Download.. May 31, 2009, Sunday Morning service. Bro Dave Goble.
Genesis 32:24-32
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.
31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day." God wrestled with Jacob, Not Jacob wrestled with God. Pray until you know that you prayed. Prevailing prayer. God desires to meet with, and "wrestle" with, Your will,.. to break it for His way. His desire is, that your will.. or excuses, be wrestled away or Broken, all the "walls" that are around us, that would prohibit us from being fully surrendered to His will.
To give Up whatever, or Let Go of Whatever that is not of Him,.. which would only Hinder our soul from His will. God will not.. Uninvited,.. break down the walls that You set up, or Force His will on us. We must be Willing to wrestle away our own will,.. Let it go, so that God can lead and envelop our whole being. God will not be Second best in our life. God may be trying to tell you to give something Up, or Let go of some things. We must Beware of,.. Not Allowing our will to be broken,.. Because God will Not make us. The Decision must be Ours to fully surrender all that God shows us. We Must be willing to Forsake sin,.. in order to serve God. God must be First in All of our life, to serve Him. When God wrestled with Jacob,.. He caused him to become lame by touching his thigh. God wrestled with Jacob All night,.. to help Break Jacob's will. verse 25 This was the Only way to bring change in Jacob's life,.. for the fulfillment of God's Will to take place.
Philippians 3:14 The Apostle Paul exhorted here that we must Press for the mark.. in the High Calling. We need to see this as Prevailing in prayer,.. from God's point of view. This will accomplish in us, to see the need to Change from our will, to a Full surrender to His Will.
Genesis 28:12-15 God explains that Jacob and family would inherit The Promise. Yet it did not happen until After the encounter with the Angel/God, when his name was Changed from Jacob to Israel. Similarly a New name is give unto Us with Salvation, -in the book of Life. Ask yourself,.. has your name changed? Is your name written in Heaven? Jacob Before "the encounter " represents Us before Salvation, and After "the encounter", he represents us As the change that takes place in Salvation. We have to live like Jacob did here,.. like he might lose his life, for Any or everyday,.. might be our last day on earth.
In earlier years, Jacob had stolen Esau's blessing,.. so he rightfully feared for his life from Esau meeting him Again). Although wealthy, he feared his past and his consolation from God was "weak",.. Because of the uncertainly. His wrestling with the Angel Alone,.. was "his prevailing prayer" to God. Genesis 32:24 Jacob was alone, when a man came and wrestled with him until the break of day. God meeting us or you,..is illustrated here. You have this encounter,... in your hour of need. God sent the Angel to wrestle with Jacob. Not Jacob wrestled with the man, but the angel wrestled with Jacob. God sent that angel to wrestle, so there Could be a Change in Jacob. God Broke Jacob.--Not Jacob defeated the Angel. The Angel or God,.. Broke Jacob. Jacob Prevailed,..so God Could break him. God desires to meet each one of us,.. similarly.
Pastor D.Goble gave an illustration from his high school days of a wrestling "match" he was involved in, with another classmate. Br Dave being so tall (although skinny,) thought he would not have much trouble winning, but was humbled with the realization that he was Not the superior wrestler, regardless of his taller height. It wasn't until Br Goble finally gave up, that he was able to recover his ability to breathe, because his opponent had so successfully covered his mouth with his body, thereby a stalemate was achieved because Neither could succeed in actually winning. This is a convenient analogy to what we face,.. when we wrestle with God and His superior will for our life. We are at a stalemate before we have to face that we need His control,.. and not our own.
God desired to give the blessing, when there was Still too much of Jacob's will, in the way. God similarly wants to wrestle All Our hindrances away, -If we Will surrender in spite of the "risks" involved. Be willing to sacrifice All or surrender your will to His. Let some things Go-Give some things UP. Be Willing, to be Saved, Live for Him, and go to Heaven. If you "count" Anything of the flesh to be too "precious," you need to be Willing to Surrender it, (example,- influence of family, possessions, etc.) God will Not take Second place. The nerve in the thigh mentioned here (verse 25), is a powerful one, so Jacob was greatly affected by God to receive the blessing (as we are in Salvation). But,..the angel had to "Break " Jacob Before he was Changed. You cannot receive God's blessing without allowing God to First break you.
Psalms 34:18, Psalms 51:17 You must be of a Broken spirit and heart to be acceptable to God. God gave us this narrative of Jacob in Genesis the 32ND chapter, to Illustrate our need Also "to be broken" by Him, to receive His blessing.
Our name can only be written down in His book of Life, IF we allow ourselves to Be Broken. We, may as Jacob, at first press Back, not "Our" time,.. yet realize like Jacob that we must surrender in God's Time, -Not of Our chosen time. God is not always going to call our soul back, we must wrestle or surrender at God's time. God desires a Close "encounter" without all the trappings of this world to distract us. He will Not be Second best. It is vital to Allow God's message to break you, for you to surrender to it,.. so He Can be One with you. God Must be First in All you seek. People often "hide" behind family religion, personal goals,etc. God wants you and Him "Alone in the ring" to wrestle and break you for His purpose and Will. But First we need to bring ourselves to a place to Be broken, so God Can Have us for His own.
Genesis 32:26 Jacob's thigh was Injured, so All he could do, was Hold on and Prevail, although Broken. Jacob recognized he had No strength, Nothing left to hang on to,.. but Faith. Nothing of achievements, family, etc. verse 27, - Too Many are looking for a blessing,.. Before being allowed to being Broken. Jacob prevailed,.. because he Was broken. He was Then changed. God Then changed his name From Jacob, (which means sup-planter, deceiver, etc) To Israel (which means "power with God).
Any "fleshly" strength We have,.. is Weak relative to God's Strength. Jacob, ("sup-planter"), or one who comes from behind, was Changed to Israel,.. meaning "Power with God," at the dawn or breaking of day. This illustrates today where Jesus rises in our heart. Until We are broken for Jesus,.. we do not yet, have our New Name. When Jacob rose at dawn, his power, (thigh), Was Broken. We must come to that Same place, -so Our will can Also be broken for God. Otherwise,..we will be just a "nice" person, Without God's Change and power for us. Are You a sinner (your will is Not broken)? No power with God,..Unchanged? God has "a place" (repentance),..for You. God came to save Sinners, Not "nice" people (reprehensible).
Because Christ gave His Life,.. Shed His blood, ..so we Could surrender to Him, we cannot "Hide" behind being "nice",..it is Not a "hide and seek" game. Jacob was not the one needing to know his name,..''God needed to Show him" his Insignificant strength in need of God's strength,.. And a New name.
Genesis 33:1-9 Jacob was Still afraid,..and came from Behind his family. If we are willing to be broken, good things will happen. There is a weeping that goes on when we are Broken,..tears of Joy. How is it with You? If you are not broken, ...Are you Willing to be?
