Jacob's Fight

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  James 4:7,8

The devil will not voluntarily run away from anyone. He wants to show who he is in the lives of human beings, that he came to kill, steal and destroy. He will do anything to avoid leaving a person’s marriage, health, love life, family, and finances. So what power does he sense in certain people, a power that’s stronger than his own, that makes him flee?

Without a doubt, it is sacrifice-based faith. Sacrifice resists the devil, always. If the devil insists on staying in someone’s life, it’s because he has not yet seen that devouring power in his life.

“Resist” conveys a sense of opposing an adversary, refusing to run away, standing firm, refusing to give in or yield, and only those who are tired of who they are, and what their lives are will do it. This determination causes them to place all their strength into their fight and sacrifice.

This is what Jacob did when he wrestled with God in the valley of Jabbok:

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.  Genesis 32:28

Jacob struggled with men… meaning that he fought with himself because he no longer wanted to be who he had been. Jacob struggled with God… meaning that he basically said: “Lord, You have to bless me for the sacrifice I made of separating myself from everything — the goods and the people — and being alone with You.”

In Jacob’s fight with himself and God, who lost? It couldn’t have been God, He is invincible. It wasn’t Jacob because he overcame… but someone did suffer defeat. Without a doubt it was the devil.

The day that you find yourself alone on the altar with God, you will destroy the devil and he will flee from you. Everyone saw Jacob change, and in the same way, everyone will see you change.

The devil doesn’t flee from money, even when it appears to be a lot. He flees from sacrifice, even when it appears to be little. When he sees sacrifice, he sees God.

This is the Israel Challenge.

Bishop Romualdo