Introduction

Good day to everyone. Let us examine Genesis, chapter 32. Chinese Mingding Destiny often uses the term "prevailing." We often talk about prevailing, to the point that many, when giving testimonies, forget the name of our church, directly calling it the "Prevailing Church." The meaning within the "Prevailing Church" runs through the entire Bible, and it actually originates from the name Israel.

Then the man said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:28)

Life is full of struggles. If you say that believing in the Lord means a life of peace, or that being a good person guarantees a peaceful life, that is not the theme of the Bible. If you desire peace and it comes to you, or if you desire money and it comes to you, that would be easy. Everyone must understand that life is full of struggles, and each struggle determines whether we are prevailing or failing.

Jacob's Life Was Full of Struggles

Do not think that Jacob had an easy life. As Christians, if we want to live a comfortable life, eating and playing as we please, we are mistaken, because Jacob did not live that way. From the time his grandfather Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans and his hometown Haran, life was not easy. His father Isaac's life was also not easy, as he was almost constantly in contention.

Jacob was in contention from birth, and it did not stop until Genesis chapter 32. God told him to return to Canaan, but it was not that simple; the road was not easy. Jacob barely escaped from his uncle Laban's grasp. Laban came after Jacob with a group of servants, brandishing weapons, intending to take them back. Fortunately, God intervened with a dream that foiled Laban's plan.

Laban and his sons originally intended to seize the wealth that Jacob had accumulated, because their attitude towards Jacob had changed, and their thoughts were no longer right. This did not seem like the kind of Mingding Destiny that Jacob should have. If you imagine a life of Mingding Destiny as one of peace and joy, you are mistaken. As Christians, whether we like it or not, life is full of struggles, which is why we need God!

Jacob's life, up to this point, had barely escaped his uncle Laban's grasp, and now he was worried about whether his brother Esau's anger had subsided. Jacob sent messengers ahead to Esau, actually to scout the situation. If they returned to Canaan only to be annihilated by Esau and his men, Jacob's life would have been in vain. The news was alarming: Esau was coming towards them with four hundred servants, more than the 318 men Abraham took to defeat Chedorlaomer. Jacob trembled with fear upon receiving the news. Whether I like Jacob's life or not is irrelevant; we do not get to choose it. If I could choose, I would not like it, as it is a life of constant anxiety, but none of us have a choice.

Now, let me pour some cold water on you: if you want to be a Christian, you must prevail! Even if you do not want to be a Christian, there is no other good choice; you still have to prevail, but you cannot prevail on your own. To be a Christian is to be someone with God's presence. God told Jacob to return to Canaan, but waiting for him was the destruction of his family and the loss of all his possessions. He had barely escaped from the clutches of his uncle Laban, only to find himself between a rock and a hard place. How could he not struggle in his heart at this time?

I do not like Jacob's lifestyle, but there is no choice. However, I know there is a path to take, and that path is called prevailing. Chinese Mingding Destiny places great emphasis on prevailing! Those who do not know how to prevail should learn from Jacob; we prevail in the same way Jacob prevailed. When I talk about Jacob, I feel it, because I have a similar feeling to Jacob, often facing crises with wolves in front and tigers behind. My life is in God's hands; without God, I do not know how to live. But even with God, do not think it will be easy. God tells you to do this, but it is not easy to do.

Jacob returned to Canaan, and his brother was coming with four hundred men, not to welcome him, but to seek revenge. With Esau in front and Laban behind, neither advancing nor retreating would spare him from Esau or Laban. That was Jacob's situation; there was no choice but to prevail. Whether you choose to be a Christian or a pastor, you have made the greatest choice, because you will be contending with the devil, the most formidable enemy in the world. Whether you want to prevail or not, there are not many choices. I have concluded that life is full of struggles, and there is no way out except to prevail. Either perish or prevail, and to prevail, you must trust in God.

This Time It Was a Struggle for Life and Death

Not just this time, but every time, it was a struggle for life and death. When Jacob left home, his brother wanted to kill him. When he arrived at his uncle Laban's, he took his uncle's property through miracles. His uncle hated him so much that he gnashed his teeth. If Jacob had not escaped, his uncle would have surrounded him, leaving no one able to escape. According to his uncle Laban, everything belonged to him: his daughters, his daughters' children, and Jacob's livestock. Jacob could not leave and would have to be a slave under him for life, with no reason to argue. In reality, what reason is there to argue in this world? In every life-and-death struggle, know that God is in control.

In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the other can escape.” (Genesis 32:7-8)

You may think this is not a good solution, but when you cannot defeat the enemy, you can only divide the risk in half, losing half is better than total annihilation. But this trick is not very effective, and he still does not feel at ease. Facing life and death, Jacob struggled greatly in his heart. Returning would violate God's word, but going forward would mean facing an unbeatable enemy.

Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Save me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will attack me and kill both me and my wives and children.” (Genesis 32:9-11)

Does this prayer seem to lack faith? Many people look down on Jacob, thinking that a prayer of faith should be one where you pound your chest and say that you are invulnerable. However, Jacob's prayer is real. Facing this dilemma, he asks God to save him from Esau's hand. If Esau kills Jacob and his wives and children, then giving Jacob so much would be in vain.

But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” (Genesis 32:12)

A person is ruined without God's promise. If you want to pray, declare God's promise, because God has promised us. If God does not allow it, not a single hair will fall from your head, but you must be a prevailing person. To the north of Jacob was his uncle Laban's house, and to the south was Canaan with his brother Esau. If Jacob had chosen to go east at this time, like his grandfather Abraham's other sons, who went east, or if he had gone west, any piece of land would have been a burial place, but those were not the paths God had arranged. This time, facing a life-and-death struggle was no joke. Continuing forward meant facing Esau's 400 men, who were sharpening their swords, waiting to strike. He had to either keep and follow God's word, facing life and death, or become a deserter.

In fact, there are many Christian deserters. I often hear Christians say, "God, I am tired. I want to retire and rest." Where in the Bible is there any logic of retiring and resting? Jacob did not think of waiting until his brother Esau died before returning to Canaan. Otherwise, when he wanted to return to Canaan, God might not let him return.

To live in God's will is also a life-and-death struggle, because there are wolves in front and tigers behind, and there is no way to advance or retreat. There is no other way to go except forward, living in God's will. Do not think that I am just saying this casually. To keep and follow God's word, without the love of God and dedicating your life to God's word, you cannot go on. This time, facing a life-and-death struggle, Jacob's prayer was not for anything else but to act according to God's will, believing that God had a good will and plan for him, that God would surely prosper him, and that even if he died, he would act in God's will.

I often encourage everyone to have Jacob's character of prevailing with God and with men. In the midst of life and death, be able to choose God's will and remember God's good promises to us. I know that everyone I serve must either persevere or retreat. But I choose to prevail and move forward no matter what. No matter what kind of patient or situation, as long as I have the opportunity to serve, I will never give up. As long as you are willing to seize the path of Mingding Destiny, I will definitely serve you and bring you into prevailing. This is my character.

Every time I talk about Jacob, my eyes well up, because I often have the same feeling as Jacob, that it is not easy to live in God's will. Once, a sister found a pastor, hoping that he could lead her in prayer to prevail. I had served this pastor in the past, when his child was about to die. I went all out to serve him, telling him that as I served him, he should serve others in the future. But when that sister really came to him with a child who was possessed by demons, he said that casting out demons would cost him a great price, and he could not afford it, so he told her to find someone else. Brothers and sisters, I tell you that every time you face a life-and-death struggle, choose to prevail. This is Jacob's character.

I tell you, the demons hate me to death. Some time ago, a sister who came back from Germany to see her mother saw her mother following my prayers, and she asked me if I could pray for her too. It turned out that she had been suffering from migraines since she was a teenager, and she had suffered too much pain in the past twenty years. Her migraines were very severe, and when they came on, she would bang her head against the wall. I prayed with her for 5 minutes, and she was completely relieved. She was confused as to why many anointed pastors had prayed for her without success, and all the healing and deliverance conferences she had attended had not worked, but why did it work with me? Because I am Jacob, and I have a prevailing character.

Although those people prayed for you, they turned around and left after praying, and whether she got better or not had nothing to do with them. But she was blessed to meet me. If the prayer did not work that day, we would continue to pray the next day. If it still did not work the next day, I would serve her until she was completely healed. As long as she did not give up on herself, I would never give up on her.

After hearing this, do you think this is a kind of character, a character that even demons fear? Later, her mother introduced a brother to us, who was almost blind at the time. This brother is still among us. When he called me, I was driving, so I prayed with him while driving. After ten months of prayer, this brother's eyes were healed. One day, he came to see me with a box of fruit weighing about 30 kilograms. When I drove to the train station to pick him up, he hugged me and burst into tears. I also cried, that a blind man could really see again. That is because there are people with a prevailing character here, who have prevailed with God and with men.

I tell you, serving for ten months is no joke. It really costs a price. I thank God! If you ask me where this character comes from, I do not know if it is a choice made later in life, or if my understanding is clear or not. I only know one thing: this person must be released from the oppression of demons. This is the work and Mingding Destiny that God has given me. So brothers and sisters, I have so many testimonies to tell, just to highlight one thing: prevailing. In fact, there are times when I want to give up, but I gather my faith and continue to persevere.

One year, I was about to lose my job, and I was surrounded by enemies at work. A child with persecutory delusions came to me, and I took him to pray alternately at noon and at night. Fortunately, I was a senior manager, and no one cared if I took people to pray during work hours. One day, I called my family and told them that I could not come home for dinner. My family asked me when it would end. I said, "If it doesn't work today, it will work tomorrow. If it doesn't work this month, it will work in a quarter. If it doesn't work in a quarter, it will work in a year." Because that child wanted to jump off a building and was in so much pain. As a result, on the third night, the demon heard me persevere and said through the mouth of the child with persecutory delusions that it was unlucky to meet me, and the patient was released that night.

Brothers and sisters, do not pursue immediate results. I also followed Chairman Mao's teaching of fighting a protracted war. Sooner or later, the devils will not be able to withstand this strength. This is a prevailing character, because in my heart, I have a glorious Mingding Destiny and a glorious hope. In the future, I will come before Jesus with a lot of achievements, wanting to receive the title of a faithful and good servant. I believe that there is a glorious crown reserved for me in eternity. What does hardship matter? Later, I lost my job. I thank God that I can serve God wholeheartedly.

Someone asked me what to do about finances. It is very hard, with so many mortgages and last year's taxes unpaid. If I tell you that there are no struggles in life, I am lying. Every struggle is recorded in eternity, in the spiritual world. Some people hear this and wonder how I got out of my financial difficulties. There is nothing to be confused about. What you are thinking is the logic of not having God. If God sends down a blessing the size of half a grain of rice from heaven, it will be enough for me to enjoy for a lifetime. Do you believe it?

People Need God's Blessing Too Much

I know deeply that people need God's blessing too much. We will often face struggles, and we cannot compete at all. Without God's blessing, we cannot live this life. People can have nothing, but they cannot be without God.

That night Jacob slept there. When he had selected from what he had with him a gift for his brother Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.” (Genesis 32:13-16)

Jacob also used his own methods to divide the people into several groups, but it did not seem to work after all the effort.

He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’” He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him face to face, perhaps he will receive me.” (Genesis 32:17-20)

Jacob sent people ahead, but he hid himself and did not go. This feeling is very uncomfortable. Letting others go to their deaths while he hides behind the team, according to the flesh, he certainly considers his own safety first. Does he foolishly rush to the front of the team to block bullets? In fact, this is fear of death. How clever he is like a snake, planning and arranging the danger for others and keeping the safety for himself. He also says that everyone should go to the front, and God will surely protect you. When it comes to himself, he stays behind and does not allow others to ask why. He tells others to pray well and fight, and he has to hurry home, otherwise his wife will cause a scene at home. Does this sound familiar? This inner struggle is real. Going is afraid of death, not going is afraid of losing face. Every test of faith is a struggle.

So the gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp. That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. (Genesis 32:21-25)

At this time, a person suddenly appeared in the wilderness, standing in front of Jacob. Could he not know that this was God? Before this, the chapter began by saying that he met God's army and gave the place a name, meaning that he met two. This time, he did not cross the river, and a person appeared, sounding like "Journey to the West."

Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. (Genesis 32:1-2)

God told Jacob to go, but Jacob insisted on not going because he was afraid. After several rounds, Jacob's heart was very tangled. This struggle is something that each of us will have. When I am serving, I often think, "God, I didn't give birth to him or raise him. Why do I feel like I owe him?" It is really annoying.

Later, the demon told me a heartfelt word, telling me not to show off, that I actually hated serving him. The "him" that the demon spoke of referred to the demon attached to the person I was serving, saying that I was serving him. The demon thought that revealing my bottom line would be very powerful. But I am not afraid. Although serving according to my flesh is really annoying and I want to walk away, I do not want to do it according to my own will, but according to God's will. I command this feeling of not wanting to serve to retreat. Do not think that I cannot outwit you. My understanding is still clear.

Jacob wrestled with God, and after a few rounds, he finally understood. When he saw that he could not do it, he would never let go. God gave him a blessing before he was willing to go, so God gave him a blessing. Someone asked what blessing it was that Jacob's leg became lame. Who told him to run so fast with his two legs? After his hip was lame, he could not run with crutches. Before, relying on his two legs was not good, but now he limps in front of the team with crutches. That is God's wisdom, making people no longer rely on themselves. Jacob thought so well that if Esau killed the first team, then there would be hope for the future, and he could run away quickly, and Esau would not be able to catch up. Now he cannot run, and he can only rely on God's blessing. Do not think that it is easy to build up a heart of trusting in God. Trusting in God is a prevailing contest, a contest of faith. Except for trusting in God, it is still trusting in God. Let death be death.

I once preached a sermon called "Faith to Die," but I could not die. One day, I saw my friend lying in a coffin, and I stood next to his wife and said that I had contracted COVID-19 earlier than him. He had Omicron, and I had Delta. Delta is no joke. It really kills people. It was very hard after contracting it, but I did not go to the hospital. Let death be death. But I did not die. I lay there and prayed when I had a little energy. That is how I survived, but my friend did not. After I said this, everyone laughed, saying that I was showing off.

People in this world need God's blessing too much. Relying on their own methods does not work. However, when their own methods do not work, they do not have faith. In the end, they prevailed in wrestling with God and with men. That is a contest of faith. Wrestling with God means that God wants us to walk the path of faith, not to continue to walk according to our own ideas. Later, we surrendered to God, listened to God's word, and acted according to God's will, and we found that we would not die. Our own methods do not work, proving again and again that people need God's blessing too much.

Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:26-28)

How did he prevail? Holding on tightly to God's blessing is called prevailing. From then on, there was a name in heaven and earth called Israel, which means prevailing with God and with men. This sentence is deafening. From then on, a sentence often rings in my heart: prevailing with God and with men.

Victory Brings Blessing

The logic of Chinese Mingding Destiny is very rigorous. Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology of victory; only through victory can blessings be obtained. In the Bible, when have you ever seen a blessing that was not obtained through victory? Abraham offered Isaac, binding his beloved son and placing him on the wood. He truly wrestled within himself: should he obey God's word and offer Isaac, or should he keep Isaac for himself? Do you think the path of faith is so easy? The path of faith is the path of victory, and the path of victory is the path of faith. Are we truly willing to forsake for God? Jesus walked to the cross with faith. It was not that others nailed him to the cross, but that he willingly and gladly allowed himself to be nailed. This is a victory!

I earnestly hope that after listening to my sharing, brothers and sisters will have a victorious character, seeing through life and death, and obtaining blessings in eternity. Although I cannot explain it clearly, I am very clear about one thing: without God, people cannot go on in this world. If living is only for the small matters of this world, entangled in disputes and calculating gains and losses, life is not very meaningful.

We must emulate Jacob. His brother took all his father's property, but Jacob's wealth came from his God. Esau's wealth came from taking advantage of being the eldest son, selling his birthright to Jacob. Later, his brother took away Jacob's property, but Jacob did not care at all, because he lived by trusting in God.

Without faith, how can there be victory? Without victory, how can there be blessings! Faith must be built on the foundation of eternity, and only through victory can blessings be obtained. Everyone must deeply imprint this sentence in their minds. Do not always say, "Why have I not been blessed yet? Why have I not obtained anything yet?" God wants to ask you, "When will you be victorious?" Your mind is only thinking about blessings. With your petty ways, always suffering defeats, how can you obtain blessings? God is just about to give you blessings, and you are defeated, your mind full of worldly logic.

Therefore, brothers and sisters must know that without victory, you truly cannot obtain blessings. If you want to be victorious, emulate Jacob. From Genesis to Revelation, only those who are victorious receive blessings. Have you been victorious? Facing the struggles of life, perhaps your struggle is your children, your family, your business, or your father's property. There is really nothing to fight over; only victory is the way!

Jacob's Victory

Do not think that Jacob was victorious all of a sudden, as if with a snap of the fingers. We had five children in our family. When I was young, someone told my mother they wanted to eat fried dough twists. My mother pinched the child's cheek and said, "This is a fried dough twist!" The face immediately felt numb and flowery. At that time, the family was so poor that you could hear it. Yet they still wanted to eat fried dough twists. In such circumstances, one must be able to overcome one's own gluttony. Some people, when they study, feel pain all over except for their hair. Then they cannot experience victory. When someone encounters something and cannot explain it clearly, but just babbles nonsense, and does not accept correction, it is difficult to be victorious.

Yesterday, I received a message from a sister. On Sunday, her son and some other children were listening to an English pastor preach on the topic of "Do Not Blaspheme the Holy Spirit." But the pastor never clearly explained what blaspheming the Holy Spirit actually means. If a church does not cast out demons, they themselves are blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and these children were defending that pastor. We often face various struggles. Are we able to be victorious within? Although some of the examples I give may not be so fitting, the struggles and wrestling you experience in that situation are very real. If we are willing to forsake for God, we will obtain.

How did Jacob achieve victory? From a young age, he pursued the glory of eternity. Actually, what the glory of eternity is, whether being a blessing to all nations on earth can be eaten as food, he could not explain clearly. But he knew that the God of his grandfather Abraham and the God of his father Isaac was good. His grandfather and father both made covenants with God, and his mother married his father for the sake of destiny and gave birth to him. His brother Esau did not value this destiny, did not value the birthright, which Jacob finally obtained with great difficulty. You ask, what is the use of Jacob obtaining the birthright? It seems to be filled with even more struggles.

Jacob has overcome his brother, his uncle Laban, and even the strife in his own family throughout his life. His four wives quarreled, but only when he was leading Leah, Rachel, their children, and livestock away from Laban's house did they finally unite. Jacob overcame his own struggles many times. God wanted him to pass, but he did not want to pass. Finally, he wrestled with God until he surrendered, and then rushed to the front of the line. I want to tell everyone that Jacob's victory is a faith of "die if I die," and it is normal to suffer a little hardship and endure a little pain. Brothers and sisters, do not think that this kind of suffering and enduring pain is the same as the suffering and enduring pain of being cursed. This kind of suffering and enduring pain is filled with God's glory, and in the spiritual world, it can shake the power of the devil. This is what our God wants.

Conclusion

I encourage everyone to be a victorious people. If you cannot see through the small matters of living in this world, you will not value God. If you do not value God, if you do not put God in the most important place in our lives, you will not be able to be victorious. Because you still have many of your own pursuits, many entanglements.

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while, and then when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Mark 4:14-19)

People give up when they suffer a little persecution. That is all defeat. Start with courage and never retreat! There is an English word called "retreat," which translates to "withdraw to cultivate." There is no "retreat" in the Bible; every time, it is to rush forward! In my confusion, it includes retreats. You may not know what a retreat is, because our church does not have them, but those who come from other churches know. The church invites a speaker, arranges three to five days to hide in a hotel to eat, drink, and have fun, and everyone listens to a sermon together. That is called a retreat. That is called a retreat camp, and after the retreat, they enter into ruin!

Once, two sisters went to a retreat. To save money, they stayed in the same room. One could not sleep with the lights off, and the other could not sleep with the lights on. They argued over whether to turn the lights on or off, and the two sisters quarreled incessantly. That is not called a retreat; that is called a debate on Mount Hua. But our church pursues victory, not retreats, not being idle and going to hotels to eat, drink, and have fun.

Let us begin to wrestle with God and with men and prevail. Whatever the cost, we must walk in God's will, not according to our own will, but according to God's will.

May God bless everyone!

Genesis Chapter 32 Scripture

32:1 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
32:2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,
32:4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.
32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
32:6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”
32:7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies,
32:8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape.”
32:9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’
32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
32:11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.
32:12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
32:13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,
32:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
32:15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
32:16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.”
32:17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’
32:18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And he is behind us.’”
32:19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him,
32:20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”
32:21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
32:22 That night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
32:24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
32:25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
32:26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
32:27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
32:28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
32:29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
32:31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip.
32:32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the hip socket of Jacob on the sinew of the thigh.