Stewarding the Anointing, A Gift to God's People

Coffee With God: February 9th, 2023 | Numbers 23:8

“How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?”

The story of Balaam the son of Beor (Numbers 22-25) is fascinating. Here is a man who knew God intimately. Not only could he speak with God and hear clearly what the Lord was saying, but he also lived under the constraining power of the Holy Spirit. When asked to curse the Israelites, he refused, “how can I curse whom God has not cursed?” He was not a man free to prophecy whatever he thought sounded good. He could only say what God said.

And yet, something was off. Despite being intimate with God, Balaam’s life ended awfully. While he refused to prophesy falsely against the people of Israel, he still couldn’t help but lend bad advice to the people of Moab to trick the Israelites (Numbers 31:16). Balaam desired to die a righteous man (Numbers 23:10), but he did not take care to live an upright life.

The anointing of God is given to individuals as a gift to the people of God. It is never meant to put people on a pedestal. Learning to steward the anointing is something that many honest men and women of God have failed to do. God’s gifts are never meant to act as a replacement for him. He is the one we treasure, live for, and love. He is the one who satisfies our weary hearts. He is the greatest gift of all.