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Prevailing Princes (and princesses) With God
And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. 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?”
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.
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
(Gen 32:22-30 NKJV)
Genesis 32 is a chapter God will often bring me to as I spend time in His word each day. I don't mind if God takes me to the same chapter often — I am often surprised at how God speaks anew from a text I have read a hundred times over.
For me, and I'm sure many others, the key verse in this passage is Genesis 32:28: 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.'
In the NJKV notes, it provides this commentary on the word Israel, 'lit. Prince with God.' Ever since I first saw this, and the context in which this label exists, I have always felt it so profound to the nature of relationship that it describes — between Jacob (Israel) and God, and by extension us.
Some context for the story: Abraham had heard God promise him the land of Canaan as an inheritance for his descendants. He did not even want Isaac to leave that land to find a wife, lest he be tempted to call another land home. Yet, Jacob had fled from Canaan and found a wife at the same place…. Padan Aram (in some verses called Haran or Nahor).
It was a place of asylum for him as he escaped Esau after taking the birthright a few chapters before. This place was significant for their family. While Abraham (Abram) had spent much of his life in Ur, Padan Aram was the place from which God called him. It was the place he sent his servant to find Rachel, a wife for Isaac. It was now the place to which Jacob had fled, to the family that Abram had left there when he departed to follow God.
God called Jacob from Padan Aram in a similar way he called Abram, but Jacob knew what threat remained for him in Canaan. Despite being the place that God had called him to as home, his angry brother was nearby and it was not certain to be a place of safety. As soon as his messengers had returned from Esau, they came bearing the news that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men.
Esau was coming for war. He did not bring family or female servants; he did not trouble himself with domestic frivolities — just an army. This was not a welcoming party. Jacob, in this moment, could have run — he could have returned to Laban. Instead, he prayed”
“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you': I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'”
(Gen 32:9-12 NKJV)
Jacob did not run in fear, he stood in the knowing that God had given him a directive and he needed to obey. He had taken a step into obedience, and in this moment it seemed that God was not dealing well with him as He had promised.
He took advantage of the situation to appease his brother — but he also stood before God and reminded Him of all that had been promised and what he had not yet received.
I believe that the wrestling with God was a prophetic act, re-enacting what he had done in prayer earlier that day when he had heard Esau was coming. Like Esau, this man came to him and demanded a fight. Yes, Jacob had taken steps to appease Esau, but let's face it, Esau could have taken these things one way or another. Instead, Jacob went toe to toe with God.
Prince with God is a powerful concept. A prince only receives his authority through the king — he has no authority of his own while the King lives — yet a prince may govern when the king cannot. A prince may not go against a king's decree — however if any person were to stand before the king and offer debate on a policy, I would imagine the prince would have a unique authority.
What Jacob did was to hear the Lord's decree, and see that it was not likely to occur as God had decreed it, so he stood before God to see this injustice made right. Jacob stood before God with boldness, not brashness or arrogance. He did not offer God any command, but standing on his knowledge of who God was, called upon the words of God as truth that was to be manifest.
This is where the image of the wrestle is so powerful. God was present in the altercation through his angel: the angel could have, at any point, touched Jacob's hip and weakened him to end the struggle. Instead, he wanted the wrestle. He wanted Jacob to stay and to put value to the charge God had given him — and by extension understand the importance of his own presence in this situation as the son and heir Abraham and his descendants. The wrestle was not a meaningless exercise, it was the manifestation of Jacob embracing his own position — the value that God had placed upon him — and not allowing it to be diminished or stripped because things came in opposition to him.
Why is this important for us?
'And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.' (Gal 3:29)
As Jacob wrestled with God, and was called 'Israel,' or 'Prince with God,' so were we when we were adopted as sons and daughters of the King. He desires our struggle with Him, because in that place we prove our faith in His goodness — and our confidence to approach Him with our needs and supplications.
The Bible calls us all to stand in our place — in who we are — and, in boldness, partner with Him in the spiritual battle we face. (See Ephesians 6.)
We have armour for a reason. It's not for show.
The Bible also explains that there are many roles in the Body of Christ. Paul describes the 5-fold ministries: Prophets, Apostles, Teachers, Evangelists and Pastors. (Note the capitals.) While these are unique roles that certain people are raised up into, these roles also describe functions that we all may play a part in; as part of the normal Christian life in a more normative way. We all may play the part of a prophet, as we hear God's word and declare it, we all may have an opportunity to teach, to offer pastoral care or share our faith. In the same way, we believe that there are some that are called as Intercessors — some people just have a profound ability to pray with authority — and yet we are all called to pray and intercede. We all have a realm of responsibility, even in our local community and family. In every way, we are Princes (or Princesses) with God, and are called to stand in who we are as gatekeepers and watchers — perceiving what God is calling us to and partnering with Him in the battle; remembering this is a spiritual battle fought not against flesh and blood.
Be blessed
Lana Vawser
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Special Guest Jan Jansen
This book is a cautionary read that delves into the pressures of a high profile minister being driven to the point of exhaustion, and his refusal to be held accountable. It touches on important matters of abuse, addiction, and mental health. It is the honest reveal of a man who, while being highly regarded by many as a prophet of God, a general of the faith, and a conduit to bring the manifestation of God's glory to Earth, was also equally regarded by others as being a false prophet and a charlatan.