How To Have Power With God

HOW TO HAVE POWER WITH GOD

Gen. 32:22-30

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. JOKE. Two convicts were working on a chain gang. "I heard the warden's daughter up and married a guy down on cellblock D," the first con says to the other. "The warden's mighty upset about it too."

"Why?" asks the second prisoner. "Because she married a con?" "No. Because they eloped."

2. JOKE. Nicholas Banks tells that his dad was summoned to the hospital, where he is an anesthetist. As he raced toward the hospital, a police patrol car sped up behind him—lights flashing, siren blaring.

So Dad hung his stethoscope out the window to signal that he was on an emergency call. Within seconds came the policeman's response: a pair of handcuffs flapping outside the police car window.

B. THE POWER OF INFLUENCE

1. Around Kings, Prime Ministers, & Presidents, are a handful of trusted advisors. When making decisions, the governmental Heads seek the opinion of these advisors to reach decisions. These men/ women have power with the leader and can shape policy and legislation.

2. Others have access to the President. Imagine getting a private audience with the Queen of England!

3. Tonight we’re going to look at the power we may have, far greater than power with presidents or access to Kings.

C. TEXT

22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. 24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

D. THESIS

1. The KJV of vs. 28 says, “As a Prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

2. This is an incredible blessing, because God controls the future and the destiny of mankind.

3. We’re going to look tonight at how we too can have “Power With God!”

I. WHAT THIS POWER CANNOT BE:

IN THE O.T., SPIRITUAL THINGS ARE OFTEN PICTURED AS PHYSICAL THINGS. THOUGH LITERAL, THIS BATTLE PICTURES HOW THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD WRESTLE IN PRAYER(Col. 4:12) BY FERVENT PRAYERS & TEARS AND PERSIST UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE BLESSING WE SEEK. God is saddened we don’t do this! “No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you” Isa. 64:7. Moses in the breach. See Ezek. 22:30

A. JACOB DIDN’T DO IT BY PHYSICAL FORCE

1. We have power with God, not against God.

2. No creature has any power against God.

3. The strongest men or angels, or confederations, cannot touch God.

4. We are foolish if we resist Him. You can’t possibly prevail against God; It's crazy to think you can.

B. NOT BY STEPPING OUT & ‘OBLIGATING’ GOD TO BAIL YOU OUT

1. Some people think that they can force God’s hand by putting themselves in a place where they have to have His help or disaster will happen. God will somehow be obligated to rescue them (like the Israelites taking the Ark into battle!)

2. Churches take out big loans and expect God to make the payments! Christians can marry a non-Christian and expect God to save their spouse afterward.

3. If we do something without the direction of God or against the direction of God, how can we expect God to be obligated to intervene?

4. This is no different than when the devil set Christ on the pinnacle of the Temple and encouraged Him to jump, because the Scriptures promises that God would dispatch His angels to catch Him. What did Jesus answer? That that was “tempting God” or “putting God to the test.”

5. In such situations, God is not obligated to help us; it’s tempting God!

C. NOT BY DOING SOME GREAT SACRIFICE

1. MANY DO SUCH THINGS AS:

--Giving large sums of money to charity;

-- Working for a rescue organization, mission, or soup kitchen.