14/04/2022 - HE STRUGGLED WITH GOD

• 
• 
• 
• 

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength, he struggled with God.  Hosea 12.3

The devil always tried to sabotage the plan of the Most High, but he never succeeded. He fought so that Jesus would not be born, leading Herod to decree the death of every child in Bethlehem from two years old and under: Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men (Matthew 2:16).

Satan kept the Word he heard from the Lord very well, that He would put enmity between the woman and him; the serpent would bruise the heel of the Seed of the woman, and the same Seed – the Son of man – would crush the head of the snake (Genesis 3:15). That is why the devil sought to destroy the Savior when He was still a child. The tempter does not want the divine promises to be fulfilled, but not even the wicked will escape God: And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

What happened at the birth of the twins Esau and Jacob proves that there are powers greater than us fighting to control mankind (Genesis 25:21-26). God wants to give us the blessing, and the devil tries to imprison us, but victory is certain, because Jesus, in His death, dethroned the accuser and set us free. Now, we just have to wait for the return of the Son of God with great glory. He will come to take us out of this world. Hallelujah! 

Jacob was ready to be born, but Esau pulled him back and came out first. Now, the fact that Jacob had his hand clutching his brother’s heel meant that he would one day supplant him, and that indeed occurred. During the gestation, God endowed Jacob with the tremendous ability to hold and not let go of his brother’s foot. Jacob means supplanter. We also come with an ability that is beyond our understanding (Psalms 144:1). God did this so that we would be His good servants.

The man of sin will also come empowered by the devil, but this will be to no avail. After all, Jesus has received all power in Heaven and on Earth, and will execute the Father´s will: The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9). The lawless one will do “wonders”, but using the power of darkness, and this will in no way change what the Creator has determined; rather, such “acts” will provoke Him.

The Most High appeared to Jacob in Luz, when he was going toward Haran, his mother’s land, to flee from his brother, who had sworn to kill him one day. In his dreams, Jacob heard the Lord tell him: Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you” (Genesis 28:15). Jacob fought with God because of this promise (Genesis 32:22-32)!

What you have heard from God will be fully fulfilled, if you also fight with the Lord. Those who hold on to the promise and do not let go of it will undoubtedly get what they have been told. But we know that the Father does not hear us when we are in sin or acting outside the Scriptures (Isaiah 59:1,2). The Most High delights in blessing us. Believe and fight with Him!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares