Obedience - Denying Oneself
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share two visions that the Lord gave me recently. These visions speak of obedience to do the Lord’s will.
The Vision
The Manicure Scissors
I saw a hand picking up a pair of manicure scissors. The thumb and middle finger were placed through a single hole in the handle, so that the tips were pointing downward. This is an awkward hand position, not in a ready position to cut. The blades were curved towards the tips, so as to be able to cut a nail close to the skin.
The Lord has recently brought to my attention the need to separate from an unbeliever who has become a close friend. I received a vision long ago of two donkeys, one white and one black. They stood one behind the other so that their legs alternated in color: black, white, black white, black white, black white. I researched the behavior of donkeys and found that they form very close bonds. They stay close beside each other all day long; they eat together; and they sleep with their heads on each other’s backs. This scripture came to mind:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Separating from a friend is not easy, but I have a Jewish friend, who I have witnessed to for over 20 years, and have gotten nowhere. The Lord gave me two visions and a dream, this past week, calling me to separate from her. Having close friendships with unbelievers can affect our walk with God, and cause us to compromise our faith. This vision about the manicure scissors, is a confirmation and a warning to cut all ties, and cut them close, so as not to leave an open door to re-establish the relationship —prematurely.
So, I met with her yesterday, bringing with me a New Testament, a Bible and two documents. The first was entitled 351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ, and the second document was Isaiah 53, a very clear prophecy of the Messiah written 700 years before Jesus came in the flesh.
I was not sure how things might go, since she lost her husband a year ago and is still adjusting to being alone. Unfortunately, with all my efforts, he died without knowing the Lord. She asked me if this was a determining factor in continuing our relationship. She said, “If it is, then I will not be happy with God, for he knows what I need right now.”
I told her that the Lord knows all things, that he promised that he would be a husband to the one who has no husband, and that he would never leave her nor forsake her.
She told me that she was not going to read anything, and that she was not going to convert. It seemed as if she wanted to change the subject and just have a conversation as usual. But I kept bringing the topic back to the Lord. I shared with her the two documents and tried to encourage her to read either the Bible or start with the New Testament, but she showed no interest. I told her that what is important is where we will spend eternity. She told me that her desire is to be with her family and friends, not particularly with God.
When I got up to leave, she asked, “Why do you have to leave?”
I told her that I had made plans to call and pray with a friend. Suddenly, she took that as an opportunity to change the subject, even though I was now at the door ready to leave. She walked me down the hall, and then I made the error. I said, “We’ll talk later.” She repeated it: “Yes, we’ll talk later.”
The Lord warned me to cut the relationship off, and to cut it short, making no room for me to leave the door open. Now I must be firm. If she calls me I must make it clear that I have stepped away because she and I do not share the same faith.
Of course I will continue to pray for her, and believe that she will come to know the Lord.
Years ago, when I was in a similar situation with an Indonesian friend. I went to a pastor to get counsel on what to do with her, for she came to church not to be with God, but to be with me. He told me that I had become an obstacle to her coming to the Lord and had suggested that I should share with her the name of ministries in the church that could help her. He also suggested giving her books or reading materials that would direct her focus to the Lord.
The Lord told me that He needed to increase and I needed to decrease.
During the two and a half years of not seeing my Indonesian friend, I discovered that she reconciled with God and was born again and filled with the Spirit. Today she has since gone on to be with him in heaven for all eternity. Hallelujah! God’s ways are always best!
I am hoping that my Jewish friend will recognize that the Lord is her Messiah. I know that the Lord is leading me to step away, and I want to be obedient to his will.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
The Horse and the Bird
In this vision, I saw the head of a horse. Then I saw a small bird fly and land on a platform where the jaw of the horse would have been. There was a double sliding door on the platform leading to the inside of the head of the horse. The door opened by sliding to the left. And the small bird hopped inside. Then the door closed.
The horse reminded me of the Trojan horse that was given as a gift to Troy, and brought into the city. But inside the horse, there was an army of Greek soldiers who were ready to come out at night and attack the city. The horse was a military device, a scheme that was effective.
The vision of the horse head also reminded me of another story, a story in the Bible of a donkey that was made to talk. It was an Old Testament historical event that took place while Moses was overseeing God’s people in the wilderness.
The Israelites were successful in their military conquests in defeating city after city. Their reputation had caused fear in the hearts of the various people groups around them. The king of Moab, Balak, was afraid that he and his people would be slaughtered as the neighboring nations had been, so he sought out Balaam who was a prophet of God Most High, Yahweh. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites, in order to defeat them. Balaam was not an Israelite himself, but he was a prophet of God. Balak sent his group of elders along with “the fee for divination,” to Balaam, for the king knew that the man of God carried significant authority.
“Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” Numbers 22:5-6
Balaam was not aware that the Israelites were the people of God and that the Lord had no intention of having them cursed. When Balaam called upon God to find out what he was to do with regards to the people that Balak wanted to curse, the Lord told him clearly what he was to do.
God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” Numbers 22:12-13
But Balak sent more of Moab’s princes to ask him to curse the Israelites. But this time, Balaam made a great mistake:
Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’” But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. Numbers 22:15-21
What was his mistake? Balaam should have turned the men away and stood with God’s initial instructions, to not go with them. God had already decided that the Israelites were to be blessed, not cursed. But because Balaam felt honored and important that these princes came to him to “entreat” the Lord, that he was willing to seek God again on their behalf. No doubt that the promise Balak had made to honor Balaam and to give him whatever he asked for was certainly an enticing proposition, so he decided to go with them.
Now this is where the donkey comes into the story.
But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again. Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” Numbers 22:22-33
Balaam, should have realized that if God was angry enough to kill him, then he should have told the angel “I will not go with Balak or his men, but I will turn around right now and go home.” However those were not his words. He still wanted to “play the grey,” to stay in the game to see what may benefit him.
Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak. Numbers 22:34-35
In the vision of the horse and the small bird, I believe that the horse could represent a believer who wants to be used by God, as a prophet. I have a few friends and people that I am around who consider themselves to have a gift of prophecy. The small bird could represent the Holy Spirit who speaks through us, as he indwells the believer. Believers that are gifted teachers, evangelists and prophets can become prideful and start to walk on their own, apart from being fully submitted to God and his will. This is a dangerous place to be, for it did not go well for Balaam.
On three separate occasions, and at three different locations, Balaam had Balak offer a bull and a ram to the Lord, while he sought God on behalf of Balak. But every time Balaam opened his mouth to speak, he blessed Israel, all to the dismay of Balak.
“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” Numbers 24:10-11
And in Balaam’s defense he says to Balak:
“Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Numbers 24:12-14
In Balaam’s final oracle, there is a Messianic prophecy, declaring what would to take place in the latter days, of the Old Covenant age. The Messiah was revealed (circa 30 AD) “as a star coming out of Jacob.” And the kingdom of God would be established at the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God ending the Old Covenant Age and inaugurating the new Covenant age AD 70.
“..a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” Numbers 24:17-19
In addition to this, we are made aware of how Balaam rebelled against God by causing trouble for Israel. He was a prophet of the Lord, but did not have the fear of God. He was willing to create a scheme with the Moabites to turn God away from Israel.
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.
The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”
Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. Numbers 25:1-9
We learn in Numbers 31, that it was Balaam that suggested to the Moabites to use their women to entice the men to sin against the Lord by joining themselves to the Baal of Peor, the God of the Moabites, also referred to as Midianites.
But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle. “Have you spared all the women?” he asked them. “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD. So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man, but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man. Numbers 31:14-18
The story of Balaam is a prime example of an Old Testament prophet going wrong. Peter, Jude and John refer to Balaam in their writings in the New Testament to teach believers that the sinful nature of man must not cause one to compromise their faith and their devotion to God. Peter, warned against false teachers and false prophets within the body of believers.
They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. 2 Peter 2: 1-3
They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 2 Peter 2:13-16
Peter does not mince words. He speaks passionately about the error of false teachers and false prophets and the destruction they cause through deceit.
These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” 2 Peter 2:17-22
Jude also warns of false prophets who follow Balaam’s rebellious ways and who will ultimately with be destroyed.
I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints. For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4
In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire. Jude 1:7
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively. Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Jude 1:10-12
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage. Jude 1:16
In the Book of Revelation, John records the warnings of Jesus to the church at Pergamum, using Balaam as an example.
To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:12-16
Balaam represents a false prophet, for he rebelled against God, more than once. He was greedy for gain, and was willing to oppose God’s will by scheming with Balak to entice the Israelites to commit sexual sin and eating food that was sacrificed to the Baal of Peor.
The horse in the vision represents the donkey whose eyes were open and whose mouth spoke for the Lord. The prophet was rebuked by the Lord for he could see that Balaam was full of himself, puffed up with pride, greedy for gain, and willing to test the Lord by asking the Lord’s will a second time, hoping the outcome would be different. The Lord found that he was not right, and judged him to be perverse.
Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. Numbers 22:32
The small bird was not a dove, but it hopped into the mouth of the horse as if it were entering the office or command center of the horse. The bird I believe represents the mind that is controlled by the sinful nature, and not the mind of Christ which would be the Holy Spirit. Balaam was more apt to follow his sinful nature, and give into his greed and lust for power and influence, than to obey the will of God. He was hoping to use the gift of prophecy for material gain. He was willful and not at all fearful of God. And he died by the sword in the Lord’s plan for vengeance on the Midianites (Moabites).
The Lord said to Moses, “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”
So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them. Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.
They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. Numbers 31:1-8
This was the Lord’s justice, to kill those who caused the Israelites to sin.
For me personally, I see that the Lord is showing me to cut ties with my Jewish friend, who does not want the Lord. As I mentioned before, I left with her a Bible, a New Testament, a document showing the 351 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Christ and Isaiah 53, one of the best Messianic prophecies. We can not partner with people who are not aligned with God and do not have a true faith in the Lord.
So both visions, the Manicure Scissors and the Horse and the Bird are pointing to the same idea of obedience to God and separation from darkness and unbelievers.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. 1 Corinthians 6:14-16
We know that without the Son, no one can have the Father.
You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. 1 John 2:20-23
The Lord does not want us to be like Balaam, where we know God’s will, but we go our own way in spite of it. We can try to justify our position, saying that I have to maintain my friendship, or else he or she might not get saved. But obedience is imperative to be in right standing with God. To do otherwise is rebellion. And rebellion is like witchcraft!
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23
The Lord had told me in the first vision that I shared about the manicure scissors, to cut all ties to my friend and cut it short so as to not leave an opening to return to the relationship prematurely. Prematurely would mean, before she has accepted Christ as her Messiah. Otherwise,I would be like Balaam, knowing God’s will, but going ahead and doing what pleases me instead. These two visions for me are like exclamation points and warnings. DON’T GO THERE!
The donkey spoke to Balaam, because Balaam was not heeding God’s voice. He could have turned around and decided to not go to see Balak, but he didn’t. He was going down the wrong path and it led to his destruction.
Let us take God’s word very seriously, and do what it says, otherwise, we are hypocrites, and liars who claim to love the Lord, but fail to be obedient.
“If you love me, you will obey my commands.” John 14:15
Please Lord, forgive me. Forgive my willful heart and keep me from going astray. Amen!
Thanks for reading. Please share this with others who need to know God’s will for themselves!
