Program Your Year

Esau exclaimed, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice. First, he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?” Genesis 27:36

Happy New and welcome back to cultivate the word blog! Trust your year has been great so far. Mine had been good and I’m thankful for the opportunity to bring God’s light to you this year.  

In today’s post, I’ll like to talk about how we can program our year and we would be gleaning our lesson from the story of Esau and Jacob. For the longest time, I have always believed Jacob was a deceiver. I think that’s how the story was told to me growing up in Sunday school and honestly that’s how I interpreted it even as an adult. Recently as I read the story again, I couldn’t help but ask the question: Did Jacob cheat Esau? Esau in our text today claimed Jacob cheated him twice. Was that true? 

One day, Esau comes home exhausted. He asks Jacob for some of the stew he was making. Jacob decides he would sell the stew to Esau., but what Jacob wanted in exchange was not something tangible. Jacob asked Esau to give him, his birthright. Esau did not see that as an issue, so with his words, he swore and gave Jacob his birthright. Jacob completed the transaction by giving Esau his stew. 

But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. 

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn. Gen 25:33 -34 

Esau with his words gave Jacob his birthright and Jacob in exchange gave Esau the stew. This was a complete, legal transaction. The exchange was done. This transaction involved words and action. Even though Jacob did not receive anything physically, he knew that a spiritual exchange had occurred. Jacob knew without any physical evidence that he has now taken Esau’s position as the firstborn. 

As far as the spiritual realm was concerned, a transaction was completed which took Esau out of a certain position and placed Jacob in that position: the firstborn son. According to Jewish culture, the Father places the blessing on the firstborn. Based on the transaction that was done, who should receive the blessing? 

Have you ever heard that nothing just happens? That saying is so true. When we look at the life of Jacob we see that because of the trade done with his brother, all the forces were set in motion to make sure the blessing comes to the legal firstborn – Jacob. The spiritual always rules the natural. Because Jacob had attained the position of the firstborn spiritually, there was absolutely nothing Esau could have done to receive the blessing. The spiritual realm rules over the natural, ensuring the blessing is pronounced on Jacob. Isaac did not just go blind; Jacob’s mother did not just happen to overhear that conversation at that moment. No, forces were set in motion to enforce that which has been programmed in the spiritual. 

If this was true for Jacob, then it can be true for us. It means with our words and actions we can program certain realities into our future. We can with our words program blessings into our lives, the lives of our children, and generations to come. We should not live our lives to chance, no we can program realities, 

We also learn that trying to change the physical outcome of things is futile, the physical realm is subject to the spiritual. Therefore, real change occurs in the spiritual. That’s why we pray; that’s why we make decrees, that’s why we walk by faith (actions in response to spiritual realities, not physical realities). Real change is programmed in the spiritual. 

For someone reading this blog post today, I sense you’re in the season of manifestation. Over the past years, you have spoken and acted consistently with the prophetic word God gave you. God says to tell you, you have programmed certain realities through your obedience, and this year, all forces have been set in motion to ensure the manifestation of your prophetic word. I stand in faith with you and decree: God’s word spoken over you shall be made flesh. Your hands will handle the manifestation of all that has been promised you. 

2023 is not just a new year, it’s a new season. It is my prayer that this year we would not speak and make decisions according to the economic situations in the world, but according to God’s word. Remember nothing just happens, be determined to program the outcome of your life! 

Love always 

Obebi