Genesis 32:24

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until
the breaking of the day.

Wrestling with God

Its over 30 years after the Bethel experience and Jacob was just in the face of impending disaster.
Jacob has spent his life running, run from his past, his sins, his enemies and his own reputation.
Before him a marching army was coming out against him. It was an army of vengeance, an army
of retribution, and army of reckoning. It was an army of Esau, his twin brother and skilled hunter
now turned commander. Behind him was a host of Laban and his Children, a father deprived of
his daughter and a grandfather of his grandchildren. Brothers in law robbed of their sisters and
envious of the wealth he got and fled with. He was going to face the consequence of his betrayal,
lies and tricks against his brother. The fear of the approaching army and the fear of what he left
behind gives him time to reflect, time to pray, time to sit still and stop running…

while he was doing so in the darkness of night, along on a lonely mountain he feels a touch,

 a touch of he who will never let him go,

 a touch of he who will never leave him,
 a touch of him who is faithful and true

But guilty Jacob Jacob thought his deeds had now caught up with him,

 is it Laban seeking his revenge?

 Is it Esau bringing retribution?
 Is it a soldier seeking his life?
 It it a robber seeking his stolen possessions?

Jacob started to wrestle with the man, they wrestled all night.

 It was a fight for survival,

 it was a fight for his life,
 it was a fight for his family,
  it was a fight for his very existence,

He held on to this man;

 he held with all his might,

 he held with all his will and purpose

Towards the break of morning, this man gave Jacob a second touch…

 one touch that crippled Jacob,

 one touch that paralyzed his leg,
 one touch that made Jacob realize,
o he was fighting someone who was not fighting back,
o That he was fighting with God and not man.

There are many times when in desire to survive, desire protect out names and status, desire to
protect our family and possession we enter in fights. Not ordinary fights but fights with God.

 We fight him to robe him of his treasury, to feed our families take our children to school
 We fight him to robe him of time, using his time to gain the world while losing our own
souls
 We fight him to robe him of talents, taking our gifts from his work while employing to
for survival
 We fight him to robe him of our life,
o resisting the truth,
o resisting his warnings
o and resisting his call every ignoring his knock on the doors of our life
 Who are you wrestling with?
 Who are you suppressing, oppressing or ignoring,
 Who are you robing of treasury, time, talents and life?

Like Jacob we fight the one who has come to help us,

 We fight God our source of strength and power

  We fight God our source of hope and survival
 We fight God our ever abiding friend
 We fight God our protector, healer and sustainer
 We fight God our all in all

Like Paul we fight against God while believing we are fighting for him

 we fight him by fighting his children

 we fight him by oppressing them at work
 we fight suppressing this messengers
 we fight him by ignoring him

who are you fighting today, who are you wrestling with today?

How long will you oppress, suppress, frustrate and ignore him…

Day Break is coming… the fight will be over… where will you destiny lie..

May God bless us, as we meditate upon his word.