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Jacob’s 12 Sons: Seasons of Prayer

The twelve sons of Jacob all represent periods of suffering and overcoming in his life and in the lives of each believer.  The meanings of these names give insight to the types of prayer that emerge as a believer matures in intimacy with God and power in prayer.

We need not think the Christian life is a static journey.  Instead, our path through the wilderness and high points of life is filled with ever-changing lessons and ever-increasing revelations of Who God is.

Your flexibility as a ministry leader or follower will determine your longevity.  By staying malleable and teachable before Him, we are shaped like clay more and more to the image He desires.

Some of these seasons are difficult, filled with hardship and strain.  Some are relatively relaxed when our soul, body, and mind can be refreshed and renewed.

Our responsibilities as believers is to discern what season we are in, “hear what the Spirit is saying to the church,” and respond accordingly.  There will be times for war, and times for peace.  Times to do battle in the spirit of vigilant prayer, and other times to enjoy the peace of surrender.  Everything has a season.

Enter into he twelve names of Jacob’s sons and see if you can place yourself somewhere on the continuum.  While these are not necessarily chronological, distinct times of growth, the principles and posture of each name tells us something of the patterns of prayer and faith that come into the lives of all believers.

In June of 2018, I stepped down from a job I love and began rethinking the next move of my career.  God was prompting me for many months to write a book, and at one point I felt He was saying, “If you don’t write this book, you are going to lose you job.”

Well, sure enough the prophecy was self-fulfilled, and God has orchestrated a three month sabbatical where I did nothing but write.  The result is a new book of 150 short devotionals taken from the life of Jacob that will form a book entitled, The Jacob Generation, A guide for pioneers.  

People ask me what the book is about, so I have decided to blog a sample chapter for you to enjoy for free.  Just join me over the next two weeks, and we learn about the 12 names of Jacob’s sons and how they represent seasons we encounter on our journey with God.

The book is really about prayer, so I pray you enjoy these short devotions and share them with others who need encouragement for their next phase of life, work, and ministry.

Gen. 31:21 “He arose and crossed the river.”

 Fording our most treacherous obstacles sets us on the path to destiny.  In the days of Jacob, there were not bridges and highways to move a family easily across country.  The journey back home required significant risks in stepping out, fording, and traveling with little ones and livestock.

When Jacob crosses the river, he cannot go back.  We all need to have moments of commitment that solidify our future and put us in the position of complete dependence on God. 

Ever since I have known Troy, which is over 20 years, he has had a heart for the nations.  When we first became acquainted, we would gather weekly in a large prayer room with a map of the world rolled out on the wall.  Looking up to this map, we would intercede for the nations of the world, call out for God’s purposes, bind the devil, and long for massive mission movements to fill the world with His purposes.

Troy longed to be a part of this movement, but at the time, his commitments to his job and family made it impossible for him to go.  He knew what he wanted from his previous travels with Youth With A Mission where he was introduced to cross-cultural missions, but now was not the time.

Patiently waiting, but still praying, Troy and his family endured some difficult times of preparation as this dream of his was tested again and again.