Song – Jesus the Son of God; I believe in You, I believe in You
Prayer – Father, more than ever before, please demonstrate to me and to the whole world that You are my God.
Today’s message is a word of re-assurance for somebody. God asked me to tell you that He is not a man and so He cannot lie. There is/are promises that you were sure that it was God that gave them to you at a point in time, but you are not sure anymore.
God asks me to tell you that He did not lie, and He couldn’t lie. That He meant what He said. That it shall come to pass.
Numbers 23:19 – God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
This was a prophetic statement Balaam said to Balaak when Balaak became perplexed that Balaam kept blessing the children of Israel rather than cursing them as he was invited to do.
The first answer that God made to Balaam regarding his request, never changed. Though Balaam was thinking that God might change His mind. He never did.
– Someone here, you are operating under a particular curse. In the name of Jesus, that curse is hereby broken.
Numbers 22:12 – And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
None of the efforts of Balaak and that of Balaam was able to change the fact that Israel is blessed and cannot be cursed: three attempts to curse Israel; three locations to curse them from, nothing worked!
– Every plan of the enemy to thwart the plan of God for your life shall fail in Jesus name.
A similar statement was made by Prophet Samuel to King Saul of Israel.
1 Samuel 15:29 – And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
Saul disobeyed God with the assignment to Amalek. Samuel told him that as he had rejected to carry out the promise of God; God also had been rejected by him as the king of Israel.
Saul would have thought it was a joke or mere words, who could dethrone him? But Samuel made him to understand that the Strength of Israel cannot lie as He is not a man. Even when Saul conducted a show-off sacrifice, God did not change His mind.
– May God not repent of any of His good promises to you in Jesus name.
May God de-throne every power aiming negatively at your destiny in Jesus name.
What is a lie?
A false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive.
God cannot make a false statement either deliberately or non-deliberately with the intent to deceive. He simply cannot do so.
Why do men lie?
- Not to be punished. (Peter at the arrest of Jesus).
- To get whatever they want. (Jacob)
- To create a false impression of themselves. (Ananias & Saphira)
Why do men repent/change their word/mind?
- They never thought it through in the first instance. Do me a favour…
- They no longer have the ability.
- They are not willing any longer.
- To make a mockery of another fellow.
Why won’t God lie?
- Because of His holiness (Psalm 89:35)
- Because He is ever faithful (Heb. 10:23).
- Because He doesn’t need to be afraid of anyone. All powerful. Jer. 32:17).
- He doesn’t need to manipulate anyone to have His way. All sovereign. (Rom. 9:19-22).
- He doesn’t need to impress anyone. Only wise God. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
- Nothing takes Him by surprise. (Isaiah 46:10)
The word “Yes” is very powerful to the life of man. It is an answer that is highly desired in life. When applying for job or school, when commencing a relationship, when in sickness. We all hope to hear the word “Yes”. However, it is not always so.
Politicians, affianced, Employers, Medical Consultants, Spouses, Parents, Children, Friends, etc., do let us down by not saying Yes, or having said Yes before, they later changed to No.
Such that some people do not bother to believe in God’s promises because they have experienced broken promises from menfolk again and again. But God is not a man, that He should lie.
It is said that there are 7,457 promises of God in the Bible. They are all Yes in Christ. God is, however, looking for people who are expectant of those promises and will say Amen.
The nature of the Father’s promise
- It cannot return to Him void – Isaiah 55:11
- It cannot be broken – John 10:35
- It is very sure – 2 Peter 1:19
- Some promises are conditional – 2 Cor 7:1
- Some are unconditional – Gen. 8:22
- Some are for this life – Lk. 18:28
- Some are for the life to come – John 14:1-2; Titus 1:2.
- We must demonstrate faith in order to receive the promises – Mt. 17:20
- Patience is needed on our part to receive these promises – Heb. 10:36.
People who said Amen to the Father’s promise
- Abraham – Gen. 12:1-3; 21:1-3.
- Moses – Ex. 4:20.
- Joshua – Joshua 1: 1-2.
- Gideon – Judges 6: 11-14.
- Jeremiah – Jer. 1: 4-10.
- Paul & Barnabas – Acts 13: 1-3.
People who said No to the Father’s promise
- The 10 spies and the congregation of Israel – Num. 14:1-4
- The sons of Eli – I Sam. 2:12
‘Yes’ is a Greek word and ‘Amen’ is a Hebrew word. Which means God’s promises are for anyone who believes. Jews or Gentiles alike.
Paul the apostle had to draw the ears of the Corinthians church not to treat God as a man and by so doing lose out on the promises of God for them.
2 Corinthians 1:15-20 – And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea. When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Paul was scheduled to pay a visit to the brethren in Corinth, but something happened that he could not embark on that trip. He later gathered that the people were not happy, and were contemplating that he was not a serious-minded person, or he was someone who does not keep promises.
So that the people will not begin to suspect the gospel message and eventually be sceptical about Jesus Christ as a Saviour; Paul had to write them a letter to say that he is not that kind of a person. That as a man, it is possible that one may want to do something and later couldn’t, due to unforeseen circumstance. But God is not like that, as He is not a man.
He said the promises of God, once spoken as Yes, it cannot change to No. It will be Yes permanently.
What has/have God promised you? He is not a man. He cannot lie. If you believe Him and walk upright before Him, it shall come to pass.
Prayers
Father, remove every doubt and unbelief regarding Your promises from me.
Father, increase my faith.
Father, help me to believe You.
Father, let the blood of Jesus deal with anything that might want to jeopardise Your promises upon my life.
The sermon, God Is Not A Man That He Should Lie, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye, was delivered on April 15, 2018.