The Violent Take It By Force!

Thursday, 22 August 2024

“So Jacob was left alone, and a Man [came and] wrestled with him until daybreak. When the Man saw that He had not prevailed against Jacob, He touched his hip joint; and Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let Me go, for day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me.”” – ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Seasons have been declared from the pulpit many times over and as members, chances are we did not all partake in all of them as they were declared at the time. Perhaps we also watched in awe as others testified and were benefactors of the season and the blessings declared, while questioning if our turn would ever come.

Many things come into play when looking at what we go through in our lifetimes and why. There are seasons of pruning that GOD takes us through as Believers. And in these seasons, we are taken through a lot of events that contribute to our growth, and may even include a lot of isolation, separation, and character-building. I wholeheartedly believe that GOD does tell us when we are in these seasons and gives us all we need to make it through.

We know that change is the only constant on earth and it would do us best to be vigilant and aware of when the times and seasons change. But more than the awareness, we have to gear up for the war that is constantly declared against us not to partake in the blessings of GOD. It takes courage, gumption, and a certain burning within for us not to accept failure and defeat. In the scripture above, Jacob was relentless in his vision to be blessed by GOD, and he was unwilling to rest until he was blessed. How many times have we heard a word declared over us and moved on as per normal? It should be unacceptable for us as children of GOD to be living in mediocrity and below what we have been called into.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. The greatest fear of the devil where we are concerned, is us waking up to the reality of who we are in Christ and the power we carry within us as a result. When Jesus said, ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬, He was inviting us into the truth of who we really are and what we are capable of in HIM. It is sinful for us to not partake in all that He has declared over us, simply because we are too lazy to take on the full armor of GOD and enter the battlefield. Faith is a fight. Staying positive in the midst of disappointment and discouragement is a fight. We are not only letting ourselves down every time we give up, but we are betraying every single soul out there that we have been assigned to lift and serve.

The greatest fear of the devil where we are concerned, is us waking up to the reality of who we are in Christ and the power we carry within us as a result.