Text: Genesis 32:1-32
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31 And as he passed over Peniel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.
Peniel means ‘face of God’ or ‘a turning point’. It is the location immediately by the Ford of Jabbok, which means ‘a pouring out, a wrestling or emptying’.
Peniel was the place where brightness shone on Jacob, having wrestled throughout the night with an angel of God and his life was not only preserved; his destiny was re-made.
It was at Peniel that God changed the name of Jacob to Israel: Jacob means ‘to follow, be behind, or to surplant. This was changed to Israel, which means ‘to triumph with God, to struggled with God or to prevailed with God’.
It was here that God helped Jacob to prevail over death that his brother Esau had pronounced upon him 20 years before;, such that instead of Esau destroying Jacob and his family, Esau welcomed and helped them to settle in Canaan.
As we commence this new year of 2021. I am asked by God to welcome you to your Peniel. This very year shall mark a turning point in your destiny in Jesus name.
You might have poured out and poured out in the years before now; it could be that you are wondering and asking when will it be my turn to be poured into?
You might have even wrestled with situations or powers in the last years. Maybe you have kept emptying for most of the years before now.
Can I welcome you on behalf of the Spirit of God to your Peniel, the year 2021? This shall be your year of shinning in Jesus name.
In this year 2021, your life shall not only be preserved by God; you shall experience Divine re-making. The core and specifics of your destiny shall experience a Divine makeover in this year in Jesus name.
Any unpleasant thing still hanging to your destiny is hereby removed. Whatever is causing you anxiety or giving you concern shall be visited and solved by God this day.
This year 2021, your nomenclature will be changed by God. From being behind, you shall be promoted to the front. The countenance of God will light on you. You will see ‘the face of God’ and yet live in Jesus name.
There are many people in the Bible who were faced with either unprecedented challenge, uncertainty, imminent threat, bewilderment etc. and as soon as they got to their Peniel, they experienced a supernatural encounter that transformed their destinies.
You too are entering your Peniel today in Jesus name!
The Bible tells us that Solomon became the King of Israel at the age of 20. It was a huge responsibility, an unprecedented challenge. There were senior sons of David, who were a threat to Solomons’ reign eg. Adonijah.
There were also notable and influential personalities in the kingdom who were not inclined to Solomon coronation (the likes of Joab, Abiathar, Shemei).
Solomon was not a respectable warrior like David his father; there were many nations under Israel’s rule at the time that could regain freedom under a weak king. So, in many ways, Solomon was disadvantaged to sit on the throne of Israel.
Solomon, however, had his own Peniel experience that helped him to rule peacefully for 40 years. His Peniel was in Gibeon.
Solomon knew that Moses had seen the face of God in Gibeon before where the Tent of the Tabernacle was built, so he was of the opinion that he also could experience the same if he goes there to worship God.
In 2 Chronicles 1:4-12, after Solomon ascended the throne, there were many high places in Jerusalem that he could have gone to offer sacrifice to God, but he chose to travel to Gibeon, six miles away with all the animals meant for the sacrifice (1000 Bulls).
When Solomon had finished the burnt sacrifice, he went to sleep, that night he truly saw ‘the face of God’, he experienced his Peniel. God came to him and told him to ask whatever he wanted. Solomon asked for exceptional wisdom and knowledge to govern the people of God.
God was so pleased with his request that He gave him all the other things Solomon could have asked for and did not: riches, wealth, honour, the life of his enemies, long life etc.
In Gibeon Solomon had a destiny makeover, God gave his wisdom and knowledge that could not be matched by anyone, with that wisdom and knowledge he was able to keep the kingdom internally peaceful and prosperous; and also free from any external aggression (1 Kings 4:24-34).
There is someone listening to me now, what you need in order to experience your Peniel is exceptional wisdom and knowledge from God. May God bestow that upon your life today.
The sort of wisdom that cannot be matched nor exceeded will be given to you by God.
The sort of knowledge that will make you to stand out wherever you go, may it be given to you by God in Jesus name.
There is someone listening to me, you know that you do not qualify or merit the position you have been given to occupy. You are not sure how you will manage or retain the position. The supernatural wisdom and knowledge to excel is being supplied to you by God right now in Jesus name.
In Genesis 12:1-3, God told Father Abraham to leave his nation, kindred and his Father’s house and proceed to a nation that He would show him and that He will bless him in that land, make his name great and make him a blessing. Abraham believed God and departed. Even as he stepped out to obey God, a number of unpalatable things still happened to him.
As he proceeded on the journey, they got to Haran where his Father died, on getting to Canaan, the first thing that met him was a famine (Genesis 12: 9-20), hence they migrated to Egypt. God used that migration to bless him greatly.
As he returned to Canaan, there ensued disagreements between his herdsmen and his nephew – Lot’s herdsmen, so they had to separate, to avoid fighting (Genesis 13:1-12).
Lot chose to dwell in the rich plains of Sodom, while Abraham continued to reside in the dry regions of Canaan.
It was at this point that God officially welcomed Abraham to Canaan, his own Peniel (the face of God (Genesis 13:14-18).
There is someone listening to me, you know you are doing the will of God, but somehow you are yet to experience His promises made to you, don’t lose hope. Your Peniel is not far from you.
There is another person, instead of God’s promise of multiplication, you are still few, instead of a land flowing with milk and honey, you are still dealing with dryness and drought, don’t be perturbed. In that same place, your Peniel will commence in Jesus name.
There is someone listening to me, you have made great sacrifices to follow God’s word, yet your experiences are not yet in line with what you should be getting. You are only passing through a trial, you shall get to your Peniel eventually.
God will bless you and make you a blessing. Your name shall be great. Those who bless you, the Lord shall bless. Those who curse you, the Almighty God shall curse. Many inhabitants of the world shall be blessed through you in Jesus name.
The bible says that the blessings of God makes rich and add no sorrow. There is someone here, the provision of God to you is trying to become a disagreement between you and somebody you love. God will grant you the wisdom to settle the matter in Jesus name. That is necessary for you to enjoy your Peniel in peace.
Isaac the son of Abraham also had a Peniel encounter, where God blessed him exponentially. He was staying in Canaan when another famine began during his time (Genesis 26: 1-33).
Isaac intended to migrate to Egypt as his father had done and people would have done at that time. God, however, instructed him to dwell in Gerar. At this place, in very austere time, Isaac experienced his Peniel, he sowed in the land in spite of the famine, when the farmers were holding on to their precious seeds, in that same year, God made him to reap a 100-fold return.
The Lord blessed him, he waxed great, and went forward and grew great until he became very great. For he had possessions of flocks, herds, a lot of servants and the Philistines envied him!
The King of Gerar had to admit that Isaac was greater than them!
There is someone listening to me now, you shall encounter the ‘face of God’ today.
Today’s encounter shall transform your life such that whatever you ‘plant’ from today shall yield a 100-fold return in Jesus name.
There is someone listening to me, you are planning to run to an ‘Egypt’ where everybody is going because of a certain famine and drought. God asked me to inform you that He will tell you the ‘Gerar’ where you should dwell. In that Gerar, if you stay there; God will make you an envy of many in Jesus name.
There is another fellow, I am asked to tell you not to be afraid to sow your ‘seed’. Its famine quite alright, the ground is parched and there is no sign of rain. The moisture that your ‘seed’ needs to germinate and grow will be supplied by God Himself. Sow your seed in faith, supernatural bumper harvest awaits you in the end in Jesus name.
The year 2021 will be your season of unparalleled harvest in Jesus name. It will be an unthinkable harvest that you will not be able to explain or reason.
In Judges 11:1-33, the Bible tells us that when Jephthah’s siblings saw that their Father was dead, they chased him out of their compound because he was a son of a harlot. So, Jephthah left town in shame and was living in strongholds with vagabonds.
A time, however, comes when the children of Ammon declared war against Israel and there was no one to lead Israel to battle.
The Elders of Israel came to beg Jephthah to lead them, he agreed on the condition that he would be their leader, which the Elders had no other choice, but to agree.
It was a huge war as the Ammonites were great in number; God, however, delivered them into the hands of the Israelites.
At Mizpeh, Jephthah had a Peniel experience, the Spirit of God came down mightily upon him, and he became a different being whom the Ammonites could not match in power and strength.
May the Spirit of God rest upon you afresh today.
May God grant you the power that cannot be matched by your adversaries.
May those that have written you off come back to you for help.
May God change the tides and the seasons for the better for you in this New Year 2021.
In Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob first had an encounter that surprised him greatly, as he was running away from his brother Esau. He was alone in the desert and when the night came, he had to sleep to continue his journey in the morning. It was at this place, near Luz that he first saw, ‘the face of God’, a kind of Peniel.
He saw a ladder from earth reaching up to heaven and the angels of God ascending and descending on it. God stood above the ladder and transferred the Abrahamic covenant to him.
There was something remarkable that Jacob said when he woke up in the morning was ‘Surely, the Lord is in this place and I knew it not’.
This shall be the testimony of somebody listening to me now by the end of this year. God will show Himself to you mightily in 2021 in Jesus name.
Huge surprises shall come your way.
God will bless you beyond your imagination.
The precious covenants of Adam, Abraham, David will manifest in your life in Jesus name.
The main message God asked me to pass across to someone listening to me this morning is to welcome you to your Peniel – a turning point for good in your life. A definite point for
Prayers
- Father, make my unfinished businesses in the year 2020 to be perfected in 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- Father, grant me direction in the year 2021; I pray that you will direct me in the name of Jesus. I pray that your Spirit will guide me; I pray that your Holy Spirit and power will protect me in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- Father, I pray that you will show Your mercy upon me in the year 2021; your word says I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy on and compassion on whom I will have it. I pray that among those that you will have mercy upon in the year 2021, I will be one of them in the name of Jesus.
- Every power that limits me in the year 2020, I decree that they are defeated in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. The scripture says, look back the Egyptians you see today; you will see them no more. I pray that every hindrance, every obstacle in front of me, are destroyed in the name of Jesus.
- In every way that I have been disappointed in the year 2020, I decree that I shall be celebrated in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. I shall be blessed beyond measures in the year 2021 in Jesus name.
- For it has been written, “I will do a new thing, now shall it bring forth, for you know it not, I will make a way in the wilderness and a river in the desert”. Father, please begin a new thing in my life in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. I pray for a new dimension of wonders, a new dimension of glory in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- Every power and altar that were raised against my breakthrough in the year 2020, I decree that they are destroyed before me in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. The God of a new beginning will journey with me in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- I decree my spiritual breakthrough in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. The fire of the Holy Ghost destroys every limiting power in my spiritual life.
- Father, go before me and destroy every problem that may want to come my way in 2021 in the name of Jesus. I decree that the difficulties and tribulations of 2020 will not cross over into the year 2021 with me in the name of Jesus.
- I decree open doors of opportunities in the year 2021 for my sake in the name of Jesus. Every closed door of opportunities is opened for me now in the name of Jesus.
- I decree no sickness or disease will cleave to me in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- The scripture says every good idea comes from the Lord. I receive good and great ideas that I need to triumph in 2021 in the name of Jesus. The idea that will announce me to the world, Father, I pray that you release it to me in now in the name of Jesus.
- I decree that the year 2021 will be my year of harvest. Every long year of my labours, I decree bountifully harvest in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus.
- The scripture says, “declare a thing, and it shall be established”. I decree that by God’s mercy, I am free from financial challenges in the name of Jesus.
- I decree that I shall not be embarrassed in the year 2021 in the name of Jesus. Everything that wants to cause me to shame, I decree that it shall be turned around in the name of Jesus.
- I decree that in the year 2021, I will not be frustrated at the edge of my breakthroughs in the name of Jesus. I pray that every power that frustrates people at the edge of a breakthrough, will not have any impact upon my life in Jesus name.
- I decree by the mercy of God; every policy that will be made by Government in the year 2021 will work in my favour in the name of Jesus.
Sermon delivered on January 3rd, 2021.