A Encounter with God. iv

            I have enjoyed these past 4 sermons myself God has walked me through each sermon and taught me so much; My prayer for you is that He has spoke to you also. Each sermon from God has taken us step by step up to this point on how to have an encounter with God.

  But before we get started I want to ask you some questions to think about during this sermon. If you are writing these down , here we go.

1.Why did you come to church these morning?

(think about this and be ready to answer God before you leave today.

2.What are you willing to give for the cause of Christ?

3.What do you expect to receive this morning when you walked through those doors?

Now while you are thinking those over turn with me to:

Gen 32:24-26

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.”

 Now that man had an encounter with God!!!!!

 Even though no details of this fight are given, we do know that it was a real encounter a fight.

   We only know that a man wrestled with Jacob, we know nothing about His identity other than He refused to reveal Himself directly in v29

 We read in v24 that they wrestled till day break.

 The word day break or till day break is very important because the darkness symbolized Jacobs situation or life up until this moment, of fear and uncertainty, there is a lot of Jacob in each of us. When it comes to facing God fear and uncertainty doesn’t even begin to cover it.

 Do you think if Jacob knew that he was about to face off with God, he would have fought Him? Let alone all night long.

But the fact that the Bible says that it lasted till day break says that Jacob was a worthy appoint. Or this man was just toying with him.

     What do you think?

 Finally the man touched Jacob so that his hip went out of joint. Just like that Jacob was crippled by a supernatural blow or touch. In short like so many of  us today, Jacob now encountered someone he could not defeat.

   Church listen!!!!!!! Even though Jacob was crippled and unable to win, he knew this man was special so he hung on for a blessing. Then both the identity of the man and the significance of the fight dawned on Jacob. I mean once Jacob knew who he was wrestling he held on for dear life and pleaded for a blessing!!!

   God said “ let me go” and Jacob said “ I will not unless you bless me”

  Believe it or not that’s what God wants from us.  If we want an encounter with God we need to grab Hold and do not let go until we get what God has for us.

  That man had an encounter!!!! AMEN    An encounter with God and did not want to stop until he saw results.

   But instead we act like Moses:

  Exodus 3:11

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Exodus 4:10-13

10 Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

13 But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

Sound  familiar, God wants to use each of us, But we are wrapped so tight in our own little cocoon, that we can’t get out. And if we can’t get out then God can’t get in. God wants to take us out of our comfort zone. For instance:

  Tell personal story about work.

1.God speaks to me in car.(it’s not about me)

2.God tells me what I need to do.

3. I pray for strength, wisdom and courage.

4.I can’t do it on my own. God shows up.

5.I leave my comfort zone.

6.I have an encounter with God.

   When we step out on a limb to GLORIFY GOD, He will always be there with us and for us. See I did not go in there to glorify me but to give God the honor and glory.

We are so busy in our own lives we tell God to meet with us. !!!!!!That won’t work!!!!! We need to say what adjustments must I make in my life to meet God.  Then ask yourself If I make these adjustments, what will God accomplish through me?

  Look at Moses he had to make major life adjustments to join God in what he was doing.

 There is no way Moses could stay in the desert and stand before Pharaoh at the same time.

 Each of us have a place inside of us that is empty but we hide it.  The only ways to fill that hole is to Join God and do His will. This life is not about us at all, not you or me  

 Remember the story of David and Goliath, listen to this:

1 samuel 17:4-7

 He was over nine feet tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.

5000 shekels 125 lbs

600 shekels—15lbs

So David said to Saul:

32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”

37 The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

 Saul even dressed David in his own armor. Saul did not have the faith David had. David said I can not wear this I’m not used to it. So he went out and said to the Giant.

  45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

David had an encounter with God.

  We face Giants everyday in our lives. How do we handle them? Do we get scared, or do we take matters into our own hands or do we turn it all over to God and give Him the honor no matter what the out come is?

  Do you know people are watching how you handle you up’s and downs; Paul says “That I might be the only letter someone ever reads” Most people we witness to have never read the Bible. They don’t even know if there is a God.

  We need to have an encounter with God. We need to get on board with Gods plan for your life. We spend most of our lives wanting God to show Himself to us, but since we are not in tuned with God  we can’t see all that He dose. But let me ask you this, What gifts are you bringing Him. I mean what offering are we bring God today.

  Well preacher I give Him part of Sundays and sometimes Wednesdays and I pray sometimes and I look at my bible a couple times a week. I live a good life and I’m a good person. Or I tithe.

 And then we get mad at God when we can’t feel His presences or feel His power when we need it. We are the biggest hypocrites today, our churches our the biggest hypocrites in this world today. We expect God to bless us and revel Himself to us and we are not willing to sacrifice anything for Him. If serving God meant reticule from your co-workers and the loss of your friends. If serving God meant stepping out of your comfort zone and witnessing to you best friend or you best drinking buddies  would you do it? If serving God meant 7 days a week not just 1 ½ would you do it. If serving God meant loosing your cool status and being labeled a Jesus Freak would you do it

Tell story of all the friends I lost in wrestling when I was saved.    

 But you know I would not change it for the world. God has blessed me more than I deserve and more than I can say, but I  you thankful, no overwhelmed that he would chose me to do His will. But when I’m obedient to His will I have an encounter with the living God. And so can you.

John 14:21

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Jesus tells if we obey His Commands, He will love us and show Himself to us. We/ you can have an encounter with God.

 Are you ready to take that step out of your old life and into a new one. One with meaning and purpose and a God you wants to know you and have a relationship with you. ALL it takes is for you to want Him to.

Amen