FUTURE
Press In To Press On #18
Mark Geppert
Jacob had a word. It was a promise personally spoken in a time of wrestling with God. It was a promise that the word of the Lord would keep him through his struggles until he became Israel (surrendered to God.) The Lord watches over His word to perform it. The word that He speaks will not return to Him void, but will prosper in that to which He has sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) Unlike any other, God lives in His word. That which He has spoken to your heart is infallible. Through that word, He has placed in you the ability to be more than a conqueror through His love.
Jacob was not living in the land promised by God. A great famine had brought he and all his family to Egypt to be rejoined with his son, Joseph. The providence of God was employed to guarantee His promise. Joseph had married a priestess in Egypt and they had two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. These two boys would be counted with the Hebrews following the death of their father and Pharaoh, when another king would rise in Egypt who distained the Hebrews and put them to bondage as slaves building the tombs and great cities of the kingdom.
But, God is faithful to the promise He has given. Rabbinical estimates of the time from the death of Joseph to the birth of Moses are 59 years. Add Moses growth and exile and 40 years in Midian and there are about 120 years or 4 generations between the time Jacob leaned on his staff and blessed Ephraim and Manasseh and the Exodus. Then add the sojourn in the wilderness in which the unbelieving generation died, not believing in the promise and the crossing of the Jordan and subjection of the people and finally Joshua releases the promised land to Ephraim and Manasseh.
The promises of God are to us and to our children’s children Somebody in your family prayed. They pressed in to God believing that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Someone, somewhere, at some time lifted you before the Lord. Perhaps a couple generations ago one of your ancestors became the prayer burden of an intercessor. Perhaps the Holy Spirit quickened a word to them through that person. In the generations between things may have looked very bleak; but, here you are prospering in the word that was given. Because of that word, you stand today in the answers to prayers offered to the Lord while you were yet unseen.
Faith is the substance of things not seen. By faith Jacob, drawing himself upon his staff, spoke a blessing over his children’s children. (Heb.11:21) The righteous man stores up an inheritance for his children’s children and the wealth of the ungodly is saved up for the just. (Prov.13:22) The grandchildren of Jacob would inherit a land of prosperity. (Joshua 16,17)
Now we are in the window of time. God has sent us to the earth in this generation. He has ordained good works that we should walk therein. (Ephes. 2:10) He has spoken blessing upon us and a promise for our children’s children. Now is the time to impart those blessings. Press in to God with the faith of Jacob and receive that word. Speak it with all the honor that these little ones give you. Place your hands on their heads and bless them as often as you can. Invest in their continuation of the faith and confidence in the True God who watches over His word to perform it.
You are making the future through your prayers.
Mark
