*KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | MENTALITY OF GRACE | WEDNESDAY 17-05-2023*

 *KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | MENTALITY OF GRACE | WEDNESDAY 17-05-2023*

● When Israel was moving toward the promised Land, Balak the king of MOAB got scared.

● *Numbers 22:3* And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 

● Out of his fear, Balak went to look for Balaam who was a devil worshiper. He went to look for him and ask him something to my opinion that looks strange.

● *Numbers 22:5 KJV* He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

● *Numbers 22:6 KJV* Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

● It is very strange to see an army instead of engaging in physical warfare using physical weapons chooses to engage in spiritual warfare.

*It is strange indeed. Why am I saying that it is strange?*

*Reason 1 | The name of Balak*

● Before then, it is worth noticing first of all that the name "Balak" means "devastator", "empty", or "wasting". 

● There are people who come in your life like Balak-kind-of-individuals. They come to devastate your life. They come to empty your life. They come to waste your life.

Declarations*

In the name of Jesus Christ

- Your life will not be wasted.

- Your life will not be empty.

- Your children's lives and your loved ones will not be wasted. 

● Balak is not only an individual but a spirit. What does he use? He use curses to devastate lives, to empty lives.

● And again, at a spiritual level, a curse is an evil force that devastates destinies. Curse is an evil force that wastes destinies. Curse is an evil force that empties destinies.

● Behind empty destinies, wasted and devastated lives there is the power of curse. 

● If you have not given your life to Christ, receive him as your Lord and Savior of your life and he will deliver you.

● Galatians 3:13 ... Christ was made a curse for us to become  the blessing of the Lord. 

● That is why I declare and I decree over your life that your life will not be wasted in the Name Of Jesus Christ !

● Thank God for Jesus Christ who delivered us from the power of curses by the cross and released on us his blessings.

Reason 2 | Balak the evil spirit

● What was wrong with Balak? What did he see?

a.) He saw the people advancing 

● Numbers 22:1 KJV And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

b.) He saw people of dominion pitching their tents and possessing the land.  

● After they pitched their tents, Balak (the devastator, the emptier, the waster…) started shaking and looking for ways to waste Israel.

● Numbers 22:2 KJV And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

c.) He saw the people conquering. 

- He saw victorious people.

● In Numbers 22:2, I believe that what Balak saw was beyond the physical. If at all what he saw was physical, he could have gathered his army or called his allies to join him and fight.

d.) He saw people multiplying, 

- Fruitful/ growing people

Declarations

● Stagnation is not your portion.

● You will never stagnate again in your life. 

● You are receiving the grace to advance in your life.

● Nomatter the matter, move forward. Nomatter how angry you can be or people can be move forward. 

● Maybe today you are discouraged,  I command you to move forward. 

● You applied maybe for a job,  it didn't go through,  I command you to move forward.  

● What you did yesterday it didn't work, go forward. 

● I declare over you today, yoo will possess lands.

● You will conquer. 

You can be challenged,  you can be going through some adversities but behind the adversities look for opportunities for you to move forward. 

● So, what Balak saw was grace walking. He saw grace working in a people called Israel and what he saw scared him.

JESUS THE EMBODIMENT OF GRACE

● The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the embodiment of grace. Jesus is the grace made flesh.

● May I remind you again today that grace is not a doctrine. Grace is not a system. Grace is not a teaching. Grace is a person.

● Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

● John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

● John 1:16-17 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

THE FOURFOLD MANIFESTATION OF GRACE

1.The Ever-Advancing Grace = unstoppable grace

Num 22:1  And the children of Israel set forward, …

2.The Dominion Grace = possession grace

Num 22:1  … pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. 

3.The Conquering Grace = Undefeatable  grace

Num 22:2  And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 

4.The Growing Grace = The Multiplication Grace

Num 22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many:

APPLICATION TO CHRIST AND LESSONS OF GRACE

Lesson 0 - Grace scares the enemy.

Lesson 1 - Grace is an ever- conquering force. There is no way you can defeat or beat grace. 

The conquests Israel was experiencing were not the product of their swords. No. They were provoked by divine grace.

Psalm 44:3 KJV

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

Application to Jesus

Revelation 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Note 1 | It is scriptural to be challenged, but unscriptural to be defeated. It can be permitted to the devil to challenge/fight you but not to defeat you. 

Jeremiah 1:19  And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. 

Lesson 2 - Grace is an ever- advancing force. It is impossible to stop grace. There is no way you can stop grace.

Every obstacle on the way to the Promise Land was clearing the way before them.

Red sea

River Jordan

Walls Of Jericho

Amorites etc 

Application to Jesus

Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Lesson 3 - Grace carries a multiplication virtue. And the multiplication of grace confers/generates/ engenders dominion and superiority.

Anywhere in the Bible you see the people of Israel multiplying, it was always presented as the result/product of the blessing (grace). And the multiplication has always been seen/felt/regarded as a threat.

Genesis 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 

Genesis 26:12 NET  When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, because the LORD blessed him. 

Genesis 26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: 

Genesis 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. 

Exodus 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. 

Exodus 1:9  And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

Exodus 1:10  Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 

Exodus 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 

Application to Jesus

Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 

The Balaam Perspective

While Balak saw the grace, Balaam from his side saw something else. What did he see?

Perspective 1 | A nation set apart and confidently blessed

Numbers 23:9 (GNT) From the high rocks I can see them; I can watch them from the hills. They are a nation that lives alone; They know they are blessed more than other nations.

Perspective 2 | A nation abiding in beautiful tents spread forth 

Numbers 24:2  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 

(ISV) looked up, and saw Israel encamped in their respective tribal order. Just then, the spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 24:5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

 

Numbers 24:6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. 

So said, Balak saw the grace working. Balaam saw the government of grace. 

Balak saw what the grace was doing in Israel. Balaam saw what was making that grace working.

The Government Of Grace

What was making that grace working? (Order/Organization/Oneness/Obedience)

1.Grace flows where there is order and curse starts with disorder

Order | Everything is in the correct or expected place / disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method.

1 Corinthians 14:33 (Remedy)  for God is not a God of chaos and disorder but of order and peace. All the congregations of God’s people worship in an orderly fashion,

APPLICATION

ORDER IN ENCAMPING

“The Israelites were to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.

Numbers 2:3  And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. 

Numbers 2:10  On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. 

Numbers 2:18  On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

Numbers 2:25  The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 

ORDER IN DEPARTING

First - Judah 

Secondly - Reuben

Thirdly - Levites

Fourthly - Ephraim

Fifthly - Dan

PRACTICAL LESSONS ON GRACE 

Lesson 1 | Praise opens the door to grace (that’s why Judah was to go first)

YADAH is spelled “yod-dalet-hei [ידה] Yod=hand [י] dalet=door [ד] hei=grace [ה]

- Start your day with Praise (That is the reason behind midnight praise)

-  Start spending your money with praise (tithe, offering,…)

- Start your business with praise

Lesson 2 | Grace is made available for the purpose of service/ministering/sharing/channeling/ (that is the meaning of the ox)

Luke 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

Lesson 3| Grace comes from above (that is the meaning of the eagle)

John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

Lesson 4| Grace overlooks your weakness (that is the meaning of the man)

Hebrews 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 

2 Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2.Grace flows where there is organization and curse starts with disorganization.

Organization | Arranged systematically and structurally to fulfil a common purpose/assignment 

Numbers 2:2 KJV Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

APPLICATION

Standard of the tribal leader

Flag of the tribe

Ensign of the father’s house

Four of the tribes, Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan were recognized as tribal leaders. 

Each had its own standard or banner identifying it as a tribal head while the other tribes had ensigns, a lesser type of banner.

Judah (Lion)

Reuben (Man)

Ephraim (Ox)

Dan (Eagle)

Each “father’s house” had an ensign; each tribe had a flag; each group of three tribes had a shared standard.

PRACTICAL LESSONS ON GRACE 

Lesson 1 | There is grace made available for every household/family unit/church. So, locate your household and stay there. 

Joh 6:10  And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 

Joh 6:11  And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 

2 Corinthians 8:1  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 

Lesson 2 | There is grace made available for every minister

Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

 

Luke 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 

Philippians 1:7  Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Write down 

- There is a pastor appointed by God for you 

Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 

- There is a prophet appointed by God for you

Luke 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 

Luke 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 

- There is a place appointed by God for you

2 Samuel 7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 

3.Grace flows where there is oneness and curse stars with disunity

Oneness | The fact or state of being unified or whole, though comprised of two or more parts.

APPLICATION

 

The tabernacle was the common denominator of all the tribes, irrespective of the size, of the strength, or of the name.

THE REFERENCE POINT WAS  THE TABERNACLE, THE PRESENCE OF GOD, NOT THE SIZE  OR THE HEIGHT OR THE NAME OF THE TRIBE.

APPICATION TO GRACE

John 17:22-23 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

Lesson 1 | A view of the camp from the top shows the sign of the cross.

Lesson 2 | The cross redeems us. The cross reconciles us. The cross unites us. The cross joins us. We belong to the same and one family because of the cross.

Ephesians 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 

Ephesians 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 

Ephesians 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 

4-Grace flows where there is obedience and curse starts with disobedience.

Obedient | Complying or willing to comply with an order or request; submissive to authority.

The signals for moving off were relayed by the blowing of silver trumpets. ( Numbers 10)

Numbers 9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 

Numbers 9:22  Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

 

Numbers 9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 

Numbers 10:13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 

CONCLUSION

As long as there was order, organization, oneness and obedience in the camp, the curse of Balaam backfired and never worked.

As long as each remains under the family flag and each tribe under the standard, the real banner of God, Jesus Christ, the curse of Balaam backfired and never worked.

As long as the 12 remains around the tabernacle (the presence of God), the curse of Balaam backfired and never worked.