the word God puts" in us? Setting: Balaam Stands before Balak Balak, king of Moab, hires the seer Balaam to curse Israel. Repeatedly, Balaam opens his mouth to speak—but blessing, not cursing, comes out because God overtakes the prophet’s tongue. Key Verses: God Governs the Mouth • Numbers 22:38: “Behold, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say anything at all? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” • Numbers 23:12: “Balaam answered, ‘Must I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?’” • Numbers 24:13: “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD to do good or evil of my own accord. I must say only what the LORD tells me.” Lessons about Speaking Only What God Puts in Us • God’s word is immovable. Human desire, money, or political pressure cannot bend it. • Spiritual gifts do not override moral accountability; Balaam’s prophetic ability did not excuse greed (2 Peter 2:15–16). • Integrity begins in the heart. Balaam’s lips were forced to obey, but his heart cherished compromise—later leading Israel into sin (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14). • Submission to God’s voice brings blessing to others, even when culture demands the opposite. • God can use even reluctant vessels, yet He still judges motives (Jude 11). Practical Guidelines for Our Speech Today • Anchor every message in Scripture; do not add or subtract (Deuteronomy 4:2). • Check motives: ambition, applause, or profit must never shape God’s word. • Speak plainly; let God define success, not popularity (2 Timothy 4:2). • Trust that obedience protects: no curse can stand against those whom God has blessed (Numbers 23:20). • Rely on the Spirit for utterance (Acts 4:31), guarding against the impulse to soften hard truths or embellish comforting ones. Scriptures that Echo the Principle • Jeremiah 1:7: “You must go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I command you.” • Isaiah 55:11: God’s word “will not return to Me empty.” • 1 Peter 4:11: “If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the oracles of God.” • Proverbs 30:5–6: Every word of God is flawless; adding to it invites reproof. Closing Thoughts Balaam shows both the power and the peril of possessing God’s message: power, because truth prevails; peril, because a double-minded heart ruins the messenger. The call remains unchanged—open the mouth only for the words the Lord supplies, and let Him handle the outcome. |
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