Wrestling with God - Life Lessons From Jacob. pt. 2

Jacob and Laban (Gen. 29-31) 

Moving Beyond Our Past

God forgives us of our sins but that does not mean that our past choices won't make the present difficult.  The golden rule applies to all, how we treat others will be how others treat us.  Jacob had used others to get what he wanted now he was getting used himself.  The only way to get through some problems is simply accepting the consequences of our past, trusting God, and waiting for Him to deliver us.  This time of waiting is when our character is changed from who we once were to who we now are in Christ Jesus.  The longer we live in denial of our past, the longer we remain the same.   Fire burns, but it is the necessary agent to make us come out like gold,  so we must embrace God's refining process.

God's blessings flow over to all those within our household, family members might take advantage of us over and over again if we allow them.  We must allow each one to walk in obedience for themselves.  There is a time and season for everything.  We can be a blessing to others but once that blessing is now a curse we must choose to separate.  Support can be very helpful during time of transition, but if someone gets comfortable with receiving freely and no longer advances forward then what was supposed to help someone now has crippled them.

Jacob learned to recognize he had many more advantages under the blessing of God than the disadvantages he had apart from Him.  The wisdom God gave Jacob through a dream helped him find a solution to the dilemma of Laban refusing to let him go.  He tricked him in a way that he could not be found guilty of doing wrong.  When we have been made ready and all present lessons have been learned, God will show up in the face of our enemies, and be our deliverer, all we have to do is trust him.




God has given us a way of outwitting our enemies.  God's blessings make us rich, we don't need to scheme to get wealth, but be obedient to His purposes.

Jacob and Esau (Gen. 32-33)

Necessary Conflict

Have you ever responded to a situation out of fear, making rash decisions, and then prayed?  To assure a problem will end well, prayer should be established from the beginning.  Approaching God in humility is key to getting His response.  We must understand God does not owe us anything it is by His mercy that He promises us any good thing.  There is always a strategy to win if we give ear to the victorious one.

We all have certain battles where we have difficulty trusting God.   We wrestle with Him whether to do it His or our way.  These are often areas where the wound is deep, the scar is long, the pain goes on and on.

Gen. 32:24This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”27“What is your name?” the man asked.He replied, “Jacob.”28“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”29“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.30Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 


Jacob had struggled with man but his real issue was his struggle with God.   Have you ever wondered why a crisis is being prolonged?  God is able to deliver us immediately but that is not always what is best, for some lessons take time to learn.  Until we have fully surrendered our heart to God issues will

continue to remain.  We must go beyond faith in God to relationship with God.  To go beyond receiving handouts to having face to face encounters.  We may have scars from the past but instead of them making us bitter they should make us better as reminders of what God has brought us through.

Have you ever feared conflict with someone but when the time came to confront them it wasn't nearly as big of a deal as expected?  Walking with God makes it so much easier to walk with man.   As we grow in our relationship with God we begin to see others through His eyes as well as others begin to see His reflection in ourselves. Jacob said he saw the very face of God in his brother Esau and Esau was friendly towards his brother and they both went their separate ways in peace.

Jacob to Israel (Gen. 35)
Transformed - Transforming

Do you ever hear stories of your past and it is as if you were a different person?  Well, spiritually we are,  I am a brand new creature in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away and all things have become new."  God transforms us to transform others.  Jacob got his household in order, by removing pagan idols.  He brought everyone to Bethel the house of God and built an altar.  God spoke to Jacob there renaming him Israel, declaring that he will establish a great nation, even nations.

Jesus has commanded us in Matthew 28:19 like God commanded Jacob go and disciple nations.  We are Bethel, the house of God, the world is His altar, the place where we lay down our lives as a living sacrifice.  As we are transformed transformation takes place around us.