Daily Manna

Key Verse

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” (Genesis 32:24).

TEXT — Genesis 32:21-32

Message

It was Smith Wigglesworth who said: “Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials”.
From our text, the gloom, horror, and disaster that loomed over Jacob and his household finally brought him to the place of prayers. He was as desperate as he was importunate.

During the period this famous prayer lasted, an angel of God wrestled with Jacob. The angel said, “Let me go, for the day breaketh”. Jacob then requested and got a blessing before the angel left. From further details provided in Hosea 12:3,4, Jacob did not win the contest through any physical power or strength he possessed; rather, it was his plea for mercy and divine grace that saved him during that historic moment.

Although Jacob was said to have prevailed and to have power with God and with men, it all came through the mercy of God. Esau eventually arrived with his 400 armed men, but Jacob’s prayers had pacified him. The two brothers fell on each other’s neck in a period of emotional reunion after about 20 years of separation.

We can truly change our destinies through the exercise of faith in prayers. Indeed, he who fails to pray in faith inadvertently prepares to become prey. No battle can consume a praying and trusting Christian because God is ever near to deliver His children who call upon Him in times of danger.

We learn from Jacob’s experience that no matter how we try, we cannot avoid unpleasant challenges as we pass through this planet Earth. These challenges can be devastating or even life-threatening. However, we must be confident in the place of prayer when danger looms. It is better we pray ahead of trials than engage in firefighting.

Thought for the day

Faith and prayer are two wings that bear us to heights beyond human reach.

• Bible
• in one year
• ROMANS 10 – 12