“When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.” Genesis 32:6-8
When Jacob returned from Mesopotamia after many years away from home, he heard that his brother Esau was coming towards him with 400 men. He feared the worst, for the last time he had heard from his brother was that he had wanted to kill him for cheating him out of his birthright. Jacob had no way of protecting himself from Esau’s army so he called upon the name of the Lord. He brought forth his strong arguments, pleading with God in prayer. He reminded himself and God of all the things that He had promised him. He had promised that He would make him prosper and multiply his descendants.
“Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ” Genesis 32:9-12
God answered Jacob’s prayer and changed Esau’s mind, for he came in peace and not for war. One thing I have noticed is that God loves us to bring forth our strong arguments, as to why He should bless us, especially if it is written in His word.
One thing God hates is a passive attitude in His children. I call it the ‘Doris Day Doctrine,. Doris Day was famous for her song ‘Que Sera Sera, whatever will be will be,’ back in the day. This attitude is not encouraged in scripture and if you persist in being like this it could shorten your life. God loves us to lay hold of His word and bring forth our strong arguments. The God of Jacob said in Isaiah.
“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.” Isaiah 41:21
The same God who delivered Jacob wants us to bring forth our strong arguments. We see other places in the bible where Jesus encourages us to bring forth our strong arguments and be tenacious. The woman of Syrophenican comes to mind as a great example.
“For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.” Mark 7:25-30
She came to Jesus pleading for her daughter’s healing but was ignored at first for she was a Gentile (called a dog by the Jews). It wasn’t time yet for the Gentiles to be blessed for Jesus came to the Jews first. She wasn’t put off by His response and kept pleading. Jesus said that it wasn’t right to give bread to the dogs, but she said that even dogs eat the crumbs under the table. This was her strong argument and it won the day. Jesus was impressed and said that because of this statement her prayer was answered and her daughter healed. She had done nothing more than bring forth her strong argument and she wasn’t even cleansed of her sin for she was a Gentile.
Like Jacob all looked lost for her but she knew that God was the answer and pleaded her case and soon everything changed. She wasn’t going to accept the status quo and just resign herself to her circumstances.
I am reminded of two others who would not take no for an answer either, and that was blind Bartimaeus and Elisha the servant of Elijah. In Luke 18:35-43 blind Bartimaeus knew Jesus was passing by so he cried out for a healing. His argument was that Jesus was a son of David and so was he. Everyone around him told him to stop but he cried out all the louder and got his healing.
Elisha was the servant of Elijah the Prophet and longed to have the anointing that Elijah had on his life. Elijah told him many times to turn back but he would not take no for an answer. He said that nothing was going to stop him and he did eventually receive the double portion.
When we look around us today it looks as if the Devil is winning the battle and everything is on its way out. We too need to bring forth our strong arguments for Revival. I like this verse in Psalm 119.
“It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken.” Psalm 119:126
David brought forth this strong argument. The law is being broken today and many are walking away from God, it’s time for you to act God. When we look at the circumstances around us we too may say there is no hope, but not David, he brought forth his strong argument for God to act, and so should we.
I believe we are in a time of great judgments upon the earth before the end of all things. We need to be pleading with God and bringing forth our strong arguments for revival instead of giving up. It’s time for people to turn to God. I claim this verse most nights when I get up to pray.
“With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” Isaiah 26:9
The Lord has said that when His judgments are in the earth, people will turn to God and receive His righteousness. Bring forth God’s word and plead your case, for its time for Him to act. Be like Jacob and bring forth your strong arguments.