Peniel

Genesis 32:24–31 CSB

24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 “What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he answered, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.” 31 The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel—limping because of his hip.

Alone

I want you to understand that being alone is not a physical state but rather a mental and spiritual state. Before Jacob’s encounter with God, he got alone. He sent away his family and all his servants. It was just him and God. You see Jacob was now stuck in a place because he couldn’t go backwards because he made a covenant with his father in law that he would not pass a marker of territory, and he was struggling to move forward because his brother Esau whom he cheated out of his birthright and his firstborn blessing was coming toward him. He found himself in a spot where he could do nothing but wait. Many of us in here have found ourselves in a similar dilemma. We can’t go back to our old life but we are struggling to move forward because we are scared of what lies ahead.

The solution is very simply yet incredibly difficult. It is time to get alone with God. Like I said, alone is a spiritual and mental state. You have to determine that it is just you and him. Not worry about the person next to you, what is going on at home, what you are going to do next week. The solution is that right now in this moment you make up your mind that “God it is just you and me, and I am going to grab ahold of you and not let go until you bless me!”. One positive trait about Jacob is that he was a man of determination and pursuit. He never gave up and did whatever he had to do, to get whatever he wanted. He used it to cheat and feed his flesh until this moment. We need to take all the energy we have wasted on other things and turn it to grabbing hold of God.

The Wrestling match

This took a boldness like no other for Jacob to fight like he fought. For him to refuse to back down and demand the blessing like he did. It was obvious to Jacob that this man was divine being, because he recognized 2 things, 1. that the man had the ability to bless him and 2. that the man was God because he named the place Peniel which means “face of God”. Most other people throughout scripture fall down in fear in the presence of such a being. But Jacob in his desperation took a step of boldness and grabbed on for dear life. In order for you to get what God has for you it is going to take boldness. You can’t worry about what anyone else thinks, you can’t be afraid to step out and be at the altar. You can’t surrender to the wrestling match. You have to refuse to be beaten, take hold of God and let go of everything else.

Secondly, it takes determination. To many times we give up right before our breakthrough. Jacob refused to let go until he got his blessing. Even after he had his hip dislocated the man still had to tell him to let go. The whole reason he dislocated his hip was because the man Jacob wrestled with realized that Jacob was not about to give up. Jacob was not going anywhere or doing anything else until God moved and blessed him. Listen, there are going to be moments where this wrestling match can be painful. As God digs up old wounds so that he can heal them, brings up bitter memories so that you can learn to forgive. If you are determined and resolved I guarantee you that God will move in your life.

Finally, it takes vulnerability. When he asks for his blessing, the man asks Jacob what his name is. This is significant because the last time Jacob was seeking a blessing he was disguised as Esau. He was trying to receive a blessing that didn’t belong to him. God will not bless who you pretend to be. There was a unique blessing for Jacob, but there was something inside of Jacob that was not satisfied with that. It was like he didn’t feel like he was good enough as he was so his insecurity got the best of him and he had to steal the identity of someone else. Listen, God will bless you but you have to come to him as your true authentic self. If you will be vulnerable with God, he will reward you. Bring your insecurity to him, don’t hide it. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Authenticity is closely related to humility and the scripture tells us that “God gives grace to the humble”.

A new walk

Jacob came out of this night of wrestling with God walking differently. After you have a true encounter with God, it will leave an impact on your life that will affect the way you walk. I am talking about your spiritual walk. He now walked with a limp. We need to take note that this limp served a purpose. First, it was a reminder to Jacob that with every step he took he was reminded of his encounter with God. He could not live his life, he could not go down the street without thinking about this encounter.

Secondly, it was a testimony to those around him that something happened that left a mark on his life. I picture people asking him, “what happened to you?”. He now has an opportunity to share his life changing experience with others. It is a testimony of what God was doing in his life.

A new name

Jacob went into this encounter with a name that meant “heel grabber, or Cheater” He was known for cheating people for being self serving. He lived a life of strife with people because of the multiple times he cheated people. Perhaps you have been known by a name that is less than desirable. Maybe nobody else calls you by that name but you fight a battle within yourself daily over a name that you gave yourself. Maybe you struggle with having a name at all and battle with your identity. You don’t even know who you are. God has a name for you. He has a purpose for your life. This identity, this name, is locked up in the wrestling match between you and God. If you would be like Jacob and cling to God he will reveal to you exactly who he wants you to be. Jacob became Israel, which means “He strives with God”. That is a major step from “Cheater”. God has a new name for you!