Wrestling with God

Always Confident
Wrestling with God

I. Introduction

A. Genesis 32:4-5 (NLT) ⁴“Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, ⁵and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’”

B. Genesis 32:20b-21 (NLT) ^20bJacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” ²¹So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.

C. Genesis 32:22-23 (NLT) ²²During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them.  ²³After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.

D. Genesis 32:24-31 (NLT) ²⁴This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. ²⁵When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. ²⁶Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ²⁷“What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” ²⁸“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” ²⁹“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. ³⁰Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” ³¹The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.

1. Jacob’s life before the fight could basically be summarized by the phrase “–.”

2. Jacob “believed” in God, but he on himself!

3. It’s possible to believe that there is a God, and yet when difficulty comes, or trouble comes, the person you trust in the most is !

4. There is a beneath the struggle.

E. Jacob’s real struggle is with !

F. Hosea 12:3 (NLT) Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother; when he became a man, he even fought with God.

1. When you think are in control, then God is oftentimes going to start a with you!

2. What Jacob discovers here is that his self-sufficiency has to !

G. Our self-sufficiency has to !

H. Genesis 32:26 (NLT) Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

I. “Faith” is not something we achieve out of . It’s something we discover when we have to hold on to!

J. “You will never know that is all you need until God is all you .”

K. Genesis 32:27-28 (NLT) ²⁷“What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” ²⁸“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

1. We’re here, as followers of Jesus, because we have to hold on to! Not in reality.

2. “Never trust a leader without a limp.” (John Wimber)

3. Don’t rely on your strengths to walk with God—rely on your !

L. II Corinthians 12:10 (NLT) That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

M. “Success” is not going to fix you! is!

N. “, !”

II. Conclusion