God gives encouragement to all who go forward into the future – trusting Him.
Remember God’s promises to you from His word.

Jacob was such a man to whom God encouraged to go back to the land of his birth.  In addition to God’s promise, angels of God met Jacob – God’s own army!

He had left home with only a staff; he returned with his large family and great wealth in herds and flocks, camels and servants.

He also needed to face his brother, whom he had deceived twenty years earlier.

Jacob sent a message to Esau.  The messengers returned with some surprising news – Esau is coming with 400 men.

Jacob’s fear was one of great distress; his fear of Esau caused him to divide his family, herds, flocks and servants into two companies.

Jacob’s logic seemed plausible; if Esau comes and attacks one company then the other half of family and wealth will escape.

Jacob’s prayer – Jacob acknowledged God, the God of his father Abraham and God of his father Isaac.  Genesis 32:9

When you pray – how do you acknowledge God?  Who is God to you?

Jacob prayed and reminded God of His promise to him.
Genesis 32:9

What has God promised you in the past? 

What promise of God are you hanging onto – today?

Jacob recognized his own unworthiness compared to God’s lovingkindness and all the faithfulness which He showed to Jacob.  Genesis 32:10

When you pray – do you tell God you recognize His greatness and your unworthiness?  It is faith in and through the Lord Jesus which makes anyone worthy before the greatness of God.

  Jacob continued in prayer, asking God to ‘Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.”
(NASB)Genesis 32:10-11

It is God who delivers us from our enemies…

remember – pray in the face of fear, honesty with God is important.

~ Take it to heart ~

Two promises, of many, are an example of what we can hang onto:
(NASB) Psalm 86:15 “But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.”

(NASB) 1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Remember God’s promises to me – today!
God is merciful, gracious; slow to get angry with me,
abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
God is faithful to me!
God called me into intimate and personal knowledge of Him
through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.