PREVAILING PRAYER

Genesis 32:24-28

The patriarch Jacob was heavily burdened in the heart and troubled for about 20 years for the threat from his brother Esau. He had cunningly gotten the birthright and was not enjoying the blessing as he aught. 

He might have thought that length of days will calm down Esau but that was not to be. As a master strategist he had perfectly arranged his household to meet his brother who comes to meet him with 400 furious men of war to revenge the swindle of 20 years ago.

Deep down in the mind of Jacob was no peace although he had done a good arrangement to meet his sworn enemy. He understood from walking with God that things are not okay until there is a witness in the spirit that God had things under control already.

For this cause he separated himself from everyone else to pray to the Almighty God at Jabok. He finally decided to do what he ought to have done for years but delayed to this point.

ALONE WITH GOD

It was an all-night wrestling alone with God. Until a man stop trusting in his assets, he shall still lack peace of mind. Until an individual has only God as his hope on earth, such an one cannot prevail in the place of prayer yet. A single minded man is awesome in the place of prayer and such will surely prevail in prayer.

Jacob was left alone with God, removing his trust completely from wives, money, children, cattle, servants and other assets of his including his human skill and wisdom.

When a man who trusted God alone prays it is prayer that cannot be denied.

APPEALING TO GOD

The agony of Jacob at Jabok is understandable since he has no alternative but God alone as his help.  Truly his help solely comes from the LORD which makes the heaven and the earth.

It was the greatest war ever fought by Jacob until this point in his life. He wrestled with God and ruses to stop the fight until he receives the approval of God and the confirmation from Him as a green light that all is now well.

Father Jacob had it rough and tough that night, it was a night to be much remembered. His thigh hollow was dislocated by the Angel but Jacob was not the kind that can be stopped by this. Only one thing can stop this fight and that is the blessing. He had not yet receive the blessing from God’s mouth although he had received it from his earthly father. His hearth had lacked the true witness of the Spirit for 20 years and it is now time this lack of peace must stop.

Oh what groaning and holy travailing which the mouth cannot utter. It was more than the pangs of a woman in child labor and this is as a result of absolute trust of faith in the Lord God alone.

 APPROVED BY GOD

As the day breaks, the heavenly being begin to feel uneasy with the way things are going on and began to ask for a release from the wrestle. He sad let me go for the day breaks, but Father Jacob said ‘I will not let thee go unless thou bless me’

Even after the hollow of his thigh was touched and disjointed, he will not let him go until he got the blessing from God.

The asked for his name and announced to him his new name-Israel. All thing were made new from thenceforth in the life of Jacob for he now live the life of the certain and not as one that beat the air.

His walk is now sure and his life’s direction is now clear. He went on to meet his sworn enemy with unearthly confidence and was not disappointed neither was he put to shame.

CONCLUSION

When there is any issue at hand in your life, never take a step further until you have the approval of God on the matter. Tarry in the place of prayer until you receive the approval from on high. Until you receive the witness of the Spirit of God in you heart, do not make thy war.

Pray until there is a deep-seated peace of divine approval within thy bosom and then and only then shall thou embark on the journey before thee and shall not be ashamed for thou shall surely succeed under the full control of God. From this point of God’s approval, you are no more in charge but God is in full control of every detail of this matter.

Now you can labor on and toil with holy inner rest that all shall be well. If thou obey all the above Godly counsel, thou shall never fail, thou shall never fall and thou shall never falter. AMEN