Genesis 32:22-30 (AMP)
22But he rose up that [same] night and took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons and passed over the ford [of the] Jabbok. 23And he took them and sent them across the brook; also he sent over all that he had. 24And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25And when [the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. 26Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.27 [The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! 28And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. 29Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there. 30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away
Jacob was rich but not happy. This was because of the way he made his wealth. He was a con man. His life was filled with sorrow and turbulence. He knew there was something wrong in his life. A point came when he became dissatisfied with the way things were going with his life. He took his case to God in prayer. He cried to God alone asking for deliverance. As usual God responded in might and power and delivered him.Let us look in detail at the method Jacob employed.
Knowing that he has a problem or that he was the problem.
· Jacob recognized that he had a problem. He realized that the blaming game does not always work. Passing the buck and looking for a scapegoat for his mistakes and errors in life was not gonna work any longer. It was a time to tell himself the truth. He realized he was living a false life. A life of cheating and duping other people.
Key: take time to ask the Spirit of God to reveal the areas of your life that have become strongholds for satan.
Asking to be left alone for introspection.
· Jacob needed to soberly reflect on what was going on in his life so he asked to be left alone. He needed a serene and tranquil atmosphere because he wanted to talk to God alone. He knew it was only divine intervention that could bring order and stability back to his life so he needed a quiet moment with His Creator, God. Note, he did not ask any members of his family to join him. In reality there would have been nothing wrong if he had requested them to be around. But he chose to be alone because he wanted to examine and take a critical look at his life.
Key: take a quality decision to separate yourself in your prayer closet and sincerely seek the face of God. Remember your prayer closet is no necessarily a room in your house. It is more of a time that you create during your day when you know you will be free from interruptions and other responsibilities [early morning when everyone is asleep or late at night for instance].
Deliverance Prayer.
· He went into prayer. It was an intense and prevailing prayer often called Jacob’s night. He prayed the whole night crying and calling on His God to do something new in his life. He was calling on God to effect a change, a permanent change in his life. He wrestled with the Angel of God sent to assist him in prayer. He refused to let the angel to go unless deliverance took place in his life. Perseverance and persistence was his article of faith that night. He prayed till the Angel touched the hollow of his thigh and shifted it out of joint to stop him.
Key: tell yourself there is no “Plan B”. So apply yourself to the task of prayer no matter what your flesh tells you, press in, pray until something happens.
Result.
· He was blessed and delivered. Real blessing was granted to him by God. Perfect and permanent deliverance conducted by the Most High. For the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel, from con man, a trickster to a prince, who has power with God and men, and prevailed. This was a grand deliverance. Jacob became a prince and a prevailer because he travailed and wrestled with Angel of God in prayer.
Key: Prayer is the key to deliverance there is no other way. Secondly God will unravel the mystery of your problem. But you must prevail in prayer!
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