Jacob’s Nature was Changed – God’s Dream was Restored

Jacob had a unique encounter with God at Penuel. At Penuel, he wrestled with God and prevailed. At that place, God changed his name to Israel. Penuel or Phanuel means, “the face of God”. God got ahold of Jacob there. His twisted nature was wrestled out of him, so to speak, as he wrestled with God in that place called “the face of God”. The end result was God’s dream was restored. God had finally gotten a hold of the man in the line of the promise and His dream could now continue. 

Now, let’s look back at Jacob at Bethel. He ended up there when running for his life from Esau. He was still a conniver. Bethel means “house of God”. You can come into the house of God and never share His dream. You can be blessed of God and be rich, America, and never really share the Dream. You may be living “the dream”, but it’s not His Dream. You are living your own dream (Jacob). Jacob thought, “God, You said You were going to make me a great nation and give me lands and money. If you do, I’ll let You be my God. I’ll give You 10%, but this is about me!” 20 years later at a place called “the Face of God”, God showed him that it wasn’t just about him. It was about Him. Jacob finally had that life-changing moment as He beheld the face of God.

“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.’ And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.’ And he said, ‘Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?’ And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Penuel; ‘for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’” (Genesis 32:29, 30; KJV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• Intercede for church-attending Christians today. 
• Ask God to give us encounters in our worship services that go beyond just occupying a seat in a sanctuary.
• Press in for life-altering, face-to-face encounters with Him in our services today. 
• Desire to see Him. Desire to wrestle with Him for what is needed in your life, but even more, want what He wants for you, your family and America!

A prayer you can pray:

Father, an encounter with Jesus is life-changing. It should be life-altering. Forgive me for wanting the benefits of relationship with You, but, like Jacob, wanting You to fit in my life my way. We are all so much like Jacob in America. The American Church is so busy trying to look like the world and be successful according to the world’s standards that we have lost Your Presence in Your House! Come and wrestle with us, God! Wrestle the pride and selfishness out of us. Wrestle with us until we see Your beautiful face. Change us. Change our nature and the course of our livees, so we are truly saved and can show You to our  families. We need to show You to a self-centered, lost nation! Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Today’s decree:

We must do more than meet God in His house. We must encounter Him face-to-face.