Neither wicked men nor devils can hinder the work of God , or shut out His presence from His people , if they will , with subdued , contrite hearts , confess and put away their sins , and in faith claim His promises . Every temptation , every opposing influence , whether open or secret , may be successfully resisted , “ not by might , nor by power , but by My Spirit , saith the Lord of hosts .” Zechariah 4:6 .
“ The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous , and His ears are open unto their prayers .... And who is he that will harm you , if ye be followers of that which is good ?” 1 Peter 3:12 , 13 . When Balaam , allured by the promise of rich rewards , practiced enchantments against Israel , and by sacrifices to the Lord sought to invoke a curse upon His people , the Spirit of God forbade the evil which he longed to pronounce , and Balaam was forced to exclaim : “ How shall I curse , whom God hath not cursed ? or how shall I defy , whom the Lord hath not defied ?” “ Let me die the death of the righteous , and let my last end be like his !” When sacrifice had again been offered , the ungodly prophet declared : “ Behold , I have received commandment to bless : and He hath blessed ; and I cannot reverse it . He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob , neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel : the Lord his God is with him , and the shout of a King is among them .” “ Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob , neither is there any divination against Israel : according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel , What hath God wrought !” Yet a third time altars were erected , and again Balaam essayed to secure a curse . But from the unwilling lips of the prophet , the Spirit of God declared the prosperity of His chosen , and rebuked the folly and malice of their foes : “ Blessed is he that blesseth thee , and cursed is he that curseth thee .” Numbers 23:8 , 10 , 20 , 21 , 23 ; 24:9 .
The people of Israel were at this time loyal to God ; and so long as they continued in obedience to His law , no power in earth or hell could prevail against them . But the curse which Balaam had not been permitted to pronounce against
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