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Genesis 32:24-32
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man
with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he
saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the
hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was
out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said,
Let
me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let
thee
go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What
is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy
name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as
a
prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast
prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me,
I
pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that
thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for
I
have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him,
and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the children
of
Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon
the
hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched
the
hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
Hosea 12:4
4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he
wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in
Bethel, and there he spake with us;
Some people wait for God's judgment to break them or
His
chastisement. The truth is we can become broken through
our
desire and hunger for the right things. I hope through
this
Barnabas letter that you will receive what Paul declared
in
Romans 1:11-12 when he said, A11 I long to see you so
that I
may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong--12
that
is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each
other's
faith. This is the essence of what mentoring is really
all about
Jacob vanquished the covenant angel through the power
of prevailing prayer. He gained influence over the angel;
the ability to realize His destiny. He prevailed because
He
wept C He was heard because His supplication was so loud
that
Hosea heard the voice several centuries later. For Hosea
said,
There he spake with us. The cracking of Jacob's sinew
was so
loud Hosea heard the echo years in the future. AHe being
dead
yet speaketh.
But I need to call to your attention that Jacob experienced
a sun-set. It happened in Genesis 28:11, And he lighted
upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because
the sun
was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and
put them for
his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.Let me
ask you a
question. How can the sun set on a man who is about to
encounter God; not just any God but the God of Abraham
and
Isaac? For the first time Jacob was going to talk to God.
Jacob
saw a ladder; an access to God that was unlimited because
there
was both ascent and descent. He was going to God and receiving
His blessing and then leaving His presence to serve and
accomplish the task or assignment given by the Almighty.
How
could such a wonderful vision be seen in scripture as
a sun-set?
Because Jacob was moving away from what God had purposed
for his life.
It was His direction! He was headed the wrong way.
When God offered Jacob a covenant relationship, all
Jacob wanted from God was His promise to feed, clothe
and house him (Genesis 28:20-22). All he wanted were
material blessings as a result darkness fell upon Jacob’s
life. Jacob was a victim of unbroken ambition.
Lot was given a choice. Do you choose the well-watered
plains of Jordan or do you choose the rough Judean
Hills? Abraham gave Lot the prerogative. What will it
be? Well, he chose the well-watered plains of Jordan.
If
you consider his choice from a clinical viewpoint, he
made the right one. He positioned himself to conduct a
successful business with the heathens and separated
himself from the anointed man of God so he could rid
himself of any discomfort God's word would cause.
We can not afford to separate ourselves from an anointed
man of God that preaches God's plan for our lives. The
plan that I am referring to is the plan revealed in the
scripture. An anointed word from God can cause
discomfort especially if it convicts us of wrongdoing
or
selfish living. It is important that we allow the word
to bring
us to repentance. Repentance is the only way to restore
our relationship with God. Some people refuse to take
the right path as did Lot.
Unfortunately, Lot's direction was wrong -- He pitched
his
tent toward Sodom. It wasn’t his position in the
plains
that was a problem but it was the direction of his tent.
I submit to you that direction is more important than
position. It is good for every person to determine where
he or she is spiritually. Through prayer and hearing the
word of God you can find out where you are. However, it
is more important to discover which way you are headed.
Will your decisions and choices reflect a direction that
has heaven's values or will it reflect a carnal and earthly
affection? Too many people are making decisions based
on their preferences and personal convenience. They do
not see how their actions relate to the purpose of God,
neither do they care to. The greatest sin Sodom ever
committed was the sin of being too busy to care. We
need to stop long enough and reflect on our life-style
does it support the true purpose of God or our own
agenda.
After Jacob received a promise of God's protection by
divine
visitation at Bethel, the Bible says the sun set on him.
How can
you have a ladder of direct access to God with angelic
escort and
the sun still set on you? It was his direction. He was
moving
away from God's purpose, not toward it. His methods of
obtaining the promises of God were not acceptable. It
showed
determination but not faith. God disapproved of Jacob's
actions
and it pushed him away from God's ultimate intention for
his life.
Jacob was removed from the promise for twenty years until
he
was ready to be broken and have his direction and his
methods
set by God.
The sun did not rise on Jacob again until he crossed
Jabbok and there wrestled with God until the breaking
of
the day. Then the Bible says the sun rose upon him.
Why? Because His direction had been corrected. He
was now moving toward God's purpose instead of away
from it.
It is sad to see in my generation people who are
constantly changing their position on issues and
standards. Sometimes it is difficult to see the wrong
of
their position. But when you examine their direction more
closely you see that God's purpose will not ultimately
be
served. Here are some good questions to ask yourself before
you make a change in your stand on any issue. Where am
I
going? Who am I glorifying? A look at the end result will
give
you a clearer picture of whether your position is correct.
Remember, that even with a divine visitation from God,
Jacob still
experienced a sunset because he was moving away from what
God really wanted for his life. Lot lost most of his family
and he
lost a place in God's eternal purpose because His direction
was
wrong. My question to you is, Which way are you headed?
There are three works of the flesh God can not use in
His
purpose.
Jacob was a bargainer C He wanted conditional blessings.
If
you do this I will do that. He bargained for the birthright
He
bargained with God for the blessing.
Jacob was a deceiver C He deceived His father Isaac
and his
brother Esau and stole the family blessing.
Jacob was a grabber C reaching for everything; wanting,
desiring and lusting after what he did not have.
God can use this kind of nature but only when its broken.
God's purpose goes beyond the material blessings of life.
We
were made to manifest the life of Christ and minister
that life to
others C Jacob could not perceive the importance of God's
purpose. He was satisfied with toys when God wanted to
give
Him heavenly riches. God had to delay His blessing 20
years in
Jacob's life. How many Christians are taken up with the
lesser
instead of God's highest? That's why God must create the
broken effect. God does break bones in Psalm 51:8, David
says,
AMake me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which
thou
hast broken may rejoice."
He desired our brokenness so He can dwell with us. God
puts no premium on human cleverness or ability. Why the
need for brokenness? Do you take a sharp knife and give
it to a six month old baby? Why? Because they are not
mature enough to use such an instrument responsibly.
They could hurt themselves. If self remains unbroken then
the power of God will not be used to the benefit of the
entire body.
The bottom line is God was not pleased with Jacob's
method of obtaining God's promises. Whereas it showed
determination, it did not show faith. But only brokenness
would
give him the privilege of enjoying it. So the sun-set
on Jacob.
Jacob's wrong choices caused this sun-set. Sun-set is
a
condition where your past limits your future. Your mistakes
hinder
the flow of God's blessing. Brokenness is the only answer.
What
does it mean to be broken? Do we have to go around with
our
head hung down? Do we have to act as if we are being
humiliated? Never!! All Jacob needed to do is repent of
His
self-life. Where self is exalted God can not operate His
eternal
work. A work may be done but its not eternal. Jacob received
an
encounter with God but the sun-set because of no repentance.
Jacob needed God's discipline to cause him to recognize
that
God must choose the place where we will serve. Brokenness
will
render us helpless so we will lean on Jesus and hold on
to him
until we are blessed by the Lord.
Even at our best we are still not good enough without
God. Jacob had to stop fighting with God and start
holding on. Only the effectual and fervent prayer will
avail
and that must be from a righteous man. The word,
fervent" means (Zeos), to be hot or boil;"to
take solids
and reduce them to liquids."
Ask yourself these questions to determine whether or
not
you are broken enough for God to use you. Can God
correct you? Can you make it without God?
Jacob did three things to get broken and find favor
with
God.
First, He got alone with God. Jacob was alone. There
are
some things you cannot do in the crowd. Aloneness with
God will give your power to prevail in prayer and
successfully assault the gates of Hell. Notice that a
man
wrestled with Jacob. Jacob did not engage the combat,
the angel did. The angel wrestled with Jacob in order
to
take something from him; his carnal nature. If God
wrestles with you its because of your carnality not
spirituality. The angel could not prevail against Jacob
because He yielded to the true purpose of the wrestling
match.
Second, Jacob finally got hungry for the right thing;
the
eternal purpose of God. God tested Jacob's earnestness
by asking him to ALet me go. If you can let go of God
he
doesn't want you or need you. Esau let go. He let go of
his
birthright for a bowl of soup. Jacob had spent 20 years
grabbing
birthrights, blessings, wives, wealth and property but
finally he lets
it all go and reaches for God.
Third, Jacob got honest with God. God asked him a
question, AWhat is thy name he answered truthfully, AI
am
Jacob. Before when asked the same question by his father
Isaac he lied and said, AI am Esau. Now he tells the truth.
Jacob got alone with God, he got hungry for God and
got
honest with God. Then God touched the sinew of his right
thigh and broke Jacob at his strongest point. Peter's
strongest point was fishing. Moses' strongest point was
his
worldly education and leadership potential.
It took 3 2 years for the disciples to learn that without
Christ they
could do nothing. Notice that the angel did not remove
the sinew
he just shrank it. Our flesh in never removed but it can
be
diminished until it is subdued by God. God wanted Jacob
to
emerge from this wrestling match an Israel. Jacob was
blessed
and the sun rose upon him. He was allowed a new beginning
in
spite of his past failures he was given the opportunity
to
start-over. ABut the path of the just is as the shining
light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs
4:18).
This time Jacob was blessed by God Himself, not just
Isaac. When Isaac placed his hands on Jacob and
blessed him the sun set. But when God placed His hands
on Jacob the sun rose. God wants to lift us from the
ashes of our past failures and emerge a new man with
the sun shining upon us.
Approval is better than success. It is good to be used
for a
function but its better to have the long extended favor
of God.
Elijah was sent by God to anoint Hazael king of Syria,
Jehu, King
of Israel and Elisha, prophet in his stead. Hazael was
heathen
king. Jehu, a pretender and a hypocrite. Elisha, a mighty
man of
God. All were used but only one found the cloak; only
one sought
the God of Elijah. Do you want to be used or do you want
the
Lord? Charles Finney made this comment about revival
continuing in the church. AIn order to sustain revival
C the church
must experience brokenness every 2 or 3 weeks.
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