Jacob was at the place of desperation when he had an encounter with the Lord. He had become very afraid because he knew that his brother Esau was coming for him. He had cheated his brother out of his inheritance and birthright. He had good reason to fear because of his deceiving ways. He had just come through many years of being deceived himself by others. He in his natural strength tried to obtain blessing that only God could grant. Now he has this encounter with the angel. He grabs a hold of him and says out of desperation: "I'm not letting go of you until you bless me." The angel of the Lord says let me go for day is coming and then proceeds to knock Jacob's hip out of joint. The angel then tells him he is going to bless him but it's going to require a name change. Jacob's name means: deceiver, trickster, heel catcher and supplanter. His new name was going to be changed to "Israel" which means: to rule as God or to have the power of God. This is very interesting because Jacob had been relying on his own strength , understandings and natural abilities to get what God wanted to freely give him! However Jacob was burdened down with fear because he was living out the consequences of past choices. The name change represents a character and nature change. When we become born again, we become a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things have become new! Jacob was ready for change and blessing because he knew that the way he had been doing things were not working. He calls the place where he had this encounter Penuel. That means: "Face of God." This encounter that he had was really with the living God. You can't look into the face of God and live! That is in your flesh! Your flesh and all of its attitudes will die when you have a face to face with God. Now I want to shift gears and talk about Jacob's hip being out of joint. The meaning of "Joint": latterly when things come together and are joined by a ligament or muscle. Because of his hip or thigh being dislocated or out of joint he was going to have to walk with a limp and be crippled the rest of his life.
This is an important prophetic picture of the Body of Christ being crippled because of broken relationships at the joints. Let's look at the rest of the story with Jacob and Esau to get a even clearer prophetic picture.
Gen 33:3-4 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. NKJV
This story is about reconciliation, restoration and forgiveness! Perfect Love cast out all fear! Suddenly everything had changed as both of them had changed and suddenly came into reconciliation and unity
Eph 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head Christ 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.NKJV
Jacob and Esau went their separate ways because Jacob swindled, cheated and deceived Esau out of his inheritance and birthright. The last time they were together Esau told Jacob he was going to kill him! The Lord was working on both of them. Esau was bitter and Jacob was a cheat. This scripture in Ephesians says His body is joined together by that which every "joint" supplies. These "joints" are truly divine relationships! The enemies whole strategy is to divide the joints and cripple the body.The primary strategies which he uses are offense, jealousies and personality and or cultural differences. Another primary strategy is to target those who have bitterness or un-forgiveness in their hearts. The five fold ministries are "Gifts" that Jesus gave to His body to equip the saints for the work of ministry!
Lets define Equip: to complete thoroughly, i.e. repair (literally or figuratively) or adjust - fit, frame, mend, perfect ( join together), prepare, restore.
So the five fold ministry is to repair, mend, prepare restore those individuals so they can join with the rest of the body and connect at the joints! And to be made whole! Jacob had a destiny but it was going to require a name change and restoration with his brother. When the Body of Christ has divine relationships dislocated the body is crippled. God has a plan to heal the joints! Now lets look Moses who also had a divine destiny.
Ex 4:10-14 Then Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 11 So the Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth?" "Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind?" "Have not I, the Lord?" 12 "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." 13 But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send." 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses NKJV
Remember we just defined equipping,and it latterly means to repair or make whole. This is very important because in our minds we might think it has a lot more to do with knowledge then actually being healed or repaired in any area. Without being healed or made whole in any area, we are crippled in our own body and a part of of the "Body of Christ" is crippled. We are missing the destiny God has for us by rejecting what He says to us and about us. The Lord told Moses to go speak to Pharaoh and tell him to let Gods people go! Moses starts telling God he cannot speak very well! It goes on to say that God became angry with Moses because he these things. Why? It was because God made Moses and went to great lengths to protect him. The enemy knew there was a deliverer coming and tried to kill all the children. This is why Moses's mother put him in a basket and sent him up the river to protect him and preserve his destiny! Moses was resisting the destiny that God had for him because of his "insecurity." The enemy knows what your called to be, usually before you do and wars against you in that area to try to make sure that you never arrive at your God given destiny. Many people come to the cross-road of their life and God reveals to you what He wants you to do and we either step up to the challenge or walk away from it. The time of your healing and being made whole has come and it is time for you to face your giants of fear and prevail! Why not run at those giants and prevail. The biggest enemy that we may face are our own mindsets! Wrong thinking can keep us from our own destiny and purpose that God has for us! This is also what keeps us from fellowshipping with those divine connections that God appointed to partner with us to accomplish His purposes! Moses who was born a deliverer and came to the place where God revealed to him his true destiny. Even though he was born for such a time as this! Can you imagine telling God you can't do what He created you to do! Remember no matter what you may or may not think about yourself, the Lord has a destiny for you that will exceed what you have the capacity to think!
Judges 6:14-15,22-24 Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites." Have I not sent you?" 15 So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel?" "Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." 22 Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord God!" "For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face." 23 Then the Lord said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die."24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. NKJV
Let's look at another deliverer. Gideon was threshing wheat at night trying to hide it from the Midianites because they were taking all the food and Israel was latterly starving to death.The Lord appears to him and calls him a "mighty man of valor." Then He tells him to go in this might of his and go save Israel! God sees us the way He created us to be! But look how Gideon sees himself. I'm from the weakest clan and the least in my fathers house! Every person that God has used as a deliverer never sees themselves as God sees them. What does God say about you? Do you see yourself as God sees you? You fit in a place in His body joined with those divine connections. When you're properly fitted in the place that God has put you it will bring true peace.
Gideon was in turmoil and distress, but when the Angel of the Lord spoke peace to him, he came into the true rest in God. It's time for you to accept His call and come into true peace. You were born a deliverer for such a time as this!
Judges 6:34-35 But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. NKJV
Gideon came to the place of his true destiny! He became Gods answer to Israel . The people were crying out for a deliverer! You may be crying out for a deliverer. What if you are the answer to your own prayers? Gideon was afraid and frustrated and was threshing wheat in secret, trying to hide it from the Midianites. When he accepts the calling on his life, he comes to true peace. He even makes a memorial in this place. Was he still afraid? The answer to the question is yes. But he obeyed the Lord regardless of how he felt. Did he have a low self image and was he intimidated? Yes, but he obeyed the Lord. Part of "healing the joints" is when you take your place! As Gideon stepped into what God called him to do, it says the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He picked up the trumpet (Shofar) and blew it. In the natural, a bunch of people gathered behind him when they heard the trumpet. This was a natural known way of communication to gather. However in the Spirit it is much deeper! This is a gathering of the true warriors to battle. As this story unfolds you will see the true warriors rise to their call and destiny . The others who would not be free from fear returned home. If we are going to see a real change or shift in the atmosphere and our true enemies which are not flesh and blood destroyed, we must deal with our fears. Gods perfect love casts out fear. Do you know He loves you? Will you be truly free? Let Him encounter you and change you into who He truly made you to be!
Judges 6:14-16 Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" 15 So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." 16 And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." NKJV
It is very important in this hour that we find our place in the body! You fit somewhere. I think it would be safe to say that if you have been a Christian for very long, its possible you have been church burnt. I want to address this issue in the Spirit of truth and Love. Because most of us have had bad experiences in church situations it may have distorted our view of our true calling and destiny. We are all called "to go" in every book of the Gospels. The Lord wants to identify in you what your truly called to do and put you in it! This can make us very uncomfortable, especially if we have a low self image. We may think its somebody elses job to reach out to the poor or become Gods instrument of deliverance. What if he is asking you to go into the government and become an elected official? Would you lay hands on a person just ahead of you in line at Walmart if the Lord asked you to? Or would you tell Him no, or your just not that kind of person! We are talking about the God who made us! Gideon told the Lord he was the least in his fathers house and his clan was the weakest in Mannaseh! I think it would be safe to say that could be echoed in principle by most of us! Does the Lord pay any attention to his low self image? NO! He lets Gideon know that He is with him! If God is with us, what are we afraid of? When we come into the true revelation that He loves us and is with us, What do we have to fear? He then tells Gideon that he will defeat the Midianites as one man! What does this mean? The real call of God requires you to obey, even if you have to go by yourself! Remember God has a plan and will send you the right people to help you accomplish His purposes. Gidion blew a clear trumpet call and people gathered behind him. If we know what are called to do and let the Lord have His way with us we will become who He says we are! Let us be made whole and healed of that which cripples us and causes a part of the body to be crippled. Let your joints be healed and let the joints in his body be healed. The growth of the body comes by that which every joint supplies. God is raising up true warriors and delivers in this hour! Shake off the slumber, be free from fear by His perfect love and take your place with those divine connections (Joints) and rise up to the trumpet call this hour! True warriors run to the sound of battle!
Matt 11:12-13 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. NKJV
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