I'm holding on, and I won't let go!
Notes
Transcript
pray for Sis. Jones at her job - bad environment
background of this story
background of this story
man named Jacob in a lot of trouble, a big part of the trouble, he caused
Swindled his brother, stole from his brother, and his brother Esau vowed to kill him, so Jacob left home
In the new place, Jacob was swindled by his uncle, but God blessed Jacob to prosper anyway . . . but there was bad blood between them, and God told Jacob to go back home
So Jacob heads back home, but he is stuck between a rock and a hard place: bad blood behind him and bad blood in front of him . . . enemies all around
On the journey home he comes to a place where he even sees angels, and says, “This is God’s camp” . . . But he also gets word that his brother has 400 men and are heading straight towards him
so Jacob prays to the God of Abraham and Isaac . . . (that’s cool, Jacob didn’t know he was THE JACOB, trying to make it just like us) . . .
then Jacob sent gifts to his brother to try to appease him, sends his family some distance away to try to keep them as safe as possible . . . he has done all he could do
This sermon is for those who have done all you can do, but if God doesn’t step in . . . you are not going to make it
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.
back to verse 24
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
So Jacob was left alone
So Jacob was left alone
in this trying time where he could lose everything, even his very life . . . Jacob, the man with 11 kids at this point, 2 wives, 2 concubines, many servants . . . is alone
Life has a way of isolating you (Sis. Jones prayer message)
Alone because Family and friends can’t help, won’t help
Alone because others don’t understand, can’t understand
They might even know it’s bad, but don’t know that it is much worse than what they know, more desparate than what they know
when they ask, “how are you doing?” you say, “good” cause you know they don’t have the time to listen to the real answer
so your situations, and circumstances are both trending downwards and you realize that you are all by yourself
you come face to face with what you really believe about God
and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
Though you feel alone, you are not alone
looks like you are alone
Jacob begins to wrestle with a man but sometime through the night realizes that it’s God
So God initiates a wrestling match, God picks a fight, God starts a fight
Somebody say, “God started it”
the truth is that many of US are wrestling with God
Since God is in control, since everything belongs to him, Since he has all power
ultimately you are always dealing with God
That’s why Jesus taught that helping your fellow Christian brother or sister is the same as helping him, because ultimately you are dealing with God
The Bible says, in him we live move and have our being, so every moment of your life, you are dealing with God
The Bible says when we do someone wrong, we are really doing him wrong. That’s why David, when he stole a man’s wife said, “Against thee and against thee only have I sinned”, he understood that ultimately, he was dealing with God
there might be sickness, a bad economy, unstable politics, problems, situations, family members acting crazy, enemy at the job
those things are real and present, but ultimately you are dealing with God
or what if the devil is on your back?
when it comes down to it, you are dealing with God! – ask Job, the man that the devil attacked
God started the whole ball rolling!
the devil attacked job, but only by permission, and only so far
it was the Lord who initiated the whole idea, “Have you considered my servant Job”
The devil was not even going to mention Job, God started it
So since you are ultimately dealing with God, focus on God
don’t focus on the problem
don’t focus on the people involved in the problem
don’t focus on your fears
don’t focus on the devil
focus on God!
what would please God? What would he want me to do? say?
And the Bible says that they wrestled till day break/all night long
commercial: some of us have been wrestling with God, thinking it we were wrestling with . . . spouse, co-workers, economy, the family member
So why would God wrestle us? Fight us? . . .Isn’t he on our side?
The answer is no, we are supposed to be on His side
Why would God wrestle us?
Understand that the ultimate objective of wrestling is to get the other person to yield, to submit, to give up, to tap out
God is wrestling us because is most cases
talking to us didn’t work
just being good to us didn’t work
just sending a warning didn’t work
we would not yield nor submit
God is trying to get us to submit to his will
Jacob knows the stories of his grandfather and father, but he is trying to live is own life, by his own schemes, and God is trying to wrestle that out of him
What is God trying to wrestle out of you?
doubt, fear?
disobedience, selfishness out
small thinking, panic
double mind, reliance on temporary things
Every play “uncle”? (explain it)
God says, “I have a good plan for you, say ‘yes,Lord’”
No, I’m not going to say it, will do things my way!
“give your fair share of the money I gave to you!”
No, It’s my money!
“forgive your person who did you wrong
no, never, I’ll never forgive them, never!!!!
Wrestling is a sport where you have to get close
God will allow situations to get so touchy that you have to deal with him up close and for real
Again, Jacob has heard about God, prayed to God, seen God work, received a word from God, even seen angels, but has never been close to God – remember, even when he prayed earlier, Jacob never called him my God (God of my grandfather, God of my father)
Some of your situations are so tough, you are forced to deal with God closer than ever before
and I am not saying that you are not close to God, but I am saying that you are not as close as you could be
and sometimes God will come upon you, and put you in a hold you can’t get out of, and say, “Whose your Daddy?”
(show picture of baby boy?)
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.
sometime during the night when Jacob realized that it’s God, He changes from resisting/wrestling God to holding on to God!
God says, “I can’t get away from this fella”
i want that to be my testimony
where God says, “no matter what happens to Dimitri . . . he keeps holding on
praying, praising, preaching, believing, striving, serving, keeps coming to church
keeps saying,
I love you, Lord
I thank you, Lord
I trust you, Lord
Have your way, Lord
I don’t want to wrestle with God, I want to hold on to God!
if you are Hurt and frustrated by life’s difficulties so bad that you just stay home from church – wrestling
But despite how bad life is treating you, you still find yourself in the house of the Lord – holding on to God
If you go through troubles and it causes you stop praying because “what’s the use” - wrestling
If you go through troubles but pray all the more, add on some fasting – holding on
If someone treats you bad and you won’t forgive or reconcile – wrestling
If you pray for them, extend forgiveness, show love, despite how bad they treated you – holding on to God
Finances get low and you get stingier with God and people – wrestling
Finances low but you’ll help someone worse off than you – holding on to God
encouraging others when you need encouraging - holding on
Praying for others when you need prayer – holding on
singing songs of praise, even in the storm - holding on
counting blessings instead of complaints - holding on
somebody needs to switch from wrestling with God, to holding on to God
You loved me first, but now I love you
You chased me but now , I’m chasing after you,
You’ve been abiding in me, I’m going to start abiding in You
You gave it all for me, now I’m going to give my all for you
have your way God, I submit to your will, I tap out, you win . . . I say yes lord
Get this doubt out of me, remove fear, remove disobedience, selfishness out, small thinking, Panic, being lukewarm
And God sees that Jacob is holding on now, so then he . . . makes the situation even worse!
Don’t be discouraged when you’ve you have had faith, believed, trusted, and the result . . things get worse . . . God is still dealing with you!
Don’t think it strange that you have to hold on with everything you’ve got!
You didn’t know it was going to be this hard, but you must make up you r mind that I’m holding on, and I won’t let go
You didn’t know you would cry this much, but I’m holding on and I won’t let go
hurt this bad, but I’m holding on
feel this lost . . .
feel hopeless . . .
Don’t let go until he bless you!
hold on !
the old song says “I know too much about Him, you can’t make me doubt Him”
and God wants us to trust Him so much that even HE can’t make us doubt Him
like the Gentile woman, whose daughter was sick
Jesus told her no, talked bad to her, called her names . . . and healed her daughter
so no matter the situation or circumstance, tell God that you don’t doubt him
God, You can’t make me doubt You, I know too about you
you love me, I have not doubts about that
You’re gonna bring me out, no doubt about that
you’re going to make a way, no doubts about that
You are going to keep your promises, no doubt
You’re faithful!, no doubt
you’re going to make all things work together for my good, not doubt
the songs says, “when I woke this morning, I didn’t hve no doubt
i’m going to hold on, and I won’t let go!
no matter how tough it gets, hold on! . . .
Bible says that Jacob was weeping as he is wrestling
4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there— 5 the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his name!
so if you have to cry, then cry, but hold on
if you have to weep, then weep, but hold on
if you have to bury your head in your hands, then do it, but hold on
and in the end, dry your weeping eyes, raise up your head, and say, “I’m holding on, and I won’t let Go”
i won’t give in , I won’t give up, I won’t turn around
i’m suffering, but I won’t let go
i’m in pain, but I won’t let go
I don’t know what’s going on, but i won’t let go
hold on!
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.”
But what I see in the Scripture is that the Lord will eventually say, “It is daybreak”
Daybreak represents rescue, deliverance, salvation
Understand that storms do not stay, but pass over
This too will pass
Weeping endures, but only for a night
Realize that daybreak is coming
why does God have to go at daybreak?
the people understood that if you say God’s face, then you would die
God is saying, if you don’t let me go, you are going to die
Basically Jacob says, “I’d rather die than live without your blessing”
i’d rather die than live without your favor
i’d rather die than live without your approval
i’m tired of scheming my way through life . . .
life is not worth living without you!
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE TO ME (psalms)
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.”
God is causing Jacob to admit who he is
Jacob means A supplanter, a thief, a con, trickster, hustler,
Modern day equivalent would be, “slick Rick”
A person in control of their own life by their own schemes
Jacob admit your shortcomings . . .and he did
But Jacob I now call you Israel because you are an overcomer, winner, champion
that thief, supplanter stuff has been wrestled out
while God is wrestling you, he is working on your character
He is Making you better, stronger, wiser, understanding, patient, more loving, more obedient
and on top of that he will bless you!
hold on to God, that’s how you win a wrestling match with God, by refusing to let go
Revelation 21:7a - he that overcometh shall inherit all things
Some of you are worried about what to do, where to go, where to turn in your life, and that’s understandable, but the main thing you need to do is hold on to God for dear life, and don’t let go!
29 Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.
God saying, you already know who I am, that’s why you asked for a blessing
Yes, it’s Him . . . it’s God you are dealing with
God who is working with you . . it’s Him
Mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace, Jehovah Jirreh
God of promise keeping, deliverer, strong tower, friend to friendless
Rock in a weary land, Lion of the tribe of Judah, shelter in time
He’s right there with you . . . .working with you
Then God blessed him there . . . there at the place where Jacob refused to let go!
God blessed him there at the place of trial and testing
there at the place of intense prayer
there at the place of meeting God up close
there at the place where Jacob admitted his shortcomings!
There where he held on!
hold to God’s hand, God’s unchanging hand
commercial: Jacob never walked the same again
when you encounter God, he changes the way you walk
you have trouble walking the old way
come out of your trial, a changed person, don’t go through all of that for nothing
Summary
ultimately, you are dealing with God, focus on him
Have God say. “I can’t get rid of you”
God is wrestling some stuff out of you
Then God blessed him . . . if you hold on to God, and won’t let go, God will bless you!
