THE POWER OF PRAYER

Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had made savory food and brought it to his father and said to his father, let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me. And his father Isaac said to him, who are you? So he said, I am your son, your firstborn, Esau. Then Isaac trembled exceedingly and said, who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came and I have blessed him and indeed he shall be blessed – Genesis 27 : 30 – 33.

Esau’s father Isaac, was surprised because he knew right away as his son spoke that the blessing of Esau has been diverted to another person. This diversion did not happen this very day,  it was only the manifestation that took place this day in question. Right from the womb, it was said that the older will serve the younger (Genesis 25 : 23). Esau confirmed it the very day he sold his birthright because of food. Brethren, we should not allow ignorance to continue to rob us of our blessing, we need to be very conscious and careful of things at the initial stage of every situation in our life. Under normal circumstance, the older child is not suppose to serve the younger and if this happen it is an error which needs to be corrected immediately without delay.

Joseph tried to correct this error when he took his children to his father for blessing. This I will right about in my future post.

When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, bless me – me also, O my father! But he said, your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing. And Esau said, is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright and now look, he has taken away my blessing! And he said, have you not reserved a blessing for me? – Genesis 27 : 34 – 36.

We should not try to place our blame on others. Esau was blaming his brother for taking his birthright which he gave to him by himself freely. When he was giving his birthright to his brother, no other person was there with the two of them physically but God heard when he say it. It takes the grace of God to know spiritual things. Anything that happens in the physical life does not just happen for nothing. It is high time we should wake up from our slumber and face the reality. What is in the spirit are greater than what is seen in the physical.

Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, indeed I have made him your master and all his brethren I have given to him as servants with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now, my son? And Esau said to his father, have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me – me also, O my father! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept – Genesis 27 : 37 – 38.

When we pray from our heart it will be very effective. If we pray without the urge, the prayer will not go beyond the roof. Isaac knew that he has prayed from the bottom of his heart. Esau knew that prayer is a powerful weapon he needed to fulfill his destiny. If prayer was not important as many do say today, why was Esau begging his father if he has not kept any in reserve for him.

Then Isaac his father answered and said to him behold your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother, and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck – Genesis 27 : 39 – 40.

The key that Esau will use to open the secret door of his life was released to him – ”when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck”. No matter how serious any situation might be, no matter how long any negative situation has been repeating itself in our ancestral lineage, if we become restless, we can break the yoke from our life. Let us purse a little and make a retrospect over our family, is there any particular sickness that has been affecting people in your family, is there recurrence of premature death either through accident or sickness, is there any negative situation that is repeating itself from generation to generation in your family? If there is any of such or any other type, please, I urge you to rise up and break the yoke from your neck because you can put an end to such situation by the power in the blood of Jesus.

Then Esau said, what do you mean by all this company which I met? And he said, these are to find favor in the sight of my lord. But Esau said, I have enough, my brother, keep what you have for yourself. And Jacob said, no, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have enough. So he urged him and he took it – Genesis 33 : 8 – 11.

Esau worked on the prayer and the advise his father gave to him even when his brother told him that the gift were for him, he said, he has enough.

O Lord my God, all praises to Your name in heaven. I appreciate You for the knowledge of Your word to me. Give me the grace to know and break every evil yoke that has been confronting people in my ancestry and environment no matter how long it has been occurring in Jesus name. Help me to keep those valuable gift You have given to me and don’t allow any spiritual arm robbers, spiritual hijackers to rob me of it in Jesus name.