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Sermon #27: THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD

  “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand …” Exodus 3: 19-20 I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him,” God said to Moses. I rephrase this statement as follows: “I know that the devil will not leave you alone unless a mighty hand compels him.” That sounds totally true. Satan has to be compelled to leave you alone, to let you go. He will never willingly let you go. This goes to show the determination that Satan has when it comes to constraining the children of God; he wants to keep them in bondage forever. Christians, therefore, need to be more determined than the devil to free themselves from his shackles. Unfortunately, a number of Christians are too lukewarm or absent-minded to even think of getting their freedom; such Christians, therefore, remain under Satan’s bondage in various areas of their lives. The devil is determined to bind you forever. If the devil i...
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Sermon #24: I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNTIL YOU BLESS ME


Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26

I think every Christian has gone through the following experience at some point in their Christian journey. One moment they are on fire; they feel like their prayers are blazing right into the Throne Room. They are energetic and appear to fly as they go through their paces in the prayer room.

The next moment they are down. They are totally demoralized; they appear like all energy has been sapped from them. They can hardly lift their tongue to pray and wonder whether they are making any real progress in their prayer life. “Does God even hear my prayers,” they wonder to themselves.

But what’s the recommended attitude for the believer to adopt?

Here it is: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” That’s the attitude. It’s called ‘perseverance’. It’s called ‘never giving up’. It’s called ‘trusting in the Lord’. It’s called ‘sticking with God, no matter what’.

Believers should never let external circumstances dictate the status of their walk with God.

It may be raining outside, it may be icy, it may be cloudy, it may be sparkling bright, but the Lord never changes, His love for you never fades, and His eye never leaves you. May you cast this in concrete in your heart!

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” These words reveal the extent to which Jacob believed in God. They also reveal Jacob’s attitude in life, a man who did everything he could to get what he wanted, sometimes putting his life and the lives of loved ones at risk.

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” In saying these words, Jacob was, in a way, saying:

  • You and you alone are my God. I have no other.
  • I am totally dependent on you. So, if I do not get help from you, it means I will have to do with no help at all because I seek it from no other.
  • You are able to do as I ask.
  • You are willing to do as I ask.
  • You are ready to do as I ask.
  • You can immediately do as I ask.
  • So, I cling to you as a matter of necessity.

That’s the recommended attitude for the believer.

Do you believe the same? If so, never allow the variableness of your feelings to let you down.

God never changes. He is the same when you are happy. He is the same when you are sad. He is the same when feel strong in your body. He is the same even when you feel weak or even ill.

God will never leave or forsake you. So, stay motivated, I exhort you.

Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26

Here is the outcome of Jacob’s determination: Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel …” Genesis 32:28

God gave Jacob a new name, confirmation of changed circumstances. That’s the power of perseverance, the power of faith and trust in God, the power of surrendering oneself fully to God, and the power of sticking with Him no matter what the situation might look like.

What a glorious ending! And remember, such an outcome is also yours for the taking!

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