Keys To Receiving The Blessings Of God

Text: Genesis 32:1-32

Introduction: Obviously, this chapter in the Bible is about the familiar story when Jacob started a journey to meet his brother Esau. While Jacob was on his journey to meet Esau, he received the blessing of God on the way. It is at this point, where Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. When Jacob’s name is changed to Israel, it becomes the starting point of the promised that was given to Jacob and Esau’s grandfather Abraham. Abraham received the promise from God that his seed would be a great nation and in him, all nations of the earth would be blessed. It is in this chapter that we read about the beginning of that nation called Israel. The nation of Israel may not seem to be a great nation. However, there is hardly a news channel that broadcasts internationally, that does not, nearly daily; broadcast some news concerning what is happening to the nation of Israel. Israel today is constantly the focus of much of the modern world.

This morning I want us to examine how Jacob entered in to those blessings that were promised to Abraham. With that in mind, we will then learn what me must do in order to experience the blessings of God both in our lives personally and within the Body of Christ. The scripture here reveals three things in Jacob’s life that caused Jacob to receive Gods blessing. First, Jacob faced his fears and began to make recompense for the past. Secondly, he entrusted everything he had to God in obedience to him. Finally, Jacob grabbed on to God and would not let go until he had received that blessing that he knew was in store. These three things that Jacob did are exactly what we must do in order to have the blessings of God in our life.

I. We must face our fears and made recompense for the past.

A. Jacob had upset many people and burned many relational bridges in his lifetime.

1. Sometimes this was achieved through no fault of his own and at other times, this was because he practiced deceit.

2. However, one thing that Jacob had always done was run away from his problems.

3. Esau had sold Jacob his birthright, as the first-born son of Isaac.

4. However, when Jacob realized that it was Esau who was going to win his fathers blessing, he, in collaboration with his mother, tricked Isaac into ensuring that he got the blessing over his brother.

5. Realizing that he had outraged his brother, Jacob ran to his uncle Laban.

B. After 20 years of relative peace, Laban and his sons fall out with Jacob after Jacob had become increasingly powerful.

1. God tells Jacob to go back to his homeland, but instead of parting company properly from Laban, Jacob just runs away again.

2. In fact, Jacob and Laban have only just made amends as we reach the start of chapter 32.

3. Up to this point in scripture, Jacob has spent his life running away from problems and they are finally starting to catch up on him.

4. Jacob is running out of places to run.

C. In the chapter of our text, we are beginning to see a different Jacob.

1. Jacob is now confronting his problems instead of running from them.

2. Jacob intends to make up with his brother after twenty years of hurt.

3. Jacob is scared to death and yet in obedience to God, Jacob is putting the past right.

4. In our text, we can tell that Jacob is not expecting a good reception by the fact that he sends out gifts ahead of him.

5. It is no coincidence that while Jacob is attempting to make amends with his brother that God meets with him.

6. God is faithful and ensures that his brother is pleased to see him.

7. Jacob’s fears were unfounded, and in chapter 33, we find the reunion of these two men.

8. Genesis 33:1-4 (NASB) 1Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

D. The first reason that Jacob entered into Gods promises at this point, was that he faced up to his fears and the problems that he had caused himself in the past.

1. When Jacob finally met his brother again, he found that Esau wanted him back.