Daily Devotionals

When Pigs Fly Week 2: Friday

"Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won." Genesis 32:28

I love receiving birth announcements. One of the most exciting things to learn about a new child born is their name. Names are special and exciting to learn today, but they were even more significant in the Old Testament. You see, someone's name spoke into that person's future and who they would become. Jacob's name meant deceiver. That is not a great name to be known as. God had better plans and gave Him a new name in Genesis 32 

Genesis 32 describes Jacob's wrestling match with a man he did not know. After wrestling for some time, this man touched his hip socket, causing it to be dislocated. At this point, Jacob realized this was not an ordinary encounter. It was divine. He had seen God face-to-face (verse 30). Jacob asked this man whom he had wrestled with to bless him. This man changed his name from Jacob, which means deceiver, to Israel, which “God fights.” Don’t miss the shift with this name change. Jacob's name change was an invitation to let go of fighting for himself by deceiving and trying to handle his situations on his own and to let God fight for him instead. This is the same invitation we have, as well. God fights for His people. He fights for you and me. We can trust Him with our battles. We do not have to fight for ourselves. What a promise to claim

Friends, it is time to let God fight our battles for us rather than trying on our own. Fighting our battles on our own leads to sin, deceiving, running, and exhaustion. God will fight for us. Will you trust Him and turn your battles over to Him?

Moving toward action

God fights for you, my friend. What areas of your life do you need Him to fight? Do you need Him to fight in your marriage, anxiety, financial situation, or something else? Tell Him now. Spend the next few moments asking Him to fight in these areas. Then, watch for Him to respond.

Going Deeper

Jude 1:17-25

"But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them.

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love.

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen."