How do you win with God? This weekend Pastor Cody Adams shared a message about Jacob wrestling with God.
Genesis 32:24-25
Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
Jacob was born a deceiver, and every season of his life followed the same pattern of manipulation, conflict and running. This is the moment where his life changes. How do we experience this kind of change in our lives?
1) GET ALONE (So Jacob was left alone…)
Before Jacob could come face to face with God, he found himself alone in a place that meant “emptiness.” God may send some things or people out of our lives in order to allow us to face ourselves.
2) GET HONEST (What is your name?…)
The Angel of the Lord asked Jacob his name, and for the first time Jacob came to terms with who he truly was. Before we can become the person God has purposed us to be, we need to come to terms with who we’ve been.
3) GET A LIMP (And Jacob was limping because of his hip…)
Jacob lived the rest of his life with the pain of that encounter, and it kept him from becoming the person he was before. The only way to win with God is to lose: to surrender. Sometimes loving, serving, forgiving and following Jesus will feel like losing. But Jesus lived out the truth that Jacob’s story point toward!
Matthew 16:24-25
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it!”
