Disclaimer: I can’t take credit for the whole outline. I picked this up from some where but don’t know where (not on Sermon Central). I just added many of the notes.
Don’t Let Go
This is the account of Jacob wrestling with the Lord
How many Knows you can wrestle with the God
How many have wrestled with the Lord?
Genesis 32:24 - 32
Hebrews 10:35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: NKJ
There’s an old saying that says when you get to the end of
your rope tie a knot and hang on.
How many know that’s a spiritual principal as well?
When you get to the end of your rope tie a knot and hang on
We find that spiritual principal played out in the life of the Old Testament hero Jacob
Actually at sometimes in his life Jacob was not really a
hero.
But in this story we find that Jacob employs one of the most powerful principals that any Christian could earn
It is a story that was at a crucial turning point in his life
Jacob as you know was the grandson of Abraham
And Jacob came to a point in the story where he had to exercise faith.
How many know that your Granddads faith is not going to be enough for you.
Neither will your dads faith be enough for you
There will come times when we will have to trust God for ourselves.
Jacob experienced that in this story tonight
It’s a story about holding on, not letting Go
I. JACOB’S TRIP
From
Bethel (Genesis 28:12-22) – “house of God” – Jacob meets God in a dream.
In the dream Jacob sees a stairway from earth to heaven and angels ascending and descending. He hear God’s voice for the first time.
Haran (Genesis 29 – 31) – Here Jacob is deceived and spends most of his journey. God taught him an dependence on Him
Gilad (Genesis 31)– Meets Laban after his escape. God
teaches him his protection beyond his knowledge
Mahaniam(Genesis 32) – God angels of protection.
Penial (Genesis 32) – “seeing God face to face”. This is where God became his God
Shalem city of Sheckhem (Genesis 33)– makes an altar and calls it El-elohe – God is gracious, God’s grace, after meeting with Esau
El-Bethel – Genesis 35- A trip back to Bethel, changes garments. A cleansing. Time to start over.
Genesis 37:1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
Some of you are just like Jacob you have wasted 20 years of your life running from God. Running from God’s will. You might as well give up because God is going to get you.
II. JACOB’S CHIP
Were talking about the chip on Jacobs shoulder,
Because back in the land of his father, he still had an unresolved conflict with his brother Esau
Remember what happen 20 years earlier
The last time Jacob saw his brother Esau, Esau had sworn to kill Jacob
Now Jacobs headed back home
And he’s filled with fear.
SO he sends ahead messengers, Genesis 32:3
And they return saying
Esau is coming to meet you,
And by the way he’s got 400 men coming with him.
The Bible says that Jacobs’s heart was griped with fear
But Jacob knew where to go in a time of fear and trouble
How many know where to go when trouble strikes
He divided his people into 2 groups sent them ahead
He would spend the night alone left behind
Sometimes we need to get alone with God. We need to do as David did at Ziklag and “strengthen ourselves in the Lord”
You have struggled with men and you have struggled with God and prevailed.
Many people enjoy carrying their hurts because it gets them attention. Yet I don’t like living that way.
III. JACOB’S GRIP
He would not let go of God,
"Then the man said, ’Let me go, for it is daybreak.’
But Jacob replied, ’I will not let you go unless you bless me.’" - Genesis 32:26
Would Jacob hold on like his grandfather Abraham,
Who held on to his promise even when he was a 100 years old.
Abraham had incredible faith
The Lord said Let Me Go!
I Will Not Let You Go Unless You Bless Me!
Psalms 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
IV. JACOB’S HIP
"The sun rose above him...and he was limping because of his hip." - Genesis 32:31
Mark on Jacob, Defining
I got the blessing
It took some struggling but I got the blessing
It took some difficulty but I got the blessing
At one point in the night I thought I would have to let go, but I held on
And by morning I got the blessing
Don’t trust a man who doesn’t have a mark
Paul had A Thorn
Hosea had a broken heart
Jacob had a Limp
“Don’t talk to me about where you are going until you tell me where you have been”
Conclusion
Jacobs illustrates the truth that God will bless us, if we hold on and not let go
SO the simple message is Don’t Let Go!
The writer of Hebrews said
Don’t throw away your confidence
Why would the writer of Hebrews pen those words to Christians
He did it because many Christians in the hour of struggle, when the struggle grows long
When it becomes hard to hold on to God
That some Christians cast away their confidence and quit believing God.
And they quit trusting the Lord
