YOUR NAME … ISRAEL / GENESIS 32:28

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Genesis 32:28

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.

From Deceiver to Wrestler: Embracing the Holy Struggle

Have you ever found yourself wrestling in the dark? Perhaps you are facing a looming crisis, an old regret, or a deeply rooted fear. If so, you are in good company.

In Genesis 32, we find Jacob at the lowest, most vulnerable point of his life. He is about to face his brother Esau—the same brother he deceived and fleeced out of a birthright years prior. Alone in the darkness by the Jabbok River, a mysterious stranger grabs him, and they wrestle until the breaking of dawn.

When the stranger tells Jacob to let go, Jacob delivers one of the most defiant, beautiful lines in all of Scripture: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

It is in this exact moment of exhaustive, desperate pursuit that God changes everything.

The Meaning of a Name

Genesis 32:28 records the divine pivot point of Jacob’s life:

“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man said. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

For his entire life, Jacob’s name defined him. “Jacob” literally meant “heel-catcher” or “supplanter”—a polite way of calling someone a deceiver, a schemer, or a fraud. He had spent a lifetime running from his past, relying on his own wits, and tricking his way into blessings.

But God didn’t want the schemer anymore. He wanted the wrestler.

The name Israel means “he struggles with God.” Think about the radical nature of this transformation. God did not rename him “He Who Obeys Perfectly” or “He Who Never Doubts.” He renamed him after the struggle itself.

The “God-Strugglers”

This name isn’t just a historical artifact for a patriarch of old. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul refers to Christ’s followers as the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). By extension, that makes us the modern-day “God-strugglers.”

Too often, we are taught that faith means absolute passivity—that we must sit quietly, suppress our questions, and never show a hint of desperation. But the story of Jacob shows us that God does not want His people to be passive bystanders. He invites us into the ring.

True faith is an active, white-knuckled pursuit of God’s blessing and grace. Jesus echoed this exact sentiment throughout the Gospels, telling us to:

• Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6)
• Seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)
• Ask, seek, and knock with relentless persistence (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:5-10)

Winning by Surrendering

The ultimate paradox of Jacob’s wrestling match is how it ended. Jacob “won” the fight, but he walked away with a dislocated hip. He won by realizing he couldn’t beat God, but he could cling to God. His victory was found in his refusal to let go of the Almighty.

If you are wrestling with doubt, grief, or transition today, do not pull away from God. Lean in. Grab hold of Him in prayer. Tell Him, “I will not let you go until you bless this mess, heal this heart, or redeem this pain.”

God is not intimidated by your wrestling. He honors the struggle, and it is often in the darkest nights of wrestling that He gives us our truest identity.

---

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for the times we try to scheme our way through life like Jacob, relying on our own strength and deception rather than your grace. Thank you that you do not leave us in our old identities. Thank you that you invite us to wrestle with you.

Lord, for anyone reading this who is currently in a dark season of wrestling, give them the endurance to hold on. Grant them the holy boldness to cry out for your blessing. We ask that through our struggles, you reshape our character, deepen our faith, and remind us of who we truly are in Christ—your chosen people, the Israel of God.

We surrender our weakness to you, knowing that your power is made perfect in it. Walk with us through the night until the dawn breaks.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

• NIV Bible
• King James Bible
• www. biblegateway.com
• www.biblestudytools.com
• Map Pencils
• Strong’s Concordance
• College Ruled Spiral Notebook
• Ballpoint Pens
• Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM / GENESIS 32:24
2. O GOD OF MY FATHER / GENESIS 32:9
3. THE ANGELS OF GOD MET HIM / GENESIS 32:1
4. RACHEL STOLE HER FATHER’S HOUSEHOLD GODS / GENESIS 31:19
5. BORE YOUNG THAT WERE STREAKED OR SPECKLED OR SPOTTED / GENESIS 30:38-39
6. GOD HAS REWARDED ME / GENESIS 30:18
7. OR I’LL DIE! / GENESIS 30:1
8. GIVE ME CHILDREN / GENESIS 30:1-24
9. THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS NOT LOVED / GENESIS 29:31
10. LABAN GAVE HIM HIS DAUGHTER RACHEL TO BE HIS WIFE / GENESIS 29:28
11. WHY HAVE YOU DECEIVED ME? / GENESIS 29:25
12. LABAN / GENESIS 29:5
13. BETHEL / GENESIS 28:18-19
14. ABOVE IT STOOD THE LORD / GENESIS 28:13-15
15. THE ANGELS OF GOD / GENESIS 28:12
16. THE BLESSING GIVEN TO ABRAHAM / GENESIS 28:4
17. ESAU WEPT ALOUD / GENESIS 27:38
18. JACOB SAID TO HIS FATHER / GENESIS 27:19
19. REBEKAH SAID TO HER SON JACOB / GENESIS 27:6-17
20. I MAY GIVE YOU MY BLESSING / GENESIS 27:4
21. WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD / GENESIS 27:1
22. A SOURCE OF GRIEF TO ISAAC AND REBEKAH / GENESIS 26:34-35
23. THE LORD BLESSED HIM / GENESIS 26:12
24. BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED / GENESIS 26:5-6
25. I WILL BE WITH YOU / GENESIS 26:2-4
26. BIRTHRIGHT / GENESIS 25:31
27. ISAAC WAS SIXTY YEARS OLD / GENESIS 25:26
28. TWO NATIONS – OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER / GENESIS 25:22-23
29. ISAAC PRAYED TO THE LORD / GENESIS 25:21
30. ISHMAEL … WAS GATHERED TO HIS PEOPLE / GENESIS 25:17
31. THEN ABRAHAM … WAS GATHERED TO HIS PEOPLE / GENESIS 25:8
32. GIFTS / GENESIS 25:6
33. ABRAHAM LEFT EVERYTHING HE OWNED TO ISAAC / GENESIS 25:5
34. WILL SEND HIS ANGEL WITH YOU AND MAKE YOUR JOURNEY A SUCCESS / GENESIS 24:40
35. THE LORD HAD LED ME / GENESIS 24:26-27
36. I’LL WATER YOUR CAMELS TOO / GENESIS 24:13-14
37. HE PRAYED O LORD / GENESIS 24:12
38. NOT GET A WIFE / GENESIS 24:2-4
39. THE FIELD … AS A BURIAL SITE / GENESIS 23:20
40. BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBEYED ME / GENESIS 22:15-18
41. YAHWEH-YIREH / GENESIS 22:14
42. NOW I KNOW THAT YOU FEAR GOD / GENESIS 22:11-13
43. HE REACHED OUT HIS HAND / GENESIS 22:10
44. BOUND HIS SON ISAAC / GENESIS 22:9
45. GOD HIMSELF WILL PROVIDE / GENESIS 22:8
46. I AND THE BOY … WILL COME BACK / GENESIS 22:5
47. TAKE YOUR SON / GENESIS 22:2
48. GOD TESTED ABRAHAM / GENESIS 22:1
49. GOD HAS HEARD / GENESIS 21:17
50. HIS SON ISAAC WAS BORN / GENESIS 21:5
51. SAID OF HIS WIFE SARAH SHE IS MY SISTER / GENESIS 20:1-2
52. THEY GOT THEIR FATHER TO DRINK WINE / GENESIS 19:33
53. SMOKE FROM A FURNACE / GENESIS 19:28
54. LOT’S WIFE LOOKED BACK, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALET / GENESIS 19:26
55. I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS / GENESIS 19:8
56. HOSPITALITY JUSTICE AND THE HARD TRUTHS / GENESIS 19:5
57. LOT WAS SITTING IN THE GATEWAY / GENESIS 19:1-2
58. ABRAHAM REMAINED STANDING BEFORE THE LORD / GENESIS 18:22
59. THEIR SIN IS SO GRIEVOUS / GENESIS 18:20-21
60. HE WILL DIRECT HIS CHILDREN … KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD / GENESIS 18:19
61. IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? / GENESIS 18:13-14
62. THREE MEN / GENESIS 18:2
63. LAUGHED / GENESIS 17:17
64. SARAH /GENESIS 17:15
65. THE SIGN AND THE SEAL / GENESIS 7:11
66. EVERLASTING POSSESSION / GENESIS 17:8
67. TO BE YOUR GOD / GENESIS 17:6-7
68. ABRAM … ABRAHAM / GENESIS 17:5
69. MY COVENANT / GENESIS 17:2
70. NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD / GENESIS 17:1
71. AGAINST EVERYONE / GENESIS 16:12
72. ISHMAEL / GENESIS 16:11
73. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD / GENESIS 16:7
74. THE LORD HAS KEPT ME FROM HAVING CHILDREN / GENESIS 16:1-2
75. THE LORD MADE A COVENANT WITH ABRAM / GENESIS 15:17-21
76. A COUNTRY NOT THEIR OWN / GENESIS 15:13
77. HE BELIEVED … HE CREDITED IT TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS /GENESIS 15:6
78. YOUR SHIELD, YOUR VERY GREAT REWARD / GENESIS 15:1
79. I WILL ACCEPT NOTHING BELONGING TO YOU /GENESIS 14:22-23
80. GAVE HIM A TENTH OF EVERYTHING / GENESIS 14:20
81. MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM / GENESIS 14:18
82. CALLED OUT THE 318 TRAINED MEN / GENESIS 14:14
83. ABRAM THE HEBREWS / GENESIS 14:13
84. PITCHED HIS TENTS NEAR SODOM / GENESIS 13:12
85. LOT LOOKED UP AND SAW / GENESIS 13:10
86. SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER / GENESIS 12:11-13
87. A FAMINE IN THE LAND / GENESIS 12:10
88. THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM / GENESIS 12:7
89. ABRAM LEFT, AS THE LORD HAD TOLD HIM / GENESIS 12:4
90. ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU / GENESIS 12:3
91. LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY / GENESIS 12:1-2
92. HIS SON ABRAM / GENESIS 11:31
93. UR OF THE CHALDEANS / GENESIS 11:28
94. LET US BUILD … THAT WE MAY MAKE A NAME / GENESIS 11:4
95. A PLAIN IN SHINAR / GENESIS 11:1-2
96. BORN TO SHEM / GENESIS 10:21-31
97. THE SONS OF HAM / GENESIS 10:6-20
98. THE SONS OF JEPHETH / GENESIS 10:2-5
99. THE ACCOUNT OF SHEM, HAM AND JAPHETH / GENESIS 10:1
100. CURSED BE CANAAN / GENESIS 9:24-25
101. HAM / GENESIS 9:22
102. DRANK SOME OF ITS WINE, HE BECAME DRUNK / GENESIS 9:21
103. MY RAINBOW IN THE CLOUDS / GENESIS 9:13
104. I NOW ESTABLISH MY COVENANT / GENESIS 9:9-17
105. WHOEVER SHEDS THE BLOOD OF MAN BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED / GENESIS 9:6
106. HEART IS EVIL FROM CHILDHOOD / GENESIS 8:21
107. BUT GOD REMEMBERED NOAH / GENESIS 8:1
108. EVERY LIVING THING WAS WIPED OUT ONLY NOAH WAS LEFT / GENESIS 7:23
109. THE GREAT DEEP BURST FORTH / GENESIS 7:11-12
110. THE FLOODWATERS CAME ON THE EARTH / GENESIS 7:6
111. I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH YOU / GENESIS 6:18
112. AN ARK / GENESIS 6:14
113. NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN BLAMELESS AMONG THE PEOPLE / GENESIS 6:9
114. THE LORD WAS GRIEVED / GENESIS 6:6
115. HOW GREAT MAN’S WICKEDNESS / GENESIS 6:5
116. THE SONS OF GOD / GENESIS 6:1-2
117. GOD TOOK HIM/ GENESIS 5:24
118. ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD / GENESIS 5:22
119. SETH … FATHER OF ENOSH / GENESIS 5:6
120. ADAM LIVED 930 YEARS / GENESIS 5:5
121. WRITTEN ACCOUNT OF ADAM’S LINE / GENESIS 5:1
122. CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD / GENESIS 4:26
123. MARRIED TWO WOMEN / GENESIS 4:19
124. CAIN … HIS WIFE / GENESIS 4:17
125. CAIN WENT OUT FROM THE LORD’S PRESENCE / GENESIS 4:16
126. A MARK ON CAIN / GENESIS 4:15
127. NOW YOU ARE UNDER A CURSE / GENENSIS 4:11-12
128. YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD CRIES OUT TO ME / GENESIS 4:10
129. IT DESIRES TO HAVE YOU / GENESIS 4:6-7
130. AN OFFERING TO THE LORD / GENESIS 4:3-5
131. ADAM LAY WITH HIS WIFE / GENESIS 4:1
132. HE DROVE THE MAN OUT / GENESIS 3:24
133. KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL / GENESIS 3:22
134. I WILL GREATLY INCREASE YOUR PAINS / GENESIS 3:16-19
135. HE WILL CRUSH YOUR HEAD, AND YOU WILL STRIKE HIS HEEL / GENESIS 3:14-15
136. THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME / GENESIS 3:13
137. THEY HID / GENESIS 3:8
138. THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED / GENESIS 3:7
139. THE WOMAN … ATE IT … HER HUSBAND … WITH HER / GENESIS 3:6
140. YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD / GENESIS 3:5
141. YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE / GENESIS 3:4
142. THE SERPENT / GENESIS 3:1
143. LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER / GENESIS 2:24
144. HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM / GENESIS 2:18
145. THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN / GENESIS 2:16-17
146. PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN / GENESIS 2:15
147. TREE OF LIFE / GENESIS 2:9
148. GARDEN IN THE EAST, IN EDEN / GENESIS 2:8
149. A LIVING BEING / GENESIS 2:7
150. THE ACCOUNT – THE LORD GOD / GENESIS 2:4-6
151. GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY / GENESIS 2:3
152. BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE / GENESIS 1:28
153. GOD SAID LET US – LET US MAKE MAN / GENESIS 1:26
154. SERVE AS SIGNS / GENESIS 1:14-15
155. IT WAS GOOD / GENESIS 1:10
156. THERE WAS EVENING, AND THERE WAS MORNING – THE FIRST DAY / GENESIS 1:5
157. LET THERE BE LIGHT / GENESIS 1:3
158. EARTH WAS FORMLESS AND EMPTY / GENESIS 1:2
159. IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED / GENESIS 1:1
160. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!

Blessings, Margarita & Stace