Genesis 32:22-29.

"That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there."

Jacob's life changed dramatically after one night's encounter with God's favour. It was the favour of God that changed his status from a deceiver to a prince with God.

To this day that encounter that Jacob had with God's favour is what makes the nation of Israel stand out tall among all the nations.

That fateful night was Jacob's date with destiny; had he missed out of God's favour that night, that would have been the end of Israel as a future nation. All the promises that God made to Jacob through Abraham would have been jettisoned if not for God's favour that night.

In a nutshell, Jacob would have lost his destiny and so too would have Israel as a future nation.

Prior to this night of favour with God, Jacob's life was in extreme danger; his twin brother Esau was coming near to kill him out of vengeance for stealing his father's blessing from him by deceit.

For many years, Esau consoled himself with a good plan to kill Jacob; now he was ready to harm Jacob as he was now well fortified with 400 armed men to fend off any counter attack.

When Jacob heard that his brother was coming with 400 men, his heart trembled. He cried to God and reminded Him of all His promises. He desperately thought of how to appease his brother with some of his goods and livestock. (Genesis 32:13-20)

However that night, Jacob had an encounter with destiny; he had an encounter with God's favour. Jacob knew that it was only God's favour that could settle him. This was why Jacob had just one prayer point that night:

"Father, bless me."

Do you know that this prayer prayed fervently invokes God's favour on you? When we ask for God's blessing, we are also asking for His favour to intervene and change our lives for the best.

What was the result? God renewed His Covenant with Jacob by changing his name to Isreal; all the promises God made to Jacob through Abraham were going to stand. Not only that; that morning, God touched the heart of Esau to forgive Jacob. (Genesis 33: 3-4)

Psalm 30:5
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

In God's favour is life! True life comes from God's favour. This means you cannot live a very fulfilling life on earth outside God's favour. You cannot fully live life to God's expectations outside His favour. God's full destiny for our lives can only come in the place of His favour.

It does not matter how many tears you have shed at night, God's favour can turn all your sorrow to great joy the next morning.

I tell you the truth, the reason why we see so much poverty and suffering in the world, even among God's children is because majority are lagging behind in God's favour. If only we can labor for God's favour just the same way we labour for money...

When we find favour with God, He touches the hearts of all people, even total strangers to favour us: favour with God is also favour with men. (Luke 2:52)

The favour of God is His unlimited kindness and great love which He gives only to a selected people.

Just like Jacob, we must seek earnestly and earn God's favour. This can be done in 3 ways:

1. Ask for His blessing CONTINUALLY, Fervently and deligently in faith.

2. Praising Him: God loves and enjoys to be praised. Intense Praises to God releases much of His favour. I have noticed this severally in my life.

3. Giving generously: When we give more to the gospel and to others in need, it releases much of God's favour.

Indeed an encounter with God's favour is an encounter with destiny.

Remember: God ❤️❤️'s you.