Today’s Bible Verse
…because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank.
Genesis 32:32b
Blessings When Muscles Shrink
Jacob just got done wrestling with God and walked away with his blessing, but his walk was forever changed. This encounter marked him forever. Jacob’s blessing came because of his perseverance. He finally surrendered to God and didn’t rely on his own strength. If we are to get the blessing of God and have our lives forever marked, we cannot rely on our own strength, the arm of the flesh, but we must learn how to surrender and persevere. In other words, our muscle needs to shrink.
Gen 32:25 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.
The thigh is the pillar of a man’s strength, and its joint with the hip is the seat of physical force for the wrestler. Let the thigh bone be thrown out of joint, and the man is utterly disabled. Jacob now finds that this mysterious wrestler has wrestled from him all his might, with one touch, and he can no longer stand alone.
Without any support from himself, he hangs on to the Lord relentlessly and won’t let go. In that condition, he learns by experience the practice of total reliance on one mightier than himself. This is the turning point for Jacob, and he now feels strong, not in himself, but in the Lord, and in the power of His might. He starts walking with a limp, a sign that muscles have shrunk.
We can rely so much on our own strength when we approach God that we never get His blessing. Brokenness is what Jacob went through, and it forever marked his life. Jacob was so used to doing life on his own terms to get whatever he wanted. In fact, Jacob’s name means supplanter, liar, schemer, deceiver, trickster, and manipulator. The root cause of people practicing deceit to achieve their desired end demonstrates a reliance on self instead of on God. This is what marked Jacob’s life up to this point. Everything he had was all a result of his own strength and scheming. Then he encounters God, and his life forever changes.
The place of the encounter is called Peniel, the face of God. When we encounter God face to face, we see Him for who He is and see ourselves for who we are. When we surrender, He does the amazing. Jacob’s name is changed from supplanter and deceiver to Israel, the prince of God. Most of all, he receives the blessing which changes the course of his life and gives him favor everywhere he goes and gives him favor with his brother, Esau. This is all because his muscle shrank. (Pastor Fika Esau)
Seize the Moment
Sometimes we are so talented that we struggle to totally rely on God. We tend to operate in our own strength and not give room for the spirit to move. It’s like saying, “God, I know you are awesome, but I know better.”
Set Your Life
If we are to walk in the blessing, we must decrease so God can increase. Have your strength (muscle) shrink, so you can rely on God. In what ways have you been trusting in yourself over God?
Today’s Declaration
I am not a schemer, a deceiver who practices deceit to achieve my goals; I trust in God. I seize the LIFE of God by having my heart open to encounter God, daily. Bless me Lord and enlarge my territory. I do not rely on the arm of my strength (muscle), but I trust and rely on you always. Mark my life forever, Lord, with your blessing and favor. AMEN!
Today’s Bible Reading
- Old Testament: Numbers 31-32; Psalms 60
- New Testament: Matthew 25:14-30; Romans 8:18-39
