We read the story in Genesis 32:24-29 where Jacob would not let the angel of the Lord go until he blessed him.
Genesis 32:26-28: “And he (the angel) said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he (Jacob) said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
Israel means “A Prince of God.” What an amazing name. Just think. There would be no Israel if Jacob had not the stickability to wrestle with the angel of the Lord all night long.
How we need men of this caliber of character today. Jacob was a wrestling prayer warrior who would not let go of the angel unto he received the answer he desperately needed. He knew that as he got closer to his homeland, he would have to face his angry brother, Esau (Genesis 27:41, 42).
The angel said: “As a prince hast thou power with God and with men.” One cannot have prevailing power over an army of 400 men that Essau had marching with him unless he first prevailed with God.
Immediately after the blessing “Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him 400 men.” Jacob knew that he would have been killed by his brother because he had stolen his eldest brother’s birthright and blessing. However, he prevailed over the anger of his brother and Esau’s heart melted.
Genesis 33:4 tells us: “And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.” What an amazing miracle, all because of Jacob’s stickability in wrestling prayer.
This incident teaches us that prayer can be a wrestling match. God the Father wanted His servant, Jacob, to prove himself to be a prevailing prince with God first, and secondly to prevail with man.
This was a generational blessing to all his future generations—that if in their time of need they would wrestle with God in earnest prayer they would prevail with God and man. This passage of Scripture has always been a tremendous challenge and blessing to me throughout my life.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell