Prayer Journal: October 16, 2025
19. Jan. 2025 Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 1st Service
Scripture Reading: Genesis 32:23-32
▣ Introduction
Thank you.
1. The gospel – Christ
I had lived a life of faith since childhood, but there had been absolutely no answer to my prayers. One day, I came to know the gospel. I came to know the word Christ.
1) The true prophet who opens the way to meet God
I came to know that Christ is the true prophet who opens the way to meet God.
2) The true priest who blocks all disasters
When I looked around, I came to confirm that He is the true priest who blocks all disasters.
3) The true king who destroyed the authority of Satan
I came to realize that He is the true king who destroyed the authority of Satan.
2. From then on, I gained faith and began to pray – God gave me answers even when I only asked questions in prayer
From that moment, I began to have faith. In fact, that was when I began to pray. During prayer, I asked some questions—many questions, but they were important ones.
1) The reason for not being able to evangelize, and the reason for poverty and sickness
“Why do so many of our adults and churches fail to evangelize? Why are we poor? Why do we suffer because of disease and die without being able to do anything?” That was what I asked. Even when I only asked, God gave me answers.
2) I asked why, although there are so many pastors, churches still close down
When I entered seminary, then university, and later graduate school, I asked another question: why are there so many pastors? Yet why are churches closing down? At that time, God gave me another answer. The church I met then was Immanuel Church in Busan—it was only 12 pyeong (around 40 square meters).
3) The reason God sent me there – The answer of the evangelism movement of the whole region and disciples
There, I asked again, “Why did You send me here?” With the Word of God’s gospel, I began an evangelism movement throughout the entire region. Before long, God sent me disciples who proclaimed the gospel—one thousand, two thousand, three thousand. That was how the evangelism movement began.
4) The reason we must build the temple – The three courtyards
When I came to Seoul, I came to meet Immanuel Seoul Church. Meeting you all, I asked again—just like in Busan and now in Seoul—“Why must we build a temple?” I asked this, and at that time, God gave a truly important answer. I came to confirm the three courtyards that Jesus had become angry about two thousand years ago.
5) Seeing most believers not receiving answers to prayer, my heart began to burn with the gospel and evangelism
Perhaps I saw wrongly, but I came to confirm that most believers were not receiving answers to prayer. I had no solid evidence, but from my observation, I felt that most of the church leaders I met were receiving no answers at all. Some even stopped going to church after attending for a while—there were many. Then what will become of their future? What about their next generation? It’s obvious—they will suffer. What should we do about that? From that moment, my heart began to burn for the gospel and evangelism.
3. Jacob was left alone – The timetable of life resolution, realizing and finding what is important
What is the answer you must take with you today? It is the story of Jacob.
1) The conflict with Esau – The prayer of blessing received by deceiving his father for the birthright
Jacob was born as a twin. It means, “He grabbed his brother’s heel trying to come out first.” Even after being born, he was in conflict and jealousy with his brother. Once, Esau came back from working and hunting outside and asked for some lentil stew. Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright.” In simple words, “Let me be the older brother.” Esau said, “Then I’ll give it.” Later, to receive his father’s blessing, Jacob disguised himself as his brother and received the blessing prayer. Esau found out and decided to kill Jacob. Then Jacob fled with the help of his mother.
2) Bethel – Seeing the activity of angels, receiving God’s promise that He would be with him and bring him back
As he fled, where could he go? He ran to his uncle’s house. His mother told him to go there and gave him a flask of oil. While fleeing, Jacob became so exhausted that he set up a stone as a pillow and fell asleep. In the dream, he saw a ladder reaching up to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God promised Jacob that He would be with him and bring him back. Jacob set up the stone he had used as a pillow, poured the oil his mother had given him—the last of his possessions—and prayed there. That place was called Bethel.
3) His uncle’s house – The fight over possessions
Thus, Jacob went to his uncle’s house, and simply put, he began a full-scale struggle over wealth. Jacob seemed to be a rather peculiar person—he used every means possible to gather wealth. You know the story well—he did all sorts of things to accumulate great riches.
4) Jabbok River – Praying before God and making a life decision
Then Jacob returned home with his wives and sons. But the problem was his brother. He sent many gifts ahead to his brother, along with messages of peace. However, when his brother heard Jacob was coming, instead of rejoicing, he came with four hundred soldiers—to kill him. Jacob became terrified. He sent his family ahead and remained alone before God. This was at the Jabbok River. In today’s passage, it says, “He was left alone.” He began to pray before God. We need such an important time—a time of life decision. Jacob had met a complete crisis: he could not go back, and he could not fight his brother either. It was a time of terror. In that place, he prayed before God. “Jacob was left alone” —this does not simply mean being alone. It means Jacob entered into the timetable of realizing and discovering what was truly important.
▣ Main – What Jacob held onto
Today, hold onto the covenant here and ask, what exactly did Jacob hold onto?
1. The fundamental mission (Abraham) – Call your name Israel (to save the world and have victory)
He held onto the fundamental mission given to his grandfather Abraham. God asked, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” God said, “Your name shall be Israel.” It means “one who has struggled with men and with God and prevailed.” In simple words, “Be Israel—the one who saves the world and overcomes.” That was the promise given to his grandfather. The time when one holds onto God’s covenant accurately is the time when history takes place.
1) The covenantal blessing
God told Abraham, “Go to the land I will show you.” Follow the covenant—this is the covenantal blessing.
2) The fundamental blessing
“You will be a source of blessing.” That was the promise. The fundamental blessing. But Jacob lost all this and lived a life of human struggle—“I must do better than my brother.” “No matter what happens to him, I must be blessed. Money is all I need. I must have much wealth.” Those are not wrong thoughts, and indeed he gained much wealth in his uncle’s house. But when he returned, he faced another crisis, and that was when he bowed down before God. “Your name is Israel.”
3) The representative blessing
“Through you” —that was the promise given to Abraham. The representative blessing.
4) The commemorative blessing
“Through your offspring” —that was the commemorative blessing.
5) The irresistible blessing
“No one will be able to stand against you.” The covenant given to his ancestor Abraham was now precisely restored to him. “Your name is Israel.” This is the famous name of Jacob—Israel. It was the time when Jacob gained an important answer and restored what he had lost.
2. The family mission (Isaac)
Even more important is the family mission—the mission given to his father Isaac, now being restored. This is the time of restoring the Word of covenant that God had prophesied in advance—the time of recovering the fundamental mission—and history takes place. Do not worry.
※ God takes 300% responsibility for you.
You may worry a lot, but you don’t need to at all. God doesn’t just take 100% responsibility—He takes 300%. Jacob had been shaken because he did not experience God’s power, but now he became certain.
1) The promise given to the grandfather
The promise to the grandfather: God would make him a victor who overcomes men and God—“You will possess the gate of your enemies.”
2) The promise given to the father
To his father Isaac, God gave the promise that instead of his death, a ram was provided as a sacrifice. At that time, God said, “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” That was the promise from the beginning. God blessed Isaac a hundredfold because world evangelization had to be fulfilled, and gave him the blessing of Rehoboth.
3) Genesis 25:23 – Confirming that God had chosen Jacob from the beginning
In Genesis 25:23, we see that God had chosen Jacob from the beginning: “The older will serve the younger.” God called you here as one specially chosen. There is no reason for Esau to be upset about that. God specially called and used Jacob. That is what He is confirming now. So, restore the fundamental mission and the family mission.
3. The mission given to me
What is even more important? It is to restore the mission that God has given to me—this is the timetable of the Jabbok River.
1) God can answer you (Luke 18:1–8)
Pray to the end. This doesn’t merely mean “don’t give up,” but it is about assurance. It’s not simply “if you pray to the end, you’ll receive an answer.” Rather, it means God can answer you. “If You do not answer, I cannot rise from here.”
2) God sent His angel, blessed Jacob, and gave him strength
What happened then? “God sent His angel.” In fact, Jacob wasn’t wrestling with a man. Though it is expressed as wrestling, God sent His angel to bless Jacob and give him strength.
3) He gave him the name Israel
There, God gave him the name Israel—meaning he could overcome.
※ Three things to find – The fundamental mission (Genesis 12:1–3), the family mission (Genesis 22:17–18), and my mission (Genesis 32:28)
You must find these three things clearly. When God calls you, there is always a fundamental mission. Even if your family does not believe in Jesus, there is a fundamental mission given through Abraham: “Leave your father’s house of idols bound for destruction.” Abraham obeyed and left. Then came the promise:
“Through your offspring, the nations will be saved and blessed.”
This must be passed down to the next generation—in the family. It was passed down to Isaac. That blessing came to Jacob, though he did not understand it before. Now he realized it: “Your name shall be Israel. You are the one who overcomes. The one who saves the world. You will possess the gate of your enemies.”
He prayed until his hip bone was dislocated. God answers your prayer because He has the power to answer. Strictly speaking, it’s not because we pray that we receive answers, but because God is able to answer.
※ Pray to the God who can hear our prayers – The spiritual world will be overturned (Luke 18:1–8)
Jesus gave two parables. A judge had judged unjustly, and a powerless widow kept coming to him for justice. She followed him everywhere asking for her case to be heard. The judge realized, “This woman will not give up.” So he granted her request—not because of justice, but because she persistently appealed to the right person. Likewise, pray to the God who can hear your prayer—the invisible God who works through the Holy Spirit. The spiritual world will surely be overturned.
I am not a teacher—I am a witness. A witness who lived through a very difficult time. I sometimes share testimonies, but honestly, I can’t give grand ones—I am too ashamed. Yet this gospel saved me and sent me to bring world evangelization. You must hold onto this. The same blessing given to Jacob is given to you.
※ The process of prayer answers
When Jacob fell asleep on the mountain, fleeing from his brother, God appeared and sent His angels ascending and descending—that was the process of prayer being answered. Ordinary people don’t understand this. When the Holy Spirit works, God sends His messengers to carry out His work. That is the process of prayer answers. People of the world don’t believe it—but there is no other way.
In Revelation 8, when John prayed, he saw in a vision that all prayers were gathered into bowls before God. When those bowls are full, works will occur—and who delivers them? The angels of the Lord. That’s why you must pray. When Jacob prayed until his hip bone broke, saying, “God, I cannot go unless You bless me,” at that time God sent His angel to help him.
※ Like Jacob left alone at the Jabbok River, pray before God about the most important thing in your life
You must meet your own Jabbok River in life. From my experience, there is no need for a great miracle—you simply believe, and works happen. Truly. Don’t overthink—just as Jacob was left alone at the Jabbok River, pray before God about the most important thing in your life.
These three things—the fundamental, the family, and the personal missions—change destiny itself. Do not stay still. Change your family line. Change yourself into a child of God’s blessing. You are not a child of the devil. You are a child of God. You can receive prayer answers in the powerful name of the Lord Jesus. Do not be deceived. When that changes, works will begin to happen.
▣ Conclusion – What happens when you pray
Let me conclude. What happens when we pray?
1. Invisibly, the Triune God works through the Holy Spirit
Completely unseen, the Triune God begins to work through the Holy Spirit.
2. The bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne are established
During prayer, the bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne are established.
※ You don’t need to fight. It’s okay to lose. Later you will realize you have already won and conquered.
You don’t need to fight. Later, you will realize that you have already won. Even if it seems like something was taken from you, you will discover that you have already conquered. It’s certain. Nowadays, people try to fight us and take things away, but I told all my pastors and assistants, “Don’t fight. Just give it all.” “They’re beggars—let them have it.” “Don’t fight; we’re too busy sharing the gospel.” Right now, countless people are waiting, pleading for us to save them. We don’t have time for quarrels.
※ The timetable of the Jabbok River
You must hold onto the covenant and fight—not physically, but spiritually—as Jacob was left alone at the Jabbok River. This is the timetable to change what is fundamental, what is in your family, and what is in you. Know this for sure. When you pray, the Triune God works by the Spirit. When you pray, the bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne are established.
3. Two kinds of works
And then two things happen. You must believe this—without faith, nothing happens.
When you pray, the forces of darkness are bound. When you pray, God sends invisible angels and messengers.
1) Jacob (Genesis 32:23–32)
This appeared to Jacob today.
2) Abraham (Genesis 18:1–10)
When Abraham prayed, God sent His angel and said, “By this time next year, you will have a son.”
3) Moses (Exodus 14:19)
As Moses led the way through the wilderness, the Bible records in Exodus 14:19 that “the angel of the Lord moved from before them and stood behind them.” Every crucial moment in the Bible records this. Those who don’t believe miss all important answers—you must believe. Altogether, this means the kingdom of God has come. Receive this blessing today.
4) Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:35)
When King Hezekiah was near death, he “prayed facing the wall.” It means he gave up on all human help and prayed only to God. The Assyrian army of 185,000 had attacked—impossible to win. The Bible records in 2 Kings 19:35, “That night”—at the very hour when Hezekiah staked everything and prayed—“the angel of the Lord struck down the Assyrian army of 185,000.”
5) The Early Church (Acts 12:1–25)
The Early Church faced a crisis—but it wasn’t a real crisis. That night, the church leaders gathered and began to pray earnestly. The Bible records, “The angel of the Lord opened the prison doors of Peter.” In Acts 12:23 it also says, “The angel of the Lord struck Herod, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
※ This happens during worship and prayer. Believe it. God will open the three courtyards worldwide and fulfill world evangelization.
Especially during worship and prayer—these things happen. Believe it. We will open the three courtyards worldwide and accomplish world evangelization. God will do it. We only need to carry out His errands. If you realize it later, it will be too late. To realize now is faith. Faith is the evidence of what is not seen, the reality of what is hoped for. Believe this. May this week become an extremely important week for you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us pray.
Prayer. God, we give You thanks. Let this be a time to remain alone before You. Let this be a time of prayer at the Jabbok River. Let this be a time to restore the name Israel. Even now, O God, send the army of heaven to fulfill Your Word. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.