Discouragement in the Way

Based on Numbers 21-23

"And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord , and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."
Numbers 21:2‭-‬4.

One of our biggest obstacles in life is discouragement. From the time of the Israelites until now, we see so many forms of discouragement in our lives and those around us. Even just after the Israelites vowed a vow unto God, discouragement got in their way! They were discouraged BECAUSE of the way they were called to travel. There has been a constant pattern of trust & distrust in God due to discouragement!

If something is hard, are we supposed to be discouraged, or rise to the challenge? We must rise! We shouldn't fall victim to the negativity which comes along with discouragement:

"And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died." Numbers 21:5‭-‬6.

As we have seen in previous chapters, The Lord was not going to continue to accept the murmuring & complaining of the Israelites. They were coming to a place where they knew they were doing wrong, and they had to change their attitude:

"Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people."
Numbers 21:7.

Once again, Moses stood in the way for the people because discouragement got in their way! Sometimes, we get so discouraged by the process to the promise, that we think the process isn't worth it anymore. But that's not true! As our Pastor says, the prize is worth the press! When discouragement was out of the way, The Lord carried the Israelites to more victories against their enemies.

We should not be our own enemies through discouragement! We have enough battles to fight!

Another example of discouragement in the way is with Baalam & Balak. Over the next couple chapters, Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel. Balak asked Balaam to come along with him, and when Balaam agreed, something interesting happened:

"And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee." Numbers 22:28‭-‬29.

God was upset with Balaam because he was going this particular way. God continually put an angel in his path, but the donkey was the only one who saw it! The donkey kept getting distracted, and Balaam beat the donkey for that. Finally, God did something incredible: He opened the donkey's mouth to speak to Balaam!

"Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again." Numbers 22:31‭-‬34.

Balaam's way was perverse, because he didn't know God stood in the way with him! God sees our every move, and we have to look for Him along the way of life.

Sure enough, when Balaam waited on God to tell him when to move & when to speak, he ended up blessing Israel instead of cursing like Balak wanted him to. Balaam beat his donkey, on a beaten path of frustration & discouragement. What we have to remember is that Jesus IS the way, truth & life (John 14:6), and following Him is always the right Way to encouragement rather than discouragement! He will help us in our path if we remember to look out for Him!