Let me start by assuring you today that if there is a situation in your life that you are not happy with it, you’ve got the power to change that situation. Maybe you are struggling to meet your commitments, maybe your finances requires a touch, maybe your health is failing, maybe things are generally not going well with you. I’ve got news for you, as long as you are on the Lord’s side (Exodus 32:26) you’ve got that power. The bible in Jeremiah 1:19 says and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you.
Why am I so sure that you can bring change to your life? Because you have the authority! Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases (Luke 9:1). You and I have also got the power, the power to trample over serpents and scorpions, the power to decree a thing and heaven establishing such things, the power to ask and to receive. The bible (2 Corinthians 4: 7) says we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
How can you activate this authority? How can you change situations that have been oppressing you over the years? Through wrestling! Now, let’s take a close look at the events that night when the life of Jacob was completely turned around.
Gen 32: 22-28
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!”
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.”
Now let’s look at Jacob’s encounter with God, how he activated this authority
First, a few things about the character of Jacob:
• He grabbed the heels of his brother when they were about to be delivered from their mother’s womb
• He took the birthright from his brother
• He tricked his father into blessing him instead of his brother
• He was a supplanter, a trickster, a deceiver
• At this time when he wrestles with God, he wanted to reconcile with his brother. He has been away from home with Uncle Laban for 20 years, even though he was financially blessed, he wanted to a more significant change in his life. He was not happy with his situation, and he was eager to do something about it! Are you eager to change your underachievement? Are you tired of striving not thriving?
A few important points to consider today:
1. There can be no sanctification without separation
Jacob was preparing to go and meet his brother Esau, and at night he sends his family, servants, and possession across the ford at Jabbok. He sent his family and belongings away! He sent his 11 sons, 2 wives, 2 savants, and what he had; he sent all of them away. The lesson here is that sometimes you need to be alone, and spend quality time with God. Jesus, before he named his 12 disciples was on the mountain praying all night. Moses was on the mountains when he received the 10 commandments. In other words, there needs to be separation for there to be sanctification, consecration comes before justification, after which comes transformation. It is only after this that you can begin to talk about jubilation.
2. His Touch may sometimes be painful
Travailing may be a painful and difficult or burdensome work; it may be a toil, anguish or physical suffering. Remember when the bible says Elijah placed his face between his knees when praying! (1 Kings 18:42) It must have been challenging for the prophet of God. To prevail means ‘to prove superior in strength, power, or influence, to succeed; become dominant.’ But always remember that the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much (James 5:16)
Now Jacob is pretty strong so he puts up a good scrap with his assailant. We know from a few chapters before the one we read that Jacob is strong because he moved the stone away from the well. His assailant sees that he is not winning the fight, so he touched the hollow of his thigh; and as a result the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. Are you willing to go the extra mile to attain what God has promised you?
3. Pain is not always your enemy
It can be painful to be confronted with our sin.
It can be painful to be humbled by a righteous and holy God.
It can be painful to go through times of difficulties.
It can be painful to be humiliated
It can be painful to see peers making progress while you are stagnating
Most of us view pain as an enemy. However, it is pain that forces us to pay attention to threats against our bodies. Without it, heart attacks, strokes, ruptured appendixes, and stomach ulcers would all occur without any warning. Will you visit your doctor if pain didn’t tell you to?
But God is telling someone today that sometimes, pain brings change. Remember that the destiny of Shedrack, Meshach and Abednego in the book of Daniel was perfected in the burning furnace. It is in pain that we often find blessing.
Jacob may have broken his hip in the encounter, but it led to blessing and his life was changed forever. The greater your pain, the greater your gain
4. Perseverance in prayer yields profits
Jacob wrestled all night in spite of a broken hip. The Bible says a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity. (Proverbs 24:16) Jacob is feisty and hangs on, refusing to let go until he gets a blessing. Remember the story of the persistent widow and the unjust judge in Luke 16 where the bibles says will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. There is also the story of the friend in need in Luke 18 (I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. Note that God cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him. God conquered Jacob by weakening him. Are you ready to be weakened by God today or do you just want to do it your way?
5. An encounter with God Changes Your Name
God asked him what his name was: God was telling Jacob: Are you going to continue living up to your name, deceiving yourself and others; or will you admit what you are and let me change you?" God gave him another name. God is giving someone a new name today! A new name in the Bible times means a new beginning (Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Saul to Paul). God will give you the name of a victor. He gave a new name to Israel. He was no longer the heal grabber but a blessing grabber, no longer the deceiver but the receiver of God’s blessing. His new name means ‘he who struggles with God.’ He had struggled with God and man and had prevailed.
In conclusion, note the following:
1. Abraham’s servant prayed to God, and God directed him to the person who should be wife to his master’s son and heir (Genesis 24:10-20).
2. Samson prayed to God, and God showed him a well where he quenched his burning thirst, and so lived to judge Israel (Judges. 15:18-20).
3. David prayed, and God defeated the counsel of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:31; 16:20-23; 17:14-23).
4. Daniel prayed, and God enabled him to tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream and to interpret the dream (Daniel 2: 1623-23).
5. Nehemiah prayed, and God inclined the heart of the king of Persia to grant him leave of absence to visit and rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:1-6).
6. Esther and Mordecai prayed, and God defeated the purpose of Haman, and saved the Jews from destruction (Esther 4:15-17; 6:7, 8).
7. The believers in Jerusalem prayed, and God opened the prison doors and set Peter at liberty, when Herod had resolved upon his death (Acts 12:1-12).
8. Paul prayed that the thorn in the flesh might be removed, and his prayer brought a large increase of spiritual strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-10
I want to assure you today in the name of Jesus that if you travail, you will prevail and:
Accomplish the impossible
Believe the impossible
Receive the impossible
