Sermons on Bereshis 32:23:

Wrestling With God

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Aug 6, 2017

There are moments in life that change us forever. Today's story looks at the second of two such moments in Jacob's life, where he wrestled with God in prayer and in pride, and was forever changed.

Genesis 32:22-31 Wrestling with God Have you ever had a pivotal moment in your life that has forever changed you? For me, one such moment was the day I joined the military. I felt like God wanted me to do something truly significant with my life, and that decision forever changed me. In the life ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31, Colossians 4:12, Proverbs 16:18, Hosea 12:4

Denomination: Baptist

Wrestling With God Series

Contributed by Vic Folkert on Mar 23, 2018

In the darkness, which we all feel at times, Jacob wrestles with God. He asks for assurances of blessing (which he already had), but instead, he gets God! Jesus also wrestles in the garden, giving up control, and God raises him from the dead.

WRESTLING WITH GOD—Genesis 32 (Children’s Message: afraid of the dark?) Are you afraid of the dark—or the darkness? Maybe the darkness is in the hospital, or a war zone, or you found yourself jobless or on the edge of bankruptcy. Maybe the darkness was anguish over children, or marital ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:1-32

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Between A Rock & A Hard Place

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 7, 2017

When Jacob has to flee Laban, he learns Esau is comming at him with 400 armed men. His schemes have caught up with him as he finds himself between a rock and a hardplace. What was God doing in the situation? What do we do when we find ourselves in a place

Genesis 32:17-31 9/14/14 What do you do when you find yourself between a rock and a hard place? I’m talking about those times in life when there seem to be no good options. Your current job is almost unbearable, but there are no other jobs available—and you do need the paycheck. The people you’re ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:17-31, Genesis 31:3, Genesis 27:41-45

Denomination: Charismatic

A Wrestling Match With God

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Sep 12, 2022

Jacob needed to deepen his relationship with God. He also needed an object lesson that would teach him some things about the way he related to God. Because Jacob needed a change. Most of us need that too, both the lesson and often the change.

Alba 4-21-13 A Wrestling Match With God Genesis 32:22-32 Most of you probably know about the song called “A Boy Named Sue” that was recorded by Johnny Cash. It is about a boy whose father left him and his mother when he was little, but before leaving named the boy Sue. Part of the song goes like ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

19th Sunday After Pentecost. October 19th, 2025. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 10, 2022

Year C, Proper 24.

Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Luke 18:1-8 A). BEHOLD THE DAYS ARE COMING. Jeremiah 31:27-34. “Behold, the Days are Coming.” This is a recurring motif in Jeremiah (cf. Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 30:3; Jeremiah 31:27; ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Luke 18:1-8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jacob Wrestles With God Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jun 8, 2022

Peniel was a place where Jacob reached brokenness. He lost all self-sufficiency and depended completely on God. This was a time for Jacob of genuine soul searching and spiritual struggle. It was also a significant time of knowing God’s grace.

A profession of faith in Christ is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of a pilgrimage. Along the way there will be defining moments and spiritual highlights. For Jacob his defining moment was at Peniel. The meaning of Peniel is the face of God. Peniel was a place where Jacob reached ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Denomination: Baptist

Jacob-When He Wrestled With God Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 1, 2022

If you have ever wrestled with anyone. you'll understand a little of what Jacob endured when he spent most of a night wrestling with an unknown Guest!

Introduction: Jacob and his household had left the land of Laban and were heading back to his homeland. God Himself had told Jacob to do this (Gen. 31:3) and Jacob had obeyed. While on the journey, Moses wrote “the angels of God met” Jacob at a place he called “Mahanaim (Hebrew for “two camps)”. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Denomination: Baptist

Āḇaq: Jacob Wrestles With God Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Apr 15, 2022

Are you a fan of wrestling? I remember watching wrestling growing up. And I remember seeing a few fights during junior high and high school where people were wrestling. What happens when people wrestle?

Are you a fan of wrestling? I remember watching wrestling growing up. And I remember seeing a few fights during junior high and high school where people were wrestling. What happens when people wrestle? They start fighting, and they inevitably end up on the ground, tossing up dust, spinning around, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:23-32

Denomination: Salvation Army

A Metaphor For Prayer.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 26, 2022

Such outpouring of ourselves, painful perseverance, tenacity in prayer - will cause us also to prevail. Thus, like Jacob, we will procure the blessing

A METAPHOR FOR PRAYER. Genesis 32:22-31. “The ford Jabbok” (Genesis 32:22) is significant, first, in that it was the border of the land of promise (cf. Numbers 21:24). Second, it was here that Jacob had a lifechanging encounter with God, and had his name changed from Jacob to Israel (Genesis ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He's Coming To Meet You: An Exposition Of Genesis 32:1-23

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Jul 21, 2020

We must learn to depend upon God and not ourselves.

He’s Coming to Meet You: An Exposition of Genesis 32:1-23 Jacob was a man of many faults. He had connived to take away Esau’s birthright. His very name, Jacob, means “deceiver” or “supplanter.” He and his mother tricked Isaac to give Jacob the Patriarchal blessing. For this, his brother was ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:1-23

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Angel's Touch: An Exposition Of Genesis 32:22-32

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Jul 22, 2020

Who is it that actually touched Jacob's thigh?

The Angel’s Touch: An Exposition of Genesis 32:22-32 In the previous passage, we saw that Jacob dreaded meeting his twin brother, Esau. He should have been afraid, for Esau felt cheated out of the patriarchal blessing of the firstborn. The LORD had assured him that al would turn out well. Yet Jacob ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31, Genesis 32:22-32

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Blessing Of Brokenness Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 10, 2021

If you want to be truly blessed and be a blessing to others, let God break you of your self-sufficiency and sin.

Recently, I came across an interesting set of statistics on sanity. According to the study, one out of every four Americans is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Now, think of your three best friends. If they’re okay, then it’s probably you. (Rita Mae Brown, Church Champions Update, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32, Psalm 51:17, Matthew 5:3, 1 John 1:8-9, Isaiah 6:5, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Mark 14:3  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

"What Did Your Daddy Say!”

Contributed by Sean Dees on May 2, 2021

To many people have said things about you, tried to put things on you, but before you let them claim you with their words you better go to your Father and see what your Daddy has to say about it!

“What did your Daddy Say!” Genesis 32:22-30 I. It should have been Esau wrestling with God not Jacob. A. In Genesis 25 Isaac and Rebekah are expecting, but something doesn’t feel right; the Bible says Rebekah asked “…why am I thus?” and God responded, “Two nations are in thy womb…” and she ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-30

Even The Angels Will Serve Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 25, 2020

Today we are at the beginning of what could be a terrible time in the history of the Catholic Church and all the communities who call themselves Christian.

Tuesday of 26th Week in Course 2020 Michael, Gabriel and the Archangels Today is a special day for me and my family. My birth name was Michael, and the day reminds me to thank, in spirit, the woman who bore me and gave me to my adoptive parents, who taught me the faith and gave me a loving ...read more

Scripture: John 1:47-51, Daniel 7:9-14, Genesis 32:22-32, Genesis 28:10-22, Luke 1:28-38  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Wrestling With God Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 24, 2021

This morning, I invite you to consider with me, “How do people actually have a life-changing encounter?” Is it near death experience that causes us to change? What would cause you to change?

We continue our series, My Crazy Family, the story of Jacob. Jacob is a complex character – we would say in our day, “He’s a piece of work.” Jacob’s life is a Russian nesting doll with one conflict inside conflict inside yet another, conflict. What begins as a conflict with his twin brother Esau, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Denomination: Baptist