Message Title: Don't get injured Fighting
Scripture: 2Cor.5:17; Genesis 32:22-30
If you have children you will know
this to be true. If we are honest with ourselves we could probably remember a
time when we fought against something that was good for us. We may even have
fought the person that was trying to help us. I’ve seen where people who
weren’t in the right mind try and fight off medical treatment from a paramedic
or doctor.
How many of us do the same thing when
it comes to God? God has given us forgiveness over sin and healing over the pains
in our life. It says in His word that he has made a new creation in us.
Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new. 2
Cor.5:17
Yet, it is in this
process of this new creation, we struggle with God. Constantly pushing back on
what his word says. For one reason or another it is so, hard for us to
surrender to a God who is trying to help us.
In Genesis chapter thirty
two we find a story about a man named Jacob who got into a wrestling match with
God and lost.
Genesis 32: 22-30
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two
womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that
he had.
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. KJV
There’s a lot going on in
this story that at this particular time I won’t get into. I just wanted to make
the point that this wrestling match never had to happen. God had already
blessed Jacob and would have even more if he had just asked. Jacob which means
deceiver had always lived this way. Fighting to get blessed. When it is all
over God changed his name to Israel. (One who struggles with God) I wonder what
your name is. Is it pride? Is it lust? Unforgiveness? Greed? The list could be
a mile long. My point is stop fighting God, before any one of those names gets
you hurt. Is pride destroying your marriage? Lust taking over your life? Those
things bring a lifetime of pain. That even after you recover from you will
always walk with a limb. Pride, lust, unforgiveness those can and often do
destroy relationships that never get mended. Give that old you up let God
change your old self and be blessed.
You can start by saying this
prayer or at least something like it.
Father God, help me
surrender my (you fill in the blank). Create in me a new creation. I don’t want
to wrestle with you anymore. In Jesus name, Amen.
That’s not a prayer to
end all prayers but, it’s a start. Be blessed in Jesus name.
Music Worship Leaders:
JW & Sharon Peck
Songs:
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