Take By Force

Matthew 11:11–15 (ESV)

¹¹ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

What does it mean to take by force when you are dealing with the things of God? Surely he is not talking about taking a gun or a sword and going and taking as He could easily wipe out the entirety of mankind in a single thought. SO what is Jesus talking about here? Me I think we need to go all the way back to Genesis to find out.

Genesis 32:24–26 (ESV)

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. ²⁵ When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶ Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Jacob has the understand what it means to take by force. It is to desire God and to be blessed by God so much that you are not going to let God until He blesses you. To determine, in your heart, that you are going to be all God wants and you want all God has and no matter what happens, no matter how much pain you go through, you are not letting go till God blesses you with His presence and His touch.

In our society today of sitting down and letting the government do for me we do not understand this kind of desire cause we never have to fight for anything with this type of mentality. We think fighting is getting mad and shooting someone or punching them or whatever. “Father” wonders do you want what He has bad enough to truly fight for it? Are you willing to take His blessing regardless of the broken hip and the limp that you will have for the rest of your natural life cause of it? I can honestly say I am and I am seeking Him more and more each and every day. I pray you will come along with me on this wondrous journey of inspiration and blessing.