THEME: THE HERITAGE OF FAITH; UNDERSTANDING THE DISCIPLINE & DEALING OF THE FAITH PATTERN OF THE SON

LESSON: EIGHT

TEXT: Genesis 25:20-34, Genesis 32:24-30, Genesis 47:9

 

PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP

● The soul-saving faith expression is a heritage that can be passed down to generations, by following and living by its principles.

● Isaac followed the path of the faith seed found by his father Abraham, and this made him a living soul and reconciled him to the God of his father.

● Isaac submitted to God’s dealings by agreeing to be offered as a sacrifice to God by faith, submitting to the counsel of his father for a wife to be chosen for him, remaining in a land of famine, and not striving with the Philistines over the wells.

● The highest faith demonstrated by men is the faith that makes the soul live and this was the faith God used to foreshadow the faith that is in the Son (Hebrews 11).

● Our Lord Jesus experienced objective and majorly subjective leading of the spirit, while the patriarchs and holy men of old were subjectively led.

 

OBJECTIVE

● To outline the Lord’s leading and dealing upon Jacob through soul saving faith seed within him.

● To take account of occasions where Jacob was subjectively Led and conditioned to dealings.

● To identify and expose Jacobs' response to the Lord’s dealing in his lifetime.

● To expound and separate between spiritual experiences.

● To Identify the placement, role, and importance of spiritual experiences in the soul saving faith expression.

 

INTRODUCTION

● When the Lord is working in us to do his will, murmurings, contention, and disputings in the heart, are heart arrangement that cheats a believer of the maximum profiting. The heart posture a believer engages when subjected is as important as the Leading and dealing itself.

Philippians 2:13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

● Persevering, passively attending to the Lord's leading and dealings as fate, and an earnest heart expectation to change seasons makes a believer intemperate, rendering the season ineffective against the fallen seed and nature trapped within the soul.

Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

● Rejoicing, thanksgiving, endurance, patience, and prayer of supplication (which is the most effectual prayer in the season of subjection) are virtues to engage when being subjected to the Lord's dealing. Not all prayers or spiritual activities rightly position a believer during such seasons.

James 5:10-11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

● The Heroes of Faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 rightfully committed the keeping of their souls to the Lord in their trials and afflictions, judging the Lord faithful. While we are to learn of the mannerism of the faith expression/ how God dealt with them, we must also learn of their heart responses to the Lord in their afflictions.

1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Hebrews 11:33-38 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

 

JACOB WAS LED SUBJECTIVELY (Genesis 28:11-15)

● The name Jacob means “to supplant”, testifying to the prosperity and the strength the fallen seed has accrued in the soul. To undo this work, the Lord alone subjectively led and dealt with Jacob .

Deuteronomy 32:9-10 For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

● Before the birth of Jacob and Esau, the Lord had said Jacob would inherit the blessings meant for his elder brother. While Esaus’ profanity gave out the blessing, Jacob’s nature as a supplanter unconsciously subjected him to the path of life for the saving of his soul and inheriting the promise.

Genesis 25:19-26 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

● The blessing prophesied upon Jacob and the dealings of the Lord attracted ministration of Angels upon him. Angels act under the authority of the Spirit to minister to heirs of the promise.

Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

● Rebekah, the mother of Jacob who was full of instructions towards him played a crucial role in ensuring that Jacob had regard for the inheritance, raising him as an obedient heir of the blessing, who will not jeopardize prophecy.

Genesis 25:22-24 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

Genesis 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Genesis 25:31-33 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

Genesis 27:6-13 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

 

JACOB A PATRIARCH OF FAITH WHO EXEMPLIFIED LEADING OF THE SPIRIT UNTO INHERITANCE

● One of the characteristics of soul saving faith is that all who exemplified such faith were led from a location to a destination promised by God. Such leading was shown physically as a symbol of the migration of the soul from flesh to the spirit, where they were made alive in their soul and to a measure in their body (Hebrews 11:13-16, Genesis 28:15 ).

Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Genesis 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

● Jacobs dwelling in tents, following the manner and principles of faith displayed by his father is a demonstration of the training and heritage he received from his parents, unlike Esau who was a man of the field. Some of the expressions are detailed below.

➢ Faith to lay hold on the inheritance (Genesis 25:31-34): Two nations were born of Rebecca but by election one was chosen. God foresaw that Jacob’s heart configuration would love the inheritance and by faith, He took the blessing. The peculiarity of this faith was that the blessing was invisible and was not related at all to carnal/physical promises.

After all, Esau and Ishmael became great and rich and they were not of the promise, so Jacob’s regard was not for the ephemeral but for the invisible. Meaning he lived by that which was invisible all his life. Esau had no regard for the inheritance! (Hebrews 12:16-17, Genesis 36:6-7).

Hebrews 12:16-17 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Genesis 36:6-7 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.

➢ Jacob in the house of Laban (Training for the inheritance):

➢ Marriage to Laban’s daughter: As Isaac was instructed on whom to marry from Laban's father's house, so was Jacob instructed to marry from Laban’s house. This is the attitude and the culture of men who carry the promise.

➢ Laban dealt with Jacob: it was divinely orchestrated for Jacob to live with his father-in-law because he became a tool in the hand of the Lord (as a master, a father, and a father-in-law) to deal with Jacob for the sake of the inheritance. ❖ Jacob was dealt with in the area of marriage (Genesis 29:21-35): Jacob unlike his father had an idea (his own leading) of who to marry and was willing to spend his strength to receive her, however, he was subjected and deceived until he married four wives so that he could multiply. He was not allowed to be attached to the one he loves but to the one he doesn’t like so that his lot in the inheritance can be acted out.

❖ He was wrongly robbed of his wages seven times (Genesis 31:6-7): He was cunning and supplanted his brother but God led him to a more wicked man who will deal with him treacherously until he learns to depend on supernatural provision to survive.

Genesis 31:6-7 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

❖ God prospered Jacob (Genesis 30:29-40): Laban experienced great prosperity because an heir of the promise was with him. God also prospered Jacob until he became richer than his master.

❖ Jacob flees from Laban’s house (Genesis 31): He was not meant to settle down in Laban’s house because his final destination is Egypt as prophesied by the Lord, that the seed can multiply.

➢ Jacob meets with an Angel of God (Genesis 28:10-21, John 1:51): One characteristic of those walking by the soul saving faith is that they are ministered to by high angels that have to do with the promise. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob encountered angels not because of who they were naturally but because of the promise.

John 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

His first angelic experience was the vision of the ladder that links the earth to heaven, a shadow of better things to come. His faith granted him such privilege to link heaven meaning what he carries will cause the earth to unite with heaven.

➢ Jacob and the Angel at peniel (Gensis 32:24-32): Though he was subjected in the house of laban, it was evident that Jacob still had residue of the fallen seed trapped within his soul when he divided his household in three bands. There, he encountered an angel who touched the hollow of his hips, so that he shoul lean on his staff, rather than his own wiles and understanding.

➢ Jacobs Seperation from his most beloved ones` : Just as the Lord demanded the sacrifice of Isaac from Abraham, the death of Racheal was a dealing to make Jacobs love and devotion for the Lord and for the inheritance.

Genesis 35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

❖ After Rachel’s death, Jacob’s attention and love shifted to Jospeh the son which Rachel bore for him, then, was his brothers moved out of jealousy to sell him to Portiphar. This was a dealing of the Lord to separate his heart and affection to the Lord.

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

❖ It was evident that the jacob held benjamin dare in his heart after Joseph was separated from him. He was subjected to sending benjamin to Egypt, during the great famine.

❖ One of the wickedness that the fallen seed has done to man is the ability of man’s heart to love and keep loving many other things aside from the promise and God himself. It is the manner of the soul saving faith to keep searching and trying the heart to undo this wickedness.

Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

➢ Jacob Dwelt at Bethel which is the house of God (Genesis 35) ➢ Jacob went down to Egypt as prophesied by the Lord ➢ Jacob’s account of his pilgrimage to Pharaoh: The account of Jacob’s years to Pharaoh was an archive of his faith journey and dealings. Out of the wealth of Jacobs faith discipline he blessed King Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:7-10 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

 

➢ Jacob blessed the twelve tribes.

 

PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MANNER OF THE LORD’S DEALING UPON JACOB

● Jacob’s life was a life that was led to inherit the promise. God dealt with him according to the promise, to possess the required soul frame for the promise. This means that initial salvation is not a guarantee for eternal inheritance.

 

● His dream after he took the blessing when he was on his way to Laban’s house spelled out the path of faith he was to follow which is a ladder upward, leading him to be like the son of man.

 

THE VALIDITY OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES (Joel 2:28-29)

● Just like they were to Jacob, “Spiritual” experiences are true, real, and even more real to those who are partakers of the soul saving faith seed. Spiritual experiences seem to heighten and get stronger with the growth of a believer in the things of God.

● This is being stressed because of some excesses that Satan and evil spirits are pouring forth in these times concerning the issue of experiences, to deceive God’s people away from the goal and focus of our faith.

 

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 

WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES?

● Spiritual experiences are experiences divinely granted, monitored, and overseen by the Holy Spirit, to make sure the soul of a saint is always being encouraged, enticed, strengthened, and helped to continue in the path of life/salvation that is meant to save the soul.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Note: Some spiritual experiences are spectacular, but most are not, as some have taught them to be. The truth is that two-thirds of spiritual experiences are not spectacular (because there are levels of spiritual experiences; experiences around the Spirit of God, experiences around Christ, and experiences around God the Father).

Also, it is good to quickly add that not all experiences, particularly the spectacular ones are spiritual or are from any of the God-head personalities!

THE LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

● Many have limited spiritual experiences as manifestations and occurrences around the Holy Spirit and His nine gifts, however, Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 inferred the entirety of the God-head as spirits/spiritual.

● The truth is that experiences around the three persons of the God-head are “all spiritual”. Response to the leading of the Spirit by a believer is a higher experience than any and every gift of the Spirit. This is because, by yielding to the leading of the Spirit, a soul experiences salvation – which none of the nine gifts of the Spirit can directly achieve!

● Now, this is not to talk down on or tear down the gifts of the Spirit, but to teach the complete truth about the issue of spiritual experiences. Trials, tribulations, sufferings, obedience, and not loving one’s life, just to mention a few, are all higher spiritual experiences than all the manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit.

 

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

A. Certain spiritual experiences are prime, major, and more prevalent around a believer, based on the level and dimension of growth such a believer has attained.

● Every believer ought to and should experience the manifestation of the gifts of the spirit irrespective of their level of growth, yet there are certain spiritual experiences that that a believer is exposed to based on levels of growth (1 Corinthians 12:7).

1 Corinthians 13:11 (KJV) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

● However, 2 Corinthians 11 enumerated the spiritual experiences of Paul the Apostle, though a baby Christian might not want to agree they are experiences, they are: i. In labours abundant; ii. In stripes above measures; iii. In prisons more frequent; iv. In deaths often; v. Of the Jews five times beaten thirty-nine strokes; vi. Three times beaten with rods; vii. Once stoned; viii. Three times suffered; ix. A night and a day have been in the deep; x. in perils of: robbers, waters, country-men, heathen men, city perils, perils of wilderness, perils of sea, perils of false brethren.

Note: All of the immediate above are higher experiences than the experiences that all the nine gifts of the Spirit can give. All these experiences are experiences around the soul saving faith expression for inheriting the Name of God.

Revelation 7:2-3, 9 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

B. Spiritual experiences vary and change according to the level of work being done in the soul and the level of growth wrought in a believer. It is good to stress that apostle John’s exile to the isle of Patmos was in itself a spiritual experience aside from the visions he saw.

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

C. The spiritual experiences couched in the soul saving faith are observed in the dispensing of precept and lines together with the dealing of God accompanying it (Hebrews 12:7-9, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Psalms 118:17-20, Psalms 16:5-6).

Hebrews 12:7-9 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Psalm 16:5-6 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. Psalm 118:17-20 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

Psalm 118:17-20 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

 

WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES MEANT FOR?

Spiritual experiences, at all levels, are a means or path to an “end”, to save the soul of a believer. No spiritual experience is an end in itself. Obedience of faith, tribulations, manifestations of the Spirit, and longsuffering are all meant to work salvation, causing the soul to Live!

It is important at this point to stress that the Message of the New Testament is Eternal Life. Eternal Life is not just the central theme or a message in the New Testament, the New Testament is established that man should be saved to receive the reward of Eternal Life and as such spiritual experiences in any form are not the theme of the New Testament.

1 Timothy 4:10 (KJV) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1 John 2:25 (KJV) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

 

JACOB’S SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

● By examining Jacob’s life, he had experiences around both the gift of the spirit and the subjective leading of the spirit that are similar to experiences of believers handling the soul saving fath seed.

● In Bethel, Jacob slept in a certain place and used stones for pillows. There he broke into visions, which is a manifestation of the Spirit (because the Holy Ghost does give dreams. He had this experience because of the promise of inheritance.

Joel 2:23, 28 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

● Also, in Genesis 31:10-12, the Lord granted Jacob more spiritual experiences in showing him how to be wise towards Laban the usurper! Same was the case in (Genesis 46:1-4). Jacob, because of the path of God in and over his life for the leading and saving of his soul, received occasional experiences of the Spirit of God.

Genesis 31:10-12 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

Genesis 46:1-4 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

● Much more, in all of Jacob’s life, he was dealt with along an unusual path of God for the salvation of his soul because God had known that he would love the inheritance (of which He spoke to Rebecca concerning, while the twins were still in the womb), God consciously designed and tailored a path for Jacob that would correct, undo and heal the nature of a supplanter that Jacob had in his soul.

 

Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

 

BELOW ARE SOME OBVIOUS SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES PERTAINING TO THE FAITH PATH OF JACOB

● It was God’s dealing that made and enabled Jacob to inherit the promise;

● It was God’s dealing/faith dealing that was at work when Jacob was deceived by Laban with regards to marrying Rachael and Leah, therefore serving for 14 years;

● Jacob suffered trials and tribulations of some sort in serving Laban – raising his herd for six years.

● Jacob’s experience of wrestling with an Angel was a show of how his nature was wrestled down by the arrangement and path of God for him. Jacob came out of this experience disjointed, having to lean upon his staff, and he had also experienced a change of name.

In all of these, Jacob’s attention did not shift to any of the experiences, nor did he exalt any of the experiences, rather he built altars as memorials and continued his journey as God led him.

 

At all times, he kept on talking about and mentioning God; the God of Abraham and Isaac his father. This is the way we also ought to use and relate with “spiritual experiences”, particularly the “spectacular ones”.