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Faith That Will Not Let Go, March 22
And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Genesis 32:26
.
You who love to speak of the faults of others, arouse, and look into
your own hearts. Take your Bibles, and go to God in earnest prayer. Ask
Him to teach you to know yourself, to understand your weakness, your
sins and follies, in the light of eternity. Ask Him to show you yourself as
you stand in the sight of Heaven. This is an individual work.... In humility
send your petition to God, and do not rest day nor night until you can
say, Hear what the Lord hath done for me—until you can bear a living
testimony and tell of victories won.
Jacob wrestled with the Angel all night before he gained the victory.
When morning broke, the Angel said, “Let me go, for the day breaketh.”
But Jacob answered, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” Then
his prayer was answered. “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob,” said
the Angel, “but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with
men, and hast prevailed” (
Genesis 32:26-28
).
We need the perseverance of Jacob and the unyielding faith of Elijah.
Time after time Elijah sent his servant to see if the cloud was rising, but
no cloud was to be seen. At last, after seven times, the servant returned
with the word, “There ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s
hand” (
1 Kings 18:44
). Did Elijah stand back and say, I will not receive
this evidence; I will wait till the heavens gather blackness? No. He said,
It is time for us to be going. He ventured all upon that token from God
and sent his messenger before him to tell Ahab that there was the sound
of abundance of rain.
It is such faith as this that we need, faith that will take hold and will not
let go. Inspiration tells us that Elijah was a man subject to like passions
as we are. Heaven heard his prayer. He prayed that rain might cease, and
there was no rain. Again he prayed for rain, and rain was sent. And why
should not the Lord be entreated in behalf of His people today? O that the
Lord would imbue us with His Spirit! O that the curtain might be rolled
back that we might understand the mystery of godliness!
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