Is anything too hard for God
Is anything too hard for God?
We read in Genesis 18:14,14 “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?”
Genesis 32:24-30,
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
I. Jacob was afraid and needed a blessing from God.
A. Laban was behind him.
1. Laban did not want Jacob to leave.
2. Laban had it good with Jacob raising the folks for him.
B. Esau is before him.
1. Esau was heading towards Jacob with a small army of 400.
2. Jacob left Esau his brother behind some 14 plus years and Esau wanted to kill him.
C. Jacob is at his worse time of his life. He at a all time low.
D. He sends his herd and people ahead of him to help ease Esau.
E. Now he is all alone and ends up in a wrestling match.
II. Jacob wrestles.
A. At the beginning Jacob is wrestling with a man.
1. He is wrestling with a man to get what he wants for himself.
2. Jacob has always gotten his way one way or another up till this point.
a) Jacob believed in God, but never did anything with God.
3. Jacob is wrestling for what he wants, which is peace with his brother.
B. Than Jacob realizes that he is wrestling with God.
1. He goes from wrestling to hanging on for dear life.
2. His life is now changed from being in control to being in full dependence of God and hangs on for dear live.
a) Jacob got his life right with God.
b) He realizes that God is the one in control.
III. Jacob would not give up.
A. Jacob hip is now out of joint.
1. Does Jacob give up when everything seems hopeless? No.
2. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. once said “when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on but never let go.”
3. Remember in the Old Testament ones name is link to his nature.
4. Jacob life needed a change and God is the one who is going to give him a change.
a) Jacob had to surrender his life to God.
b) He dedicated his life to God.
5. Jacob takes on a new name Israel which means “God fights”
6. Jacob was alone when this happened.
B. If you are willing to content with God, you will have the power to content with all others.
1. If we are willing to pray the way Jacob wrestled, things would change for the good with us.
2. How serious are we in our prayer life when we pray to God for something?
a) Do we know what it is like to cry to God?
b) To hang on for dear life?
3. Jacob came away from his struggle with God with a hip out of joint.
a) This shows us again that God is the one in control.
(1) Jacob could not walk on his own any more; he was going to need help.
(2) This also slowed him down to wait on God.
b) Jacob’s limp that he had for the rest of his life shows his dependence on God.
c) When we get to the place were we struggle with God about something, He is going to show his answer in a way that shows He is in control.
Conclusion:
I will not let thee go unless you bless me. Will you come to terms with that? When your prayer life comes to this point things will change and it will be to the good.
Are you going to start wrestling with God?
Are you going to hang on for dear life?
Are you going to be a Jacob?
Biker’s church Sunday morning service 8/20/06