A Blessing Beyond Possessions

Genesis 32:24-30 NLT:

This left Jacob all alone in the camp,

and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.

When the man saw that he would not win the match,

he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket.

Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

“What is your name?” the man asked.

He replied, “Jacob. “Your name will no longer be Jacob,”

the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel,

because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?”

the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.

Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”),

for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

Here are a few things images the scripture creates for us, especially if we take time to dive into its full context:

• Isolating yourself from all your wealth, separating yourself from your loved ones and retreating to a place where it’s only you and God

• Being humble enough to recognize that the material blessings you’ve received from God through hard work, and the help of others are not the highest level of blessing God has for you

• You have the perfect wife or husband

• You have the business (s); investments and children

• You have the cars and houses - you truly lack nothing on the earth realm. Simply put, God has multiplied you and made you fruitful

To be at such level of material blessings and yet be able to release your pride in those things, put them aside; and enter a place of fasting, prayer and calling unto God to bless you is an act of revelation and humility. It’s an act that shows the necessity for searching after the things which are eternal more than those that are passing. Jacob had plenty in terms of monetary wealth to leave behind for his children so they wouldn’t lack (materially).

However, he was also aware that spiritually he would leave them with a legacy of deceit, tricking others and being tricked by others UNLESS he sought the face of His Maker to correct an error which was in his DNA from the time of conception. It was in His Nature, it’s a blessing he could not work for and man could not sell to him. It was a blessing which could only come from encountering and surrendering to God’s sovereignty in acknowledgment that eternal blessings can only come from Him.

The moment Jacob acquired this heart posture, he positioned himself to meet God and God indeed met him also. Jacob wrestled with God because violence is the path which allows you to wage war in the spiritual realm to receive the things only God can give. Out of Jacob, God birthed Israel (meaning one who wrestles with God). He birthed a fighter that would not only face God for his blessings (that is being able to prevail in prayer to see the blessings of God in your life); but also a fighter that would be able to contend and prevail against the kingdom of darkness. Because, out of Israel came Judah, out of Judah came David, and out of David came Jesus Christ who causes us to triumph and trample on the gates of hell.

We would like to encourage you to fight for a blessing from God that is beyond the treasures of this world because they will decay. On the other hand, heavenly blessings will last eternally to sustain your children and children’s children just as Jacob's (Israel’s) faith is still speaking and his blessings are still following God’s children today.

Prayer:

Abba Father, I thank You for all that You have given me here on earth. But in this moment I pray that You would bless me with an eternal blessing that is beyond material possessions. A blessing that will impact my generation, my children and generations to come. Bless me with a legacy that will glorify You and make Your Name famous through my lineage, even after You call me home. In Jesus Name, I ask and pray, Yes & Amen!

With love,