Dear Believer, I believe that 2016 will be a tremendous year of breakthrough, increase and blessing. As I write this blog, I am quite aware of the Stock Market, the economists, and what the world system says to expect this year. But the economy is not my God. Wall Street does not negate all that God says about me. And, I will not bow my knee to fear concerning money. The enemy uses fear to control and manipulate God's children, and if you have listened carefully to many people you hear FEAR in their voices. However, I believe God is divinely positioning believers for breakthrough. Are you ready for the download about this revelation? I just know you are! Keep reading!
Jacob and the Download
I just wrote an article for Elijah List (you may wish to look for it soon) concerning the Word of the Lord for 2016. The article is entitled "From Wrestling to Blessing.") For the sake of this blog I will not go into full detail concerning all that Jacob witnessed before, during and after he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord ( or God in man form). What I want you to understand is that God told him to "go back" to his homeland. Jacob was extremely fearful of Esau- in fact he feared for his life. One night he took his wives, grandchildren, servants and livestock and left them on the other side of the stream known as Jabbok which was a tributary of the Jordan River. Interestingly the Hebrew word Jabbok translates as a "pouring forth." He was in the territory known as the "Trans-Jordan" which means "descending" or "flowing down." (Or like a download!) So Jacob was in a territory where , I believe, God wanted to download His glory to him! You see, Jacob had spent years accumulating stuff- wives, livestock, wealth and yet he had now taken them and left them on the other side of the brook! He was left alone with nothing. Yet, God had something He desired to download to Jacob- His glory and His blessing!
Jacob was also in a territory known as Mahanaim which basically means "two camps." (Gen 31:52 NIV) Bottom line (and I encourage you to read this complete article on Elisha List or join our mailing list and we will get it to you) Jacob was between two camps. He was between the camp of faith (believing what God said about him and his future) and the camp of fear. Aren't we also in the same place as Jacob? God has lead us, we have tried desperately to follow. Yet, we come to a place in the road where we are fearful for our stuff...and our lives! Do we trust and believe God or a lie from our enemy?
Jacob Wrestled- and the Glory Came Down!
We know that Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord. But listen, isn't a wrestling match organized by different "weights?" I am not an expert on this but I believe there are light-weight, middle-weight, and heavy-weight competitions. (And even more I understand) Think about this Jacob was definitely a light-weight guy but wrestling with a heavy-weight! Pay attention, this is important. The translation for "glory" involves a "weightiness." So think about it, all during the wrestling match God not only wanted to bless Jacob, He wanted to release a download of His glory to Jacob! He desired to release a mantle of glory to him that would show forth the glory of the lord. Jacob realized that he could no longer achieve the blessing in his own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. God was now Jacob's strength. Jacob would no longer be a deceiver and a taker. Now, he had a download and a flowing down of God's glory so that Jacob could now become someone that would release an outflow! Dear ones, we are being positioned to do the very same- experience the blessings but also become a source of the outflow of God's goodness and His glory! We just have to be determined like Jacob- to hang on, endure, and press through until we fully receive our blessing! No, we can't quit, throw in the towel, and give up! We must wrestle with our circumstances until we overcome! And we will!
I know you've been like me. We have all wrestled with our past, our past fears and our past failures. But God has brought us each to this place where He wants to release a blessing. We must choose to trust HIM and not man or the economy. We are between two camps- will you choose God and His Word? If you will, then the download is on its way!
Aren't you excited about this year?
I surely am!