Prayer

The whole reason I created this blog was to learn more about God and to allow Him to transform my life; the first, I blelieve most important, area in my life that desperately needs transformation is prayer. I do not come to God in prayer nearly as often as I should. Sometimes, when an unexpected and negative circumstance erupts, I immediately lean on my own understanding. I try to conquer the situation on my own. This is impossible! It's not until after everything has passed that I realize I didn't consult the LORD, never once asked for His help and guidance. This next study is titled "Struggling in Prayer", and the verses to read and consider are Genesis 32:1-32. In this passage, a "man" wrestles with Jacob. This encounter left Jacob's hip out of joint. The phrase "for I have seen God face to face" leads me to believe that the man who wrestled with Jacob was indeed the preincarnate Christ. Believing this, "God allowed Himself to be overcome" (Nelson King James Study Bible, p.68). Before this encounter, Jacob was afraid for his future and his family's. He was about to meet his brother Esau whose birthright he had stolen many years prior by deceiving his father. During the struggle, God asked Jacob what his name was, and Jacob told Him; this answer is what Omartian calls a confession because the name Jacob means "supplanter" or "usurper", to illegally seize or hold the power or rights of another. This confession led God to bless Jacob and offer him a new name, Israel, which means Prince of God. The limp that Jacob possessed after the encounter was a lifetime reminder of Jacob's struggle, a struggle that deepened his dependence on the one true God. Omartian says, "Don't be afraid to struggle in prayer, knowing that God will use any measures necessary in order to carry out His plans for your life. Like Jacob, hang on and don't give up until you get the blessing that will change you forever."