God wants us to be miracle workers. He wants us to change the world. He is working to undo the seasons of defeat and trauma, blessing us with new identities, and, like Jacob, removing lies others have spoken over us. All so we can fulfill His plans.
Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-18).
 Jacob understood the power of words. At the birth of his youngest son, he heard a deep, painful agony during the delivery and the cry of the child. His twelfth son entered the world, and his beloved wife left it. The nurse brought the boy to Jacob and told him Rachel had died. She handed Jacob his son, and as the little one cried, she informed Jacob that Rachel had named the boy “Ben-oni” which meant “son of my great sorrow.” Rachel, a woman in the hall of faith, was in so much pain during childbirth, she let her pain influence her words, and she cursed her child.
But Jacob didn’t let that stand. His parents had called him Jacob or “con-man/deceiver” and that had tainted his life. He lived down to the false label his family gave him. Until one day, God renamed Jacob Israel or “prince.” He would not let his last son live under the weight of a curse. He wouldn’t let his wife’s pain destroy the future of the boy. So he declared his son would be called Benjamin or “son of my right hand,” the closest son to him.
God won’t let the label or name we have carried during our whole life defeat us anymore. When we come to Jesus, we are given a new name. We are called the Children of God. Blessed. Redeemed. Overcomers. We can live the life we are called to live, but we have to be willing to allow Him to give us the best robe, the family ring, new sandals and set up a party for our new life.
God is at work to fix our personality flaws. He is working to ensure we don’t live defeated, controlled, stripped, and traumatized lives. He heals the broken places in our hearts and minds with the power of four different graces. All this allows us to reverse the curses that others have spoken over us. It will enable us to speak out what He has to say about us and about the world, and fills our words with the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives with the love of God.
