“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.” (Gen 32:23-32, NKJV)
Jacob was a very interesting person whom the Lord destined to be a great man both before God and men. His calling and divine destiny was so great according to God’s eternal plan that a great nation – Israel was in his loins, out of whom Christ the redeemer of the world was to come. The Lord God gave great promises to Jacob’s grand father Abraham, and to his father Isaac, finally to Jacob himself, saying, “Blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice (Gen 22:17-18). The same promises were repeated by the Lord to Isaac, Gen 26:1-5, and to Jacob, Gen 28:10-14. “The scripture says, “By the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established” (Deut 19:15, NKJV).
Even though Jacob heard these great promises from the Lord God, he tried to help God by deceiving his father and cheating his brother, (See Gen, 27). That did not help except to put him in great danger. Yet in all these things the will and great mercy of God toward him did not change. What a loving and merciful God!
Today you may be in similar situations as Jacob was long ago. It may not be deceiving or cheating like Jacob did; yet it may be that you are not being true to yourself and to the calling of God in your life, or it may be that you are struggling trying to do things in your own way instead of yielding to God and His Spirit. No matter what it may be, there is hope, there is a new horizon arising for your good from God to you. We know that the Lord has neither pleasure nor dose He endorse unrighteousness, in any way or form, yet He will never give up on those who become entangled or stumbled by it by helping and giving them victory. That is what He did for Jacob. And He will do it for you today because He loves you. The psalmist said speaking of the Lord’s help for him, “He (the Lord) delivered me because He delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19, NKJV). The Lord delights in you dearly therefore He is ready to deliver you, even right now.
The scripture says, “Then Jacob was left alone.” Yes he was alone but not by himself. The Living God was right there with him to change his life and destiny forever. Do not think that you are alone. Yes, you may be alone in physical sense, but not by yourself. The Lord your God is with you as He promised He would be.
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Josh 1:5, NIV)
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; (Isaiah 43:1-3, NKJV). I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20, NKJV). He is right there with you, to help, bless, and change your life destiny for good.
The scripture says as Jacob was left alone, “a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.” That Man was the Lord. That night the old Jacob, the deceiver, the cheater died to self and became Israel. The word Israel means prince with God. Any person who yields his very life and will to God by dying to self and flesh is a prince, prince with God, a well pleasing son and daughter of God.
After the Lord transformed and blessed Jacob; the scripture says, “Jacob crossed over Penuel.” After he crossed over “the sun rose on him” and he kept walking toward Bethel to fulfill his God given destiny. The sun speaks or symbolizes the glory of God. That sun, which is the glory of God that rose on Jacob, is going to shine on you today. As Isaiah 60:1-3 says, “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (NKJV)
There is a new horizon, and new season, a divine season with divine favor and blessings from God is coming upon the body of Christ. Get ready for the Lord to shine His glory upon your life, family, ministries, and businesses with great divine favor. The Lord is about to show His great power and glory to the world through His dear children, the body of Christ; in a way that has never been seen before. You are part of it. Therefore get ready to arise and shine. It is your season to do so.