Jabbok, the place where Jacob wrestled with God and made his total surrender, exemplifies the place where Christians fight their private wars. There are no counselors, no friends, no helpers — just you and God. At Jabbok Jacob cast down his last idol and won his greatest victory. And there he received his new character and his new name — Israel.
Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus even though he knew he would soon raise him to life again. After all, he had come to Bethany expressly for this purpose. “Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’ And some of them said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb” (John 11:35-38).
God is not mocking his children when he promises, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). And he is not lying when he promises, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry … The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15, 17).
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary” (Matthew 14:24).
Stephen saw an open heaven and a glorified Man on the throne whose glory was mirrored in him to all who stood nearby. “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’” (Acts 7:55-56).
John the Baptist defined his ministry bluntly and simply when he said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23). This servant of the Most High who, according to the Scripture, was the greatest “among those born of women” (Matthew 11:11), was the finest, most blessed of all the prophets and a revered preacher of righteousness.
“He makes wars cease” (Psalm 46:9). What welcome news to the child of God who is shattered and torn by warfare. The battle in our soul is his battle, and he alone can end it. Our loving Father will not permit the flesh or the devil to bully us into defeat.
There is a thrilling Old Testament story that best illustrates what it means to be kept by the power of God. We find it in 2 Kings 6.
Benhadad, king of Syria, declared war on Israel and marched against them with a great army. As his forces advanced, he often called his war counsel into his private chambers to plan the next day’s strategy. But the prophet Elisha, moved by the Holy Spirit, kept sending word to the king of Israel, detailing every move of the enemy troops. On several occasions, the Israelites escaped defeat because of Elisha’s warnings.
Jeremiah was a thundering prophet of the Old Testament. Every word he preached was like a sword cutting into the flesh. He angered politicians and church leaders so much they threw him into prison.
But all the time, this weeping prophet looked forward to a day when God would visit his people and change their hearts. Jeremiah knew that God pitied His people and loved them with an everlasting love.
God wants to break through to his people. As Scripture predicts, the devil has come down with great wrath, knowing his time is short. Right now, God’s people need a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit; a supernatural touch even greater than the one at Pentecost. The cry that is called for today was heard in Isaiah’s day: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! … For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:1, 4).