What kind of faith does God need to work with someone?
God needs a little bit of faith—a persistent, clinging faith that hangs tough and refuses to give up. In Jacob's wrestling, God saw that faith, and by it transformed him, giving him the new name Israel, which marked his true salvation and new birth.
Les explains that God needs only a little bit of faith—a faith He can recognize and work with. Jacob, wrestling with the Lord, understood who he was dealing with and declared, 'I will not let you go until you bless me.' The Lord asked his name, then changed it from Jacob to Israel, saying he had power with God and with men and had prevailed. Les says Jacob hung tough, did not give up, and did not fail. God saw that faith in Jacob and transformed him. Les calls this Jacob's true salvation and new birth; since he became a new man in God, in Christ, even back then, God gave him a new name. He was no longer Jacob the deceiver but Israel the prince with God. Les also reminds us of the principle that first comes the natural, then the spiritual, as with Cain the natural and Abel the spiritual, and Isaac the natural.