Wrestling with God
30 days of prayer • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Communion: Examine yourself
28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
Take time to pray for the victims of the last shooting.
22 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. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 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. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 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.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.
Who is this famous Jacob.
In the Old Testament, Jehovah is repeatedly called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
This name of God emphasizes the covenant that God made with Israel and the Israelites' special place as God's Chosen People.
When Abraham arrived in Israel, God made him a promise. He said, “ I will give you this land for your descendants. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.”
Sarah was childless until she was 90 years old. God promised Abraham that she would be “a mother of nations” (Genesis 17:16) and that she would conceive and bear a son, but Sarah did not believe.
She gave birth to Issac.
Issac’s wife Rebekah gives birth to (twins) Esau then Jacob.
These two boys fought in the womb
Esau first born - Hairy / outdoors-men / Daddy’s boy
Jacob - Stay at home / Momma’s boy
Esau sells his birthright
Isaac blesses Jacob thinking it is Esau / Blessing: Gets all of Dad’s power and influence.
Esau plots to kill Jacob / Jacob flees to Haran
Jacob marries Leah and Rachel: 7 Years work for Rachel's hand in marriage deceived by Laban then convinced to work another 7 years for Rachel.
Jacob works under Laban for over 20 years and leaves with his daughters and grandchildren and with all the wealth he had accumulated without telling Laban he was leaving.
Laban in furious and decides to track down Jacob and kill him.
God changes Laban’s mind. They make a covenant to each other.
Jacob decides to go home but will have to face his brother and hears his brother is on the way with 400 men.
So he schemes a plan to appease his brother with lavish gifts. Then prays this...
9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ”
He then sends his family, his employees, and his wealth to the other side.
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
Left alone
It is when we get alone with God that good things begin to happen.
Christ came to wrestle with Jacob, and the struggle lasted all night. Keep in mind that Jacob was not wrestling to get a blessing from God; rather, he was defending himself and refusing to yield.
The Lord wanted to break Jacob and bring him to the place where he would honestly say, “Not I, but Christ” (Gal. 2:20).
God did not want to have wrestling match with Jacob, He wanted to have a moment with Jacob.
All night long, Jacob defended himself and refused to surrender or even admit that he had sinned. Then God weakened Jacob, and the wrestler could only cling!
25 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.
Touched (naw-gah') Hebrew Definition: to touch, reach, strike
Jesus is pointing out to Jacob at any moment I can stop this charade. I am letting you think you got me. You don’t.
I am letting you hold onto me.
26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Now instead of scheming for a blessing or bargaining for a blessing, he asked God for the blessing—and he received it.
He is final at the end of himself. He is broken.
Pastor how do you know when you are broken before God? You stop fighting and wrestling against God and you start clinging.
“The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him”. - A.W. Tozer
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.
What is your name?
His name had become synonymous with deceiver. His name meant heel catcher or supplanter.
Despite this history of ambitious trickery (thus, “supplanter”, one who to takes the place of another)
As far as the Genesis record is concerned, the last time Jacob was asked that question, he told a lie! His father asked, “Who are you, my son?” and Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn” He went 20 some years without saying his name.
“Are you going to continue living up to your name, deceiving yourself and others; or will you admit what you are and let Me change you?” In the Bible, receiving a new name signifies making a new beginning and this was Jacob’s opportunity to make a fresh start in life.
Admit who you are and I will show you who you will become.
28 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.”
Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel.
God until he received God’s blessing, and receiving the new name “Israel” from the Lord, which means “contender, fighter” or “God prevails.”
29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.