SF798 - THE BLESSING OF BROKENNESS (Genesis 32 22-32)
Genesis 32:22-32
Introduction
Life is all about change.
Salvation and sanctification are all about change.
God must change us.
Revelation 3:19 NKJV 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. …
We see God changing Jacob
At Bethel, he became a believing man, at Jabbok he became a broken man.
He came away from Bethel with a spring in his step; he came away from Jabbok with a lasting limp in his walk.
At Bethel he died to sin, at Jabbok he died to self.
At Bethel, he experienced the glory of grace; at Jabbok, he experienced the blessing of brokenness.
If we are to every to know the pleasure of God’s blessing, we must come to a place of brokenness.
How God will break us…
1A. God will bring us to a Place of Isolation. (24a; Isaiah 6:1-8))
1B. In order to reveal Himself to us. (1-4)
You will never really know God until you have spent some time alone with Him.
2B. In order to reveal our sin to us. (5)
Psalms 51:2-3 NKJV 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
3B. In order to reveal His plan to us. (6-8)
Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV 3‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
2A. God will bring us to a Place of Confrontation (24b)
1B. God will come to us.
God comes to us long before we come to Him.
This was the pre-incarnate Christ.
The emphasis is on Christ wrestling with Jacob
2B. God will confront us.
Jacob resisted because of he was stubborn and self-reliant.
God will confront us concerning our hidden sin.
Numbers 32:23 NKJV 23 …be sure your sin will find you out.
God will confront us concerning our harbored sin.
Hebrews 12:15 NKJV 15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
3A. God will bring us to a Place of Desperation. (25-27)
1B. God will corner us. (24b)
He refused to give up on Jacob.
He will not give up on you.
Philippians 1:6 NKJV 6being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
2B. God will conqueror us. (25)
God will do whatever it takes to break you.
Ø A wrestler depends on his legs. God touched him at the point of his strength.
Ø He could not even run. He is defeated and debilitated.
How far will God have to go before you give in?
3B. God will challenge us. (26-27)
Concerning our strength
Ø At times it seems that God wants us to let Him go, what God wants is to show us how desperately we need to hold on to Him.
Ø Are you desperate, dependant enough that you will refuse to let go of God until He blesses you?
Psalms 42:1 NIV 1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
Ø Most of us have not come to this place.
Concerning our sin
Philippians 3:3 NIV … put no confidence in the flesh—
Ø We do not need self-confidence.
Ø We need to have confidence in Jesus alone!!!!
Ø What is your confidence in?
5A. God will bring us to a Place of Transformation (28- 32)
1B. He will break us in order to bless us. (28-30)
Jacob won by loosing
Ø Israel = prince with God!
Ø God had to break him to bless him, cripple him to crown.
2B. God will break us in order to use us. (31-32)
Jeremiah 4:3 NKJV 3For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, ...
Ø Mary broke to jar to anoint Jesus
Ø Jesus broke the loaves and fish and blessed them.
Ø To be blessed you must be broken
Psalms 51:17 NKJV 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.
Application
God does not have to bring calamity into your life to break you.
If you heart is right the Word of God and the Spirit of God can break you.
You do not have to wrestle to give in.
Quit wrestling with God. Give in to God!
THE BLESSING OF BROKENNESS
Sunday, November 8, 1998 - Genesis 32:24-32
1A. God will bring us to a Place of _______________. (24a; Isaiah 6:1-8))
1B. In order to reveal _______________ to us. (1-4)
2B. In order to reveal our ____________ to us. (5)
Psalms 51:2-3 NKJV 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
3B. In order to reveal His _____________ to us. (6-8)
Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV 3‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
2A. God will bring us to a Place of _________________________ (24b)
1B. God will ___________________ to us.
2B. God will _____________________ us.
God will confront us concerning our _________ sin.
Numbers 32:23 NKJV 23But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
God will confront us concerning our _____________ sin.
Hebrews 12:15 NKJV 15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
3A. God will bring us to a Place of _________________________. (25-27)
1B. God will __________________ us. (24b-25)
Philippians 1:6 NKJV 6being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
2B. God will ____________________ us. (25)
3B. God will ___________________ us. (26-27)
Concerning our ____________________
Psalms 42:1 NIV 1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
Concerning our sin
Philippians 3:3 NIV … put no confidence in the flesh—
5A. God will bring us to a Place of ____________________ (28- 32)
1B. He will __________________ us in order to bless us. (28-30)
Ø crown.
2B. God break us in order to _______ us. (31-32)
Jeremiah 4:3 NKJV 3For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.
Psalms 51:17 NKJV 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.