In this enlightening episode of Discovering the Jewish Jesus, join Rabbi Schneider as he delves deep into the essence of prayer, highlighting the transformative journey of Jacob. Rabbi Schneider explores the critical role that desperation plays in our prayers and how it aligns with the divine will, bringing us closer to God’s promises. As we examine Jacob’s prayer life, we uncover profound spiritual truths that can empower our prayers to resonate more deeply with God.
Welcome to Discovering the Jewish Jesus. I’m your host, Dustin Roberts. And today, Rabbi Schneider, he’s going to reveal the truth about desperation and the prayers that resonate with God. During seasons of desperation, we can easily fall into prayer being the last option in our tool bag instead of our first line of defense. And that’s why Rabbi Schneider, he wants to talk to you today about the prayers that resonate with God. It’s an important message. And if you missed any of our other messages in this series, you can catch up online. You can also learn more about Rabbi and this ministry by going to our website as well. It’s discoveringthejewishjesus.com. And now let’s get started. Rabbi.
SPEAKER 02 :
We are examining the prayers prayed in the Bible by the patriarchs that walk so closely with God, by the apostles in the New Testament. We’re looking at their prayers and we’re seeing how God answered their prayers. The reason, beloved, that this series is so close to my heart is because we can have confidence that when we know that the prayers that we’re praying move God’s heart, that they’re according to His will, we then can pray with extreme confidence knowing that God both hears these prayers and will answer these prayers. You see, a lot of times when people pray, they’re praying at a very superficial level. And because they’re praying at a superficial level, their prayers have little power. Sometimes people actually pray for things that are outside of God’s will. So it’s very important to pray according to the will of God. You see, the New Testament tells us that if we ask anything according to his will, we know that he both hears us and that the prayers that we’re requesting are being answered. And so by looking once again, at the prayers that were prayed by the patriarchs that the prayers that were prayed by david and the other writers of scripture these ones that walk closely with god these ones that god love we know that when we’re praying for similar types of things we know then that god hears us at these prayers move his heart and we can be confident that these prayers are being answered even now. I want to continue by looking at the prayer life of Jacob in chapter 32 of the book of Genesis. Now, Jacob is someone that God really loved. In fact, Paul tells us in the book of Romans, Jacob have I loved, the Lord said there, yet Esau have I hated.” So first of all, when we begin to consider the prayer life of Jacob, we can be confident that this Jacob was one that the Lord really loved. Secondly, I want you to hear this, that your relationship and my relationship is with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the God and the Father of Jacob, He’s your God. Now, I want you to consider this about Jacob. Jacob lived much of his life not being a morally outstanding person. In other words, we know Jacob’s history. His name actually means the supplanter because he tried to grab a hold of Esau when Esau was coming out of the womb first. Remember, they were twins. And not only do we see that Jacob had kind of this name of being a usurper or supplanter, But Jacob also, beloved, we know deceived his father by walking into his father’s tent and telling his father that he was Esau, thereby stealing the birthright from his older brother Esau. And so this Jacob was one that was kind of a slippery character. And yet here was this one that was not perfect, that was a bit of a character with some major flaws, and yet God still loved him. Because the Bible tells us in the book of Titus, it’s not by deeds of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy. And God’s mercy was on Jacob. So let’s move forward now, knowing that even as you’re not perfect, Jacob wasn’t perfect. And even as God heard Jacob’s prayers, he hears your prayers in the Lord Jesus, because your father is the same father that Jacob had. Our God, beloved ones, is the father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the God and father of the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re going now to the Torah. The word Torah stands for the first five books of our Bible. We often call it the Pentateuch. And we’re going to the first book in the Torah. It’s called the book of Bereshit or the book of Genesis, which means beginnings. We’re going to the 32nd chapter. We’re going to begin there at the 24th verse. Remember, Jesus said, you have not because you ask not. So let’s use these prayers that we’re examining as an inspiration to become more aggressive in our prayer life, asking God for more, believing God for more. And as you do, you’re going to receive more. Jesus said, pray without ceasing. Beloved, prayer is to our spirit only. what the air is to our physical body. Prayer is the lifeline that we have to God. Prayer is communication. Prayer is a reaching out to God and God reaching out to us. We need to live a life of ceaseless and continuous prayer and now we’re examining what our prayer life should look like so that we can have confidence that the prayers that we’re praying are prayers that God is hearing and that God is answering. God loves you today. and he’s gonna use this broadcast, beloved, to encourage you and to strengthen you in your walk with God. Let’s begin. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh, so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, let me go, for the dawn is breaking. But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. So he said to him, what is your name? And he said, Jacob. He said, your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel. For you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed. Then Jacob asked him and said, please tell me your name. But he said, why is it that you ask my name? And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, I have seen God face to face, and my life has been blessed. So let’s put this in context. Here is Jacob. Jacob needs to get a hold of God because Jacob is running for his life. He’s about to meet his brother Esau, and he’s terrified of what’s going to happen when he meets his brother Esau. He had been estranged from his family. He was alone in the world without God. Jacob needed God, and he knew he needed God. Why did Jacob pray, I’m not going to let you go? unless you bless me. Why? Listen, beloved ones, because he was desperate. There’s the first key to understand how to be blessed. He walked away with a new name. He walked away with a different confidence. He walked away with a different destiny. And you know what was the foundation of it? He was desperate. He said to God, I’m not going to let you go unless you bless me. You see, Jesus said, blessed are those that hunger and thirst, for theirs is the kingdom of God. God will answer us when we’re desperate. God is going to answer us, beloved ones, listen now, according to our desperation. How desperate are you? I just pray, Holy Spirit, that you would move over the hearts and souls and minds of your people right now and give them a spirit of desperation. You see, Jesus said, violent men take the kingdom of God by force. This holy violence that takes the kingdom by force, it’s a form of spiritual desperation. It’s the type of heart that Jacob had when he said, I’m not going to let go unless you bless me. We have to get to the place where we say enough is enough. I’m tired of leading a life that’s lukewarm. I’m tired of leading a life that’s not in victory. I’m tired of leading a life that’s up and down. I declare that I must walk in victory. Father, I’m desperate. I will no longer settle for a life that’s average. I am not going to let go unless you bless me and I live in victory because of your power and blessing on my life. Beloved, the foundation of Jacob’s prayer was a prayer of desperation. How many of you are at a place where you mean business with God, that you’re desperate? I want to ask you just to get on your knee, and if you’re desperate with God, I want you to say to Him like Jacob said, Father God, I’ve come to the end of my life on my own. Father, I ask you to give me the heart of Jacob. Father, a heart of desperation, a heart of spiritual resolve. a heart that won’t let go until I’m blessed, a heart, Father, that has the faith to believe that I will be blessed and can be blessed if I won’t let go. Father, I mean business with you. Father, I repent before you in dust and ashes. Father, as I’m on my knees before you right now, I ask you to bless me, Father God, that I would rise from this place and lead a life that’s in union with you, a life that’s not up and down, a life that’s empowered, a life that’s walking in victory, a life that’s transparent before you and men. Father God, like Jacob, I love you, and I’m taking a hold of you right now by faith, and I’m declaring from my heart of hearts, I will not let go unless you bless me. In Jesus’ name. Well, brothers and sisters, I am confident that some of you right now just received a touch from God. There’s a new level, a new strength, a new anointing, a new empowerment that’s come into your life from simply doing just what Jacob did, coming to a place of desperation, coming to a place of faith. You see, the second foundation of Jacob’s prayer, in addition to being desperate, beloved, he had faith. How do I know he had faith? He had faith that God would bless him. He had faith that his life could be better. And not only did he have faith that there was a God, but he had faith that this God that is, is a God that blesses. So look what Jacob said once again. He said there in verse number 26, I will not let you go. unless you bless me.” That took faith. He didn’t wonder whether God would bless him. He didn’t wonder whether God could bless him. He knew God could bless him and would bless him if he would just demand it by faith. You see, in order to receive from God, we have to put a demand on God. I’m not talking about the fact that we can control God. But we know who God is and we have to have enough faith to put a demand on God to say to him, I believe this is who you are. I believe this is what you said. I believe I can have what you said I can have and I’m not going to let go of you until I’ve received it. This takes faith. This takes faith. People that receive from God believe that he is and that he’s a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. So the second foundation of Jacob’s prayer was faith.
SPEAKER 03 :
You’re listening to Discovering the Jewish Jesus and Rabbi will be right back. But first, did you know that you can receive real-time encouragement straight from Rabbi through text message? Visit discoveringthejewishjesus.com and click on the link that says Rabbi Text Me or you can text the keyword Rabbi to the number 88777. Rabbi sends these special text messages as the Holy Spirit leads and he looks forward to connecting with you real soon. Did you know that this ministry is all about preparing the way for the inevitable return of King Jesus? Well, it’s true. And we’d love for you to partner with us in this life-changing mission today. Together, we will change lives, not just locally, but all over the world. To support this team, call 800-777-7835. That’s 800-777-7835. Or you can visit us online at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. And now here’s Rabbi Schneider.
SPEAKER 02 :
Let me ask you, what do you think about God? Do you think that God is distant? Do you think that God is arbitrary? Do you think that you can’t count on God? Are you unsure of what God will do and what God won’t do? So you don’t really walk with an anticipation of being blessed? You don’t really have the type of faith that rises up in you and takes a hold of Jesus’ word? Jesus said… If the Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed. Do you have the type of faith that says, Jesus, I believe that in you I’m free. I believe that through you I can walk in freedom. I believe that through you I can walk in victory. You see, the Bible says that we can reign in life in this life. through Christ Jesus. If you have faith in God’s word, that Jesus is who he said he is, if shame has been broken off your life because you know that you’re accepted in him through his blood, then you’re going to rise up on the inside like Jacob did and say, Lord, I’m taking hold of your word. I believe you meant what you said. I believe you are who you say you are. I believe that I can have what your word says I can have. And Father, I take a hold of you now. I refer refuse to let go. This is mine and I declare I’ll walk in it in Jesus’ name. Father, thank you for it. To God be the glory. Hallelujah. See, this is the type of faith that moves mountains. This is the type of faith that lays hold of what God’s word says we can have and lays hold of, beloved, what God wants to release, but he only releases it through desperation and faith. Jesus said once again, blessed are the poor in spirit. for theirs is the kingdom of God.” What does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means to recognize that we’re empty without receiving His fullness. Jacob, beloved, had faith that he could be blessed. And I also want you to learn with me from this. God’s desire is to bless you. You see, sometimes we take our cues from the world around us. We say, you know what? My mom and dad are Christians, and they’re only living at this level of victory. or I’m looking at other people in my congregation and they’re only living at this level of victory. They still worry a lot, they complain a lot, they fear a lot. That’s all you’ve ever known and some of you are settling for less because you’re putting your bar according to the people around you rather than according to what God’s word says. But the scripture says that we’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, that God has given us a spirit of love and of power and a sound mind, that Jesus said, I have come to give life and give it more abundantly. You see, when you really believe God’s word and that you can have what he says you can have, you’re going to begin to labor for those things. You’re going to begin to contend for those things and you’re going to enter into those things. Now, the fullness, beloved, of peace, the fullness of power, the fullness of blessing. Remember, Jacob said, I’m not going to let go until you bless me. So what is blessing? Blessing for us is every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, the fullness of joy, the fullness of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, the fullness of freedom, the fullness of power in the Ruach HaKadosh and the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t happen, beloved, in a second. But we enter into it more and more and more as we labor, as we press in through prayer. You see, like the children of Israel that drove out the Amorites, the Hittites, the Jezebelites, the Canaanites, and little by little took possession of the promised land as they drove out the enemies. That is a picture of your life and my life in the spiritual sense, that through prayer, We rise up, we drive off the darkness, we break the power of fear, we break the power of lack, we break the power of worry, and as we break it off, we press into eternal life, we press into the Spirit, we press into Jesus, we press into the kingdom of God, we enter into more peace, more love, more shalom, more unity, more power, and more expansion in the kingdom of God. And so we’re pressing in, we’re entering in, and we’re coming into a greater and greater fullness. We’re experiencing what Jacob prayed, the blessing, the blessing, the blessing. But you’ve got to be desperate for it. You’ve got to believe you can have it. And then you’ve got to contend for it in prayer. You see, Paul said, our fight is not against flesh and blood. but against principalities and forces of spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. Jesus said, he that overcomes will inherit these things. So what have we learned today? We’ve learned that God blesses people, not because they’re perfect. Jacob wasn’t perfect, but Jacob had a desire for God. That’s why Jacob was so hungry for his brother’s birthright. So first I want to encourage you today that you may not be perfect, but if you’ve got a desire for God, if you’re hungry for God, you’re qualified. Secondly, we learn today that not only do you have to be desperate for God, and hungry for God. But furthermore, beloved ones, you have to believe that God will bless you and that he’s going to bless you. And so I want to encourage you today as we close this broadcast, not to get weary from the process of laboring and praying, Jesus is going to bring you in to more and more of an experience of abundance in him. Jesus and I have come to give life and to give it, get it now, more abundantly. There’s more for you and there’s more for me. You can be confident that because of your relationship with Jesus, God loves you and his favors on you, even though you’re not perfect. Secondly, you can know this, beloved, that as you reach out to God in faith, believing His Word and contending for the fullness of it to come to pass in your life, you can be confident that you’re gonna enter into the fullness of the life that Jesus purchased for you more and more. Thirdly, I want you to be confident of this. Jacob knew that the God that he was praying to was a blessing God, a God that blessed. The Bible tells us in the book of Ephesians, blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, get this now, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Grace and peace to you, Paul begins all his letters, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to be confident that your God loves you, that he’s fond of you, that in Jesus, his favor is on you, that he’s a God that blesses. Blessed is the blessed one. And I want you to be confident, beloved, that his desire, get it now, is to bless you. Shalom and God bless you, beloved ones. In 1978, when the Lord supernaturally revealed himself to me as Jesus, I was instantly so excited. I started telling everybody about Jesus. I went out and bought a New Testament, started devouring the Word of God. I was going to churches all over the city. And you know what? The only thing that cost me was gas money and the price of buying a Bible. But now that the Lord has raised me up to preach the gospel all over the world through television and on the ground crusades, this cost money. And beloved, I can’t do it without you. The Lord has ordained that the gospel is financed through the finances of his people. I wanna ask you today, if you believe in me, if you believe in this ministry, if you believe the kingdom is being built through this ministry, just sow a financial seed immediately and become a partner with us and you’ll be blessed, beloved, because you’re gonna have a reward for the souls that are being changed in this ministry. Thank you and shalom.
SPEAKER 03 :
Amen. Thanks, Rabbi. And this is Discovering the Jewish Jesus. And I want to encourage you to keep listening. Rabbi is going to be right back shortly with a sacred blessing for you. But first, if the Lord is leading you to financially support this ministry with the gift of any amount, then would you reach out to us today? Call 800-777-7835. If it’s easier for you, just go online to discoveringthejewishjesus.com. You can also send your financial gift in the mail to Discovering the Jewish Jesus, P.O. Box 777, Blissfield, Michigan, 49228. And when you give to support this ministry, we also want to give back to you. So we’ll send you our latest newsletter. It’s an exclusive publication, and it includes details about exciting opportunities and ministry updates, even special teachings from Rabbi and letters from his wife, Miss Cynthia. Plus, you’ll also be able to hear about how your giving is making a huge impact in the earth through testimonies from listeners and updates on our crusades and festivals overseas and so much more. I get it every month myself. And one of the special things I’ve gotten because I’m partnered with this ministry. When you’re a new monthly partner, we’ll send you a handcrafted shofar that’s made in Israel. It’s the same type of instrument that’s going to be blown to announce Jesus’ second coming. And that’s exactly what we want to prepare for by spreading the gospel through this ministry. So thanks so much for joining us, donating, and partnering with us. Just go online to discoveringthejewishjesus.com to connect with us. And thank you, thank you. We really appreciate it. Now here’s Rabbi with the Aaronic Blessing.
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In the Old Testament book of Numbers, we find a blessing God speaks over his children through Moses and Aaron. It carries the idea of favor and expression. Open your heart to the Spirit and the Word today and receive Father’s goodness into your life with confidence.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Shalom.
SPEAKER 02 :
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance. And the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and shalom.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m Dustin Roberts, and this program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus. Join us again next time when Rabbi Schneider continues his study called Prayers that Resonate with God. That’s Friday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
