I heard a teaching the other day about Jacob and it stirred me in my Spirit.  Jacob's name means trickster, deceiver, and in one translation, grabber.  One of his notorious acts of trickery is when he stole his brother's birthright.  He also deceived his uncle Laban.  In return for  20 years of service, Jacob tricked Laban into giving him his desired choice of wages-speckled and spotted sheep and goats.  (Genesis 30:25-43)  But despite all of this, God was with Jacob and promised that through Jacob would come not only a great nation, but a whole company of nations.

The day came when Jacob was in the middle of a rock and a hard place.  With his brother in front of him and Laban behind him he at the end of himself.  He lay down to sleep by the river and there he encountered a face to face struggle with God.  This wrestling  match went on all night.  Jacob would not turn loose of God until he got blessed.  God changed his name to Israel.  That was a big deal!  It would determine Jacob's whole identity moving forward.  The wrestling match represents how you and I struggle with our inner self and all of our junk.  When God touched Jacob's hip it changed his walk.  I know that some teach that he limped, maybe he did, but after that encounter Jacob was not longer associated as a trickster.  He was a new creation.  He was filled with God's blessings and a divine purpose to establish the Israelite nation!

As you and I come to Jesus face to face and we give it up!  Surrender and lay it all down He changes our name. We are no longer a sinner, we are Saved and our whole identity changes.  We walk different, we talk different, and we live different.

I speak Hope to you today!  No matter your past God has a plan and a purpose.  Let Him touch you today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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