Wrestling with
Posted by Donnie Crawford on Thursday, August 15, 2013 Under: Preaching
Let's take a look at Genesis 25-33.
Here we see a man named Jacob. Who was this man called Jacob?
His name tells the story. Rebekah was pregnant with twins and even in the womb they were struggling against each other. She inquired of the Lord and he told her: “’Two nations are in your womb; and two peoples shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other; and the older shall serve the younger.’” (Genesis 25:23) Esau was born first but “afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob.” The name means “one who takes by the heel. Jacob’s name prophetically described his character, which was a deceiver, one who took advantage, a manipulator, a crook. Deep in his heart Jacob knew it was true: he was a crook. His actions had confirmed it and yet his actions had confirmed something else too. Remember that he valued the birthright so highly he designed a plan to manipulate it from his brother. Truly, Jacob was at war with himself as much as he had warred with Esau in the womb.
Here we see that Jacob was a deceiver, one who took advantage, cunning, conniving, a manipulator. He was a crook. How many of us can say that by looking back in our life's we can see that at some point we were a Jacob as well? Here we also see that Jacob wrestled with his brother in the womb for the birthright. Another sign of our self wanting to be first and so much so that we will even fight for it no matter who we have to fight. As we go on we see that Jacob designed a plan to manipulate his brother for that birthright and got it. Genesis 25:27-34 Later we see that Jacob also deceived his father and brother and took the blessing of his brother from his father and left to go to Paddan Aram as his father had instructed him to do. He married and had many children and through out the years as he worked for his mother's brother, Jacob became exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. Then Jacob noticed that Laban’s(his mother's brother) attitude toward him was not what it had been. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” so he left and went back.
Here we see that even though Jacob was doing what he thought was right there came a time that he had to face all his wrong doings and deal with them. There was something deeper within him that had to be brought forth. So as he was returning to the land of his father to where he knew he would have to face his brother. He stopped and made camp. At this camp his mother's brother catches up with him thinking he had stole from him, but finds nothing. They make an agreement between them that neither would harm the other and they ate and slept and then they went their different ways. As Jacob was still en-route to his father's land the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. There they stayed and Jacob sent messengers to his brother and when they returned to him they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Great fear and distress set in and Jacob began to pray to GOD. There he spent the night and sent a gift to his brother in hopes to pacify him until he saw him and in hope that he would receive him and not harm him.
Here we see the fear of facing what is deep within us. The fear of facing the truth. The fear of facing our true nature. Jacob's fear would later in the night get him up and cause him to leave the place he was and to find himself in a place that he was alone or so he thought. Genesis 32:24 we see that Jacob wrestles with a man til daybreak. At some point in the wrestling match Jacob's hip was injured and his name was changed and he was blessed. He face a fear that he did not see. His fear of seeing his brother was not the fear he was to meet with but instead the fear of facing himself. The man asked him, " What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. At that point his name became Israel cause he had struggled with GOD and humans and had overcame. He was blessed and he named the place where this took place and said here he saw GOD face to face and his life was spared. He left that place and continued on to meet his brother. As he was limping because of his hip, he looked up and saw his brother with four hundred men coming. Still with the fear in him he bowed seven times as he approached his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
Here we see that as with Rebekah who had two natures within her, Twins as they were called. Two that were jostling and warring for control. We also have two natures within us and these are warring for control as well. The old nature is the elder nature because that's the one that was there first. The new nature comes once we give our life to CHRIST and that's the nature that's going to win if it is dedicated to Christ. Stop wrestling with Esau and just be you.
Through out all of this story we see that from the beginning to the end GOD was with Jacob always. Even though Jacob was a deceiver, one who took advantage, a manipulator, a crook, a smooth talker, GOD was still with him. Even though Jacob was in some bad situations, GOD was still with him. So if you feel that you are like that of Jacob and that GOD is not with you then know that that is a lie for you can see for yourself right here that GOD was with Jacob always no matter what or where he was and HE will always be with you no matter what or where you are.
You know, God runs the ultimate impossible shop. He specializes in doing the impossible. So often, God chooses His best leaders from the deepest pit, from the most impossible situation. That's where He gets His heroes. That's where God gets His leaders from. I want you to know that even though Jacob behaved badly, Jacob was the great great....great grandfather of Jesus. And I want you to know that even though you had a past that you're not proud of, maybe you're ashamed of your past, you can still, by submitting yourself into the hands of Jesus Christ you can still become all that He wants you to be. Jacob did. And you can also. Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. God can still use you. What you must do is submit your life into the hands of JESUS. JESUS is waiting to run to meet you and embrace you. Will you come and give your life to JESUS?
In : Preaching
Tags: wrestling struggling fighting