God Allows U Turns

In Genesis 32 We come to what is widely known as the climax for the life of a man name Jacob. Here we read the account of his all night physical struggle with God after his 20-year spiritual struggle. Jacob’s name when translated is actually translated into a variety of things. Supplanter, One who takes you by the heel, Cheater! His whole life Jacob had lived up to this name and even deceived his father into giving him his brother (Esau’s) blessing. We know that as a result of him deceiving his brother, Esau is basically out to kill him, which is why he is on the run. Let’s jump right in and in a message I’ve entitled “God Allows U-Turns” I’d like to take a deeper look at this directionless and destitute man that can be found in each and every one of our lives.

Wrong Devotion (Genesis 28:20-21)

Jacob’s Conditional Service

If God will

Be with me

Keep me

Give me bread to eat

And clothed me

Then and only then will I serve him

God will not be used (Genesis 28:20-21)

There are so many people that only come to God when they want/need something

They’re about to take a test

Job interview

Sickness

Personal

Financial

He cries out to God to spare him from Esau (Genesis 32:9-12)

God answered his request

He was being obedient

Just not the way that Jacob thought he would

Jacob thought that God would get rid of Esau But God had another plan

That’s true in our life! If were obedient to God he will answer our request although it may not be the way we thought.

Have you ever met somebody who only had a desire to get ahold of God when things seemed pretty rough? That person who ask you to pray about a specific situation but when you try to share the gospel with them, they act like they have no interest. That’s exactly what Jacob was doing here! He only wanted God to meet his need in the present moment. But when the need is met, they don’t give credit to God they give credit to everything but God. Often than not, God will show his power in the lives of unbelievers to simply show that he alone can meet the need, he alone can answer prayer. But people often only see the need being met not the person meeting the need.

Jacob’s Confrontational Struggle (Genesis 32:24-32)

Jacob encounters a man

We’ll never get his name but we get some insight into his identity (Hosea 12:3-5)

Angel Lord of Host

Physical image of God

Theophany- Physical manifestation of God

Wrestled with Christ

Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature”

Now growing up with four brothers I learned a great deal about how to wrestle. Being the youngest brother, I often didn’t have a fighting chance. Each wrestling match was different, because we never knew who was going to be teamed up or if it was going to be a free for all. I learned quickly though that all I had to do was outsmart all of my brothers by pinning them against each other before. I also learned that when they decided to gang up against me, I was going to do whatever I had to in order to survive even if that meant biting, scratching, punching, and kicking.

Don’t miss this and don’t misunderstand this (V.25)

When you wrestle with God, he does not play fair

He is just, loving, Holy, Perfect

He’ll do whatever it takes to win

Never loses

He touched Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint

Because that’s what he needed to do

Nearly impossible to fight with an out of joint hip

Right Description (v.26-28)

Jacob’s defeat caused him to come to the end of himself

It caused him to realize who he was and fully see the life he had been living

James 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jacob-Supplanter. Deceiver

Shamefully said Jacob

I’ve used people my whole life

I would imagine that Jacob no doubt knew what his name meant, he no doubt realized he lived up to his name, but most likely was never confronted with it until this very day! He would never forget what manner of man he was. Because God had confronted him with it!

Now Israel

Prince of God, God rules, Struggling with God, God mastered man

The man that left Canaan known as the guy that would do whatever it took to get his way now returned as the God mastered man

What defines you?

Car, Clothing, Friends, Shoes, Music, Height?

Paul had it all and had gained great prosperity-

Philippians 3 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

Counted it as dung

So that his Identity would be in Christ

Our identity should be found in Christ and not in the things we can earn, things that can be done by our own might

Recalculated Direction (V.29)

Asked what his name was

Didn’t have to answer, He’s God

Jacob knew who he was dealing with

The only person who had the authority and power to change a name

Because God is in the name changing business

When I think of a name being changed my mind instantly thinks of Paul

When he was Saul he persecuted thousands of Christians

Often Killing many

Name changed to Paul

Turned the world upside down

Became an apologist, defender and one of the greatest missionaries for Christ

Peniel- Face of God

When you have an encounter with God

You’ll walk away different

It is impossible to have an encounter with God and stay the same

Jacob’s limp was a testimony

When others asked about his hip

He would respond with his encounter with God

Changed direction completely

Was empowered by God to continue in his new direction

The rest of his problems seem to fade away

God was already working on the heart strings of Esau to forgive his brother

After he got right with the Lord

He got right with Esau

He was able to return to the place that he had run away from for the past 20 years.

He was able to return home.

The same could be said about us

We ran away from home (God)

For so many years

Doing what we thought was right and it wasn’t until we got things right with the Lord that we were able to return back to him and able come back to the place that we once were able to find refuge in.

A man that became one of the founding fathers of Christianity had to first be broken and as a result was able to do great things for the Lord. He had to give up everything that he had ever known as his life and submit to the plan that the Lord had already put into place. I wonder how many of you have been struggling with God. Have been running from him in order to avoid His will. I’ve already said it once and I’ll say it again! The Lord will do anything He needs to do in order to get our attention. I have one question to ask.. What will it take for God to completely break you and for you to surrender to his will.

It’s amazing when you look at the life of Elijah, the Bible says in James 5:17 that “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.” Yet too many teenagers and adults alike think that they are too broken to ever be used by God. Understand that if there was somebody too broken, too messed up to be used, it was Jacob. Yet God, after getting ahold of his heart, was able to use him to accomplish great things! Listen young person, there is nothing that you can’t do if it’s being used to bring honor to the Lord.

Many of you have been wrestling with God your whole life the way that you want to unwilling to give your life to him. Let me caution you and listen closely, that life will bring you absolutely no joy, no happiness, no peace. It wasn’t until his name was changed to Israel that he was to have peace with men and with God.