THE EL SHADDAI BLESSING
PAUL KEITH DAVIS
April 17, 2002
May God Almighty (EL Shaddai) bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham. (Genesis 2)
There are many divine attributes of the Father, all of which are revealed in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the express image of God and the exact representation of His nature. However, there presently seems to be special emphasis on His eternal quality as El Shaddai. This descriptive expression depicts the Father as our "all sufficient One" providing for all that we need. It oftentimes depicts Him as the "many breasted One" symbolized by a nursing mother providing all that an infant needs for growth, maturity, and protection. In like manner, as we draw near to Him and rely upon His sufficiency, we will actually be drawing the very tissue of God into ourselves transforming us into an overcoming body bearing His qualities and attributes.
IMPARTING THE BLESSING
In the book of Genesis we discover the Lord revealing Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai. In each case, there was the impartation of this specific divine attribute essential for the patriarchs to become fruitful and multiply and occupy the land of their sojourning. The Lord released this divine blessing upon Isaac and so profound was the effect that the enemies of Isaac desired to enter into a covenant of peace with him because of the obvious favor of God. In Genesis 26 we discover Isaac re-digging the old wells of Abraham. On the day that Abimelech chose to approach Isaac with a proposition of peace, a well was discovered that remains to this day. The well is called "The Well of the Oath" or Beersheba.
VISITING THE WELL OF THE OATH
This past December, Wanda and I, along with a few close friends, had the privilege of spending an afternoon of prayer and proclamation at this well in Beersheba. It was a profound time to stand upon the very spot where so many significant biblical and historical events have taken place. On this particular afternoon in December, a Jewish sister who accompanied us to the well was compelled by the Spirit to adorn herself in a beautiful gown and prophetically depict the intercession of Esther. While she was doing this, I was likewise proclaiming into the Spirit the blessing of El Shaddai. It was incredibly powerful. Since that time, the Holy Spirit has been continually unfolding greater understanding of the El Shaddai blessing and its essential quality to become fruitful and multiply and occupy the land of our sojourning. This is true both for the Church and the nation of Israel.
THE VISITATION OF JACOB
Immediately following the release of this blessing upon Jacob, an open Heaven experience was granted to the patriarch unveiling to him his divine destiny and that of his people. Upon departing Beersheba he traveled toward Haran and desiring to rest he placed a stone under his head and encountered the Lord in a penetrating revelation of Kingdom purpose. Presently, there are many who have been prepared by the Holy Spirit to encounter the Lord in such a way that Kingdom objectives are being revealed and imparted so that we can become fruitful and multiply and begin to occupy the land of our sojourning. Jacob watched as angels ascended and descended a "ladder" linking Heaven with Earth and listened as a Heavenly promise was given.
Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it. He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:14-17)
There is something significant about the release of the El Shaddai blessing and the experience of Jacob announcing his covenant destiny and divine promise. Likewise, as the Holy Spirit continually unfolds to us this aspect of the divine attributes, we will begin to see open Heaven revelations of our spiritual destiny and promise to become expressions of His Kingdom and begin to occupy, in His behalf, the land of our sojourning.
A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF EL SHADDAI
Although we appreciate the understanding given to us by many authors concerning the definition of El Shaddai as "the all sufficient One" or the "many breasted One" we must also consider what many Jewish writers have suggested concerning this divine attribute as much more far-reaching than our present understanding discloses. As one Jewish scholar put it "It (the name EL Shaddai) belonged to the sphere of salvation, forming one element in the manifestation of Jehovah, and describing Jehovah, the covenant God, as possessing the power to realize His promises, even when the order of nature presented no prospect of their fulfilment, and the powers of nature were insufficient to secure it".
The name Jehovah gave to Himself was to be a pledge. Charles Spurgeon spoke of this divine attribute in this way:
"Here is this name, "El Shaddai;" "El", that is, "the strong one", for infinite power dwells in Jehovah. How readily may we who are weak become mighty if we draw upon him! And then, "Shaddai", that is to say, "the unchangeable, the invincible". What a God we have then, who knows no variableness, neither shadow of turning, against whom none can stand! "El", strong; "Shaddai", unchangeable in His strength; always therefore strong in every time of need, ready to defend His people, and able to preserve them from all their foes".
In another message preached from Psalm 16:1 Spurgeon furthered his thoughts on this aspect of God's sovereign power:
"I wish we could acquire a more intimate knowledge of the divine character so that, in calling upon Him in prayer, we could seek the aid of that special attribute which we need to have exercised on our behalf. What a blessed title is that of El Shaddai. Then take the other names or titles of God, Jehovah-Nissi, Jehovah-Shammah, Jehovah-Shalom, Jehovah-Tsidkenu, and any others that you can find, and think how much better we could pray if, instead of always saying, 'O Lord!' or 'O God!' we appealed to Him under some title which indicated the attribute which we desired to be exerted on our behalf."
DIVINE INTERVENTION
One of the most profound promises in the New Testament is the precious and magnificent promise that we can become partakers of His divine nature and Holy character, thereby escaping the corruption of this world and its lusts. (II Peter 1:4) When this work is complete, we can then be entrusted with the power and authority of His kingdom to make it known in the earth and become the awesome army prophesied in scripture. However, the fulfillment of this prophetic mandate seems distant and impossible when we look at it from the perspective of our strength and ability.
Like Abraham, the realization of our promise requires divine intervention to become reality. The intervention of El Shaddai. The manifestation of God as El Shaddai overcame the deficiency and weakness of Abraham to do what he by nature could not. So is it with us. He is able to do through us what we are incapable of producing on our own. As we yield ourselves to Him for the extraction of the seeds of corruption from our soul, we then begin the journey to become partakers of His nature and escape this world's impurity.
A CALL TO MATURITY
The Holy Spirit is calling us to maturity. We must move beyond the elementary principles and become the mature sons and daughters who bear His image and express His power. By virtue of His impartation to us as El Shaddai, we will begin to bear fruit that is recognizable and provide light and life. His light will dispel the darkness and misconceptions that many have embraced as truth. The Lord's prayer that we may be sanctified in Truth will be answered in its fullness. (John 17:17)
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone {for} the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes {in it} will not be disturbed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level; then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters will overflow the secret place. (Isaiah 28:16-17)
The "hail" that is coming to wash away the refuge of lies will cause many to re-examine that in which they have placed their trust and faith. To each is given a measure of faith. The question is, to what will we attach our faith? When the lies that have prevailed are exposed for what they are, there will be many who will begin to search for a resting place for their faith and we must be prepared to respond. That is already taking place presently after the 9/11 attack. Many who have placed their trust and faith in our government, economy or national security have now re-examined that appropriation of their faith and we must emerge with Kingdom answers.
EQUIPPED FOR MINISTRY
There has been a divine discomfort that has been imparted to the body of Christ. In times past many have been content to sit in the pews of our churches and allow the leadership and ministry teams do the work of the ministry. However, the ultimate purpose of leadership is to equip the body to do the work of the ministry. This year we will see a tremendous hunger imparted to the body to be prepared to fulfill Ephesians 4:12 (for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ) and see the miracles and healings for themselves. This aspect of our development must take place to accommodate the great harvest in the years to come.
Those who will come with humble and sincere hearts will see notable spiritual fruit being developed within their nature and character so that they can be entrusted with the power and gifts essential to do this all important work. The revelation and impartation of the El Shaddai blessing will equip us to begin to occupy the land and become fruit-bearers with kingdom attributes. As we rest in this aspect of His divine name, we also draw virtue from Him as our High Tower and infinite source of strength.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)
