Great Men Who Never Became Great (Part 2)

Esau
The birthright was a sacred privilege enjoyed by the first-born son. This privilege made the first-born
the real heir and successor to his father, as the head of the family. Esau is the progenitor of the Edomites and the elder twin brother of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites.Esau and Jacob were the sons of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandsons of Abraham and Sarah.


According to the Biblical Book of Genesis, in Genesis 25:29-34;

Esau sells his Birthright to his brother Jacob

Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom). Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

According to Pastor Chima of Fountain of Life, Church said, Esau lost his birthright to Jacob over an ordinary plate of lunch. He said many Christians find it difficult to endure some moments of pain.

Many Christians are ready to give up what is important for a few moments of pleasure which eventually led to complete failure.

Furthermore, in the New testament, Matthew 4:3–4, Jesus was tempted by Satan after he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, the Bible records that,

The tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

Our Messiah led by example as he refused to compromise his love for his Father and encourage Christians to love God above all things no matter the situation he/she finds himself. When the heart proves to love God more than bread, Satan does not have the foothold he would if our heart was in love with the earthly things like bread.

According to Richard Foster in his chapter on fasting,

More than any other single Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

What are we slaves to? What are our bottom line passions? Fasting is God's testing ground—and healing ground. Will we murmur as the Israelites murmured when they had no bread? Will we leave the path of obedience and turn stones into bread? Or will we "live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God"? Fasting is a way of revealing to ourselves and confessing to God what is in our hearts.

Physical nourishment is not sufficient for a healthy life; man also has spiritual needs.

In my personal experience, time and time again, God has shown me that he is first above all. Anytime I choose something else above God, I find out I always lose it.

'You can't eat your cake and have it'. Look forward to Part 3. Cheers!