greetings friends how have you been in The Lord? Believing that you are doing great in the goodness of God; just think on the following theme WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Genesis 32:26 (KJV) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. This verse is taken as most of you know from the story of Jacob as he was wrestling with the angel of The Lord all night long and finally the angel told him to let him go, yet Jacob insisted that he would not let him Go until he blesses him. Friends see the unwavering stand of Jacob to be blessed, unlike most of us, even if the angel said let me go he wouldnt budge, I think he was saying in his heart do you think I will let you go without you disposing heavens blessing on me after all this nights struggle? I think he also thought do you mean all this struggle is for nothing?. He insisted and stood his ground to be blessed of The Lord. Friends: even if YOUR STRUGGLE IN THE LORD IS NOT FOR NOTHING but it needs your determination to make it end with a blessing. Actually as most of you know Jacob was already blessed by God through his father Isaac Genesis 27:30 (KJV) And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, ... Yet to fully release and enjoy that blessing he has to pass through certain processes. Friends we are also blessed by God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Yet we need to understand the processes of releasing and enjoying the fullness of our blessing. As we mentioned above when Jacob demanded to be blessed, the angel asked Jacob a question which is a powerful key to understand the release of his already given blessings Genesis 32:27 (KJV) And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob. THE FULL RELEASE OF YOUR BLESSING IS DETERMINED BY THE ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR NAME Because the quality and quantity of the release of your blessing is designed according to your name. So friend: WHAT IS YOUR NAME? He answered JACOB And the first thing the angel did was to change his name to Israel. And the angel stated the name change is the result of his struggle Genesis 32:28 (KJV) 28 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. FRIENDS BLESSING IS A GIFT BUT CHANGE IS NOT. IT IS A GAIN THROUGH A PAIN of BIBLICAL WRESTLING BEFORE GOD Friends do you want to be just blessed or do you want to be both CHANGED AND BLESSED? AND after the change ... Genesis 32:29 (KJV) ...And he blessed him there. HE BLESSED HIM THERE Thank God his blessing came after his change But what is in a NAME ? that we may experience the same change and a blessing A NAME IS: 1- THE CHARACTER YOU ARE IDENTIFIED BY AND 2- THE VISION YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH Let us discuss these in detail 1- A NAME: THE CHARACTER YOU ARE IDENTIFIED BY Genesis 27:36 (KJV) And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. 1 Samuel 25:25 (KJV) Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, [even] Nabal: for as his name [is], so [is] he; Nabal [is] his name, and folly [is] with him: Friend What is your name ? What is the character that you are identified by? YES IN CHRIST WE ARE BLESSED AND IN CHARACTER WE BECOME A BLESSING AND THIS PLEASES THE BLESSER And what is more important? Just to be blessed or to be blessed and become a blessing? Acts 20:35 (KJV) I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Sometimes people go around Saying that they are blessed in Christ yet exhibit all sorts of carnal character falling short of becoming a blessing both to the body of Christ and the generation. And this is not good. Please work on your character by identifying your divine shape with the study of Gods word and letting the Holy Spirit craft this shape into your life through fellowshipping with him in prayer and also through godly association of friends and mentors in the setting of the local church. This may take a struggle like Jacob but it is worth everything Friend What is your name? With what character people identify you? Are you a blessing to God & people through your character? Please read the following verses carefully Eph 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: If your read carefully the above verses, you see that he has blessed us in Christ that... (That Means :- to the end/ the end factor ) that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: THUS The ultimate goal of his blessing us is that we may be A BLESSING IN AND THROUGH OUR CHARACTER ( holy & blameless in his sight) Do not conduct yourself as if it is only your nature( your being a son) that matters to God but know that it is also your character that matters to God A DIVINE NATURE THAT CANNOT BE EXHIBITED BY A CORRESPONDING GODLY CHARACTER IS JUST A DELUDED SELF IMAGE Friends I pray may your life experience such a drastic daily transformation of character by His Spirit as much as you have experienced a radical regeneration of your nature by the new birth when you received Jesus Christ as your personal savior and lord of your life. The second concept behind a name is 2- A NAME: THE VISION YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH Matthew 1:21 (KJV) ... and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. The name Jesus was given to him not just to identify him as a person but also to identify him with a vision ... Call him Jesus FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SIN the vision of saving people from their sins Friend What is your Name? What is your vision that you are identified with .. both personal and corporate vision? YOUR BLESSING IS FULLY RELEASED BY THE ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR VISION. Friends be clear about your life vision even if it takes a struggle. Habakkuk 2:1 (KJV) I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. Have you identified your vision and have you identified yourself with a corporate vision in a local church. What is your name - what is your vision? Most people give such a low estimate about this concept of vision. Especially the biblical benefit of identifying with a local church corporate vision. Deuteronomy 33:1 (KJV) 1 And this [is] the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. If you study the above scripture carefully we see Mosses blessing the children of Israel according to their tribes Deuteronomy 33:7 (KJV) 7 And this [is the blessing] of Judah: And if we see also in Psalms 133:1 (KJV) 1 [[A Song of degrees of David.]] Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity!3 As the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for evermore. And you can also see in the book of Acts the same pattern of the release of Gods blessing as the saints share life and vision. Acts 2: 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Friend what is your name - the vision that you are identified with? Be clear about it and accurately declare it I pray may all of you be sure of the vision of your life, may God if need be retouch your eyes that you may clearly see and declare your vision in Jesus Name. Love you all in Christ Pastor Abi
Posted on: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:28:39 +0000