Genesis 32:27-28 “And he said unto him What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
At this point we have on record that God had at various times spoken to Jacob. It was not as if God had suddenly developed amnesia to have forgotten Jacob’s name neither was He meeting him for the first time. He had known Jacob before and He knew exactly what he was called. But He still asked what his name was. In other words it was like God asking him what he knew about himself – what is your true identity? He asked him: what do you called yourself because it means God actually detected that there was a problem in the identity of Jacob. Jacob was suffering from identity crisis. And quite a number of people are suffering from identity crisis because of their experiences in life occasioned by the influence of the people around them. Somebody might be wondering; what’s in a name? Why was God interested in wanting to know what Jacob called himself? Is a name important? It may interest you to know that God wants to know if you truly know your name. The same question is being asked of you today: what’s your name?
One of the greatest discoveries you will ever make outside of knowing Christ is to discover who you really are. Every time man names you he always cuts you shorter than you ought to be. They package you smaller and never packaged you full. They named Abraham, Abram and left the ‘ham’. Abram means ‘exalted father’ (sounds like ceremonial father to me) while Abraham means ‘father of many nations.’
Naming ministry started from Adam. Adam named everything created by God. The Bible says whatever Adam called anything that was the name thereof. So be very careful what people call you because what they call you may become permanent. Adam had a lot of inspiration before his fall but I don’t know how much inspiration he had after his fall. Are you still wondering what’s in a name?
A name is a mission statement. Your name is a summary of your destiny. Your name is a description of what you are likely to be. That is why God is interested in the issue of names. If they call you a stone, change it because you may become so dense you cannot help anybody.
God did not intend for man to name you. Every time man names you, he misses it because it is only the manufacturer that can best name or describe his product. Man didn’t make you; man cannot tell who you are. They cannot know what you can do; they cannot know what you cannot do because it’s only the manufacturer that knows what he has made, and how best it can be used. That was why God showed up in the life of Jacob because He made him. He introduced him to him. When you need any information about yourself go to your manufacturer He has the details. Your manual is with Him. He knows you inside out.
Parents generally name their children according to their experiences. The names of their children are either pages in their history or pages in their destiny. Parents name their children based on where they were when the children were born or the circumstances they want to capture in their history. When Joseph wanted to name his children, the firstborn was a page in his history. He called him Manasseh- for God had made me forget all my toil and my father’s house. Did that name have anything to do with the boy himself? No! But it had everything to do with the parent! What had the boy to do with the history of his father? And when he delivered the second son, he called him Ephraim-I am fruitful- his future. Manasseh was a page in his history while Ephraim was a page in his future. Parents always want their children to live the life they could not live. They want you to marry the person they couldn’t marry; they want you to become the doctor they couldn’t become; they want you to become the lawyer, engineer they couldn’t become. This is why parents tell their children the kind of people they want them to be. They don’t care what God wants them to be. As far as they are concerned, you are the extension of their lives. And as such they want to name you according to their own desires.
Notice that God did not take that risk with most people he used. He named Isaac, John and Jesus. He re-named Abram, Sarai and Jacob. He gave Gideon his new identity.
That was why God did not leave the naming of Jesus His Son in the hands of men. He (God) called Him Jesus meaning He shall save His people. I told you before that your name is a mission statement.
Everything and everyone God made is useful.
We may be different in size, shape and function but we are all important. Your content is more important than your colour.
You came naked but not empty
We came into the world naked but not empty. We came with potential (everyone came with great potential for greatness), we came with purpose, and we came with promise to get to the right position. But you need to be in the right place with the right people; go through the right process, with the right plan and pay the right price.
Men don’t stop giving you names after you are born. Have they called you names before? Do you know one interesting thing? Somebody who was singing your praise yesterday can be giving you names today. They only name you depending on the prevailing circumstances. The day they like you, they give you pet names. The day they hate you, they give you horrible names. But what bothers me is that you begin to behave the name they call you. Even Jesus as anointed as He was, was given names. They refused to call Him the name God gave Him and called Him the one they felt appropriate for Him. What names have they given to you? Close your ears to them!
What do you call yourself? I am not concerned about what people call you because that doesn’t count like what you call yourself. This is why you have to be very careful who you hang around with because you may eventually accept what they call you.
You are a prince; you are a winner; you are blessed! Your story is just unfolding. Things change and things will change for you, in Jesus name!
Have a blessed week.
Bishop Dr. Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l. Website: www.dayspringcmi.org e-mail: [email protected] Help line: 08035150515
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