Jacob Wrestling With God - 1/14/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

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with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

Genesis chapter 32

Genesis 32 · chapter mention

and uh

my my Bible reading plan that I have uh

for this year's kindly been leading me

through these chapters and uh just what

I've been familiar with and don't always

do that. Most time I'm sort of separate

uh from my Bible reading uh to what I

preach. But I just felt impressed to

deal with this text tonight. Genesis 32.

I want to read uh verse number verse

number 24 down through the end of the

chapter of Genesis 32.

And uh

give you a little thought here tonight.

I don't know if it'll be any more than

that, but I'll just try to mind the Lord

as he gives us liberty. Genesis 32: 24,

the Bible says, "And Jacob was left

alone, and there wrestled a man with him

until the breaking of the day. 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. And he said, "Let me go, for the

day breakth." And he said, "I will not

let thee go except thou bless me." And

he said unto him, "What is thy name?"

And he said, "Jacob." 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." 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. And Jacob called the name of

the place Pineel, for I have seen God

face to face, and my life is preserved.

And he passed over Pine, the son. And as

he passed over Pine, the sun rose upon

him, and he halted upon his thigh.

Therefore, the children of Israel, eat

not of the senue, which shrank, which is

upon the hollow of the thigh unto this

day, because he touched the hollow of

Jacob's thigh in the senue that shrank.

Father, I ask you for just a moment a

time that you would help me tonight as

we look at these verses. God, I realize

how inadequate and unable I am to do

what you've called me to do tonight

without the power of the spirit of God.

And God, I pray that you would give me

liberty and uncction tonight. Clothe me

in my calling and anoint me with the

spirit of God fresh and a new rid me of

the flesh and all sin. Help us to

receive with meekness the engrafted word

tonight. And Lord, I pray you'd open our

eyes we might behold wondrous things in

thy love. You said thou would keep him

in perfect peace. He whose mind is

stayed on thee. Lord, I ask that you

keep our minds and hearts focused

tonight on your word and on you. God, I

pray you remove every hindrance, Lord,

anything, God, that might stand in the

way. and God that we may know you as a

result of this service more than we did

when we came. I pray you leave help us

to leave challenged and changed tonight

by the word of God. We'll thank you for

what you do because we ask it in Jesus

name. Amen. Genesis 32.

This chapter marks the change in the

life of the patriarch Jacob. And uh when

we come to this portion of scripture to

get us up to speed on where we're at in

the book of Genesis, we know the story

tonight of Jacob. Jacob, his name means

suppler planter. And that is exactly

what Jacob has done literally from the

time of his conception. You think about

Jacob. The Bible says that when Isaac uh

and Rebecca, Rebecca conceived and there

were two sons in her womb, the Bible

says, and it says that they struggled

within them. And so leaving before

birth, Jacob and Esau were struggling in

the womb of Rebecca. And after birth,

the Bible talks about that Esau came out

first. And as Jacob came out afterwards,

he took hold on the leg of Esau. And

that's why Rebecca named him Jacob. He

was a suppler. And and uh Jacob's life

is is marked by this li by this um

mentality. He is he is strategizing.

He's always scheming. And isn't it

interesting that he's always successful?

Everything Jacob does works out for him.

And I'll say this tonight. Just because

what you do works out for you doesn't

mean it's right. You're

>> right.

>> Amen.

>> Jacob gets by with a lot of things. But

where we've come to in this text,

Jacob's life is finally caught up with

him. And you notice here in this

chapter, the Lord has been with Jacob.

And I'm like most writers, I believe

that Jacob at some point in his life

before this had obviously um repented

and trusted in the Lord and he was

living a life of faith. He obviously uh

honored God more than Esau did because

Esau was rejected. Amen. And so he did

not he was not allowed the covenant. But

I I'm reminded in this chapter just to

give you a few things about where we are

tonight. Of course, Abraham begget Isaac

and Isaac begat Jacob. And Jacob would

be the one here in this very chapter of

whom the seed of Israel would be

birthed. He the 12 tribes 10 of his own

sons and then two sons of Joseph would

be the 12 tribes of Israel. And so in

this text to give you a few things by

way of introduction tonight. Some things

that stand out in this chapter. I would

say the position of Jacob stands out in

this chapter. He is journeying here. He

has left Laban's house in chapter number

31. And Laban has tried to come after

him. God has delivered him from Laban.

In chapter 32, he finds out that Esau is

coming on him as well. And God has

delivered him from Laban. And now he is

going to face Esau. And what's

interesting about this tonight is the

problem with Laban is the same problem

that he has with Esau. He did Laban

wrong. And so now he's dealing with the

problem on the other hand. I'll say this

tonight, your your pro your mistakes,

your your failures will catch up with

you in this life. Amen. And Jacob here

in this text, it's been some 20 years

since Esau, he has even laid eyes on

Esau. They've not seen each other in

many, many years. And so, no doubt

there's probably children uh here that's

present that weren't present when Esau

and Jacob departed from one another, if

not the whole family. I can't verify uh

all of that. But I will say this

tonight, Jacob's in dire straits. And

the Bible says in chapter 32 and verse

number six, he sent messengers out. and

the messengers come back. In verse

number six, they come unto him. Verse

number six, saying, we have we came to

thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to

meet thee, and 400 men with him. And the

Bible says in verse 7, then Jacob was

greatly afraid and distressed. And the

Bible says he divided the people that

was with him and the flocks and the

herds and the camels into two bands.

Jacob has been blessed. He has brought

in much uh crops. He's brought or much

cattle. um his family is broad. He's got

many children. And so God has blessed

him greatly. And his position here is

that he has all of this blessing. And

now he's afraid that Esau is going to

come and take it from him. Now, if you

were in Jacob's shoes tonight and you're

told by your servants that 400 men are

coming with him, you think that they

don't have good intent in mind when

they're going to see Jacob. When there's

400 men that's coming, obviously they've

got ulterior motives of what they're

going to do when they see Jacob. And so

his position is one of dire straits. But

I note not only the position in this

chapter, but I note the prayer. And this

is one of the highlights prayers of

Jacob's life. You think about Bethl. You

think about this point in his life. And

he prays a beautiful prayer. I'll say

more about that in a minute. But notice

what the Bible says in verse number nine

of chapter 32. And Jacob said, "Oh God

of my father Abraham, and God of my

father Isaac, the Lord which set unto

me, return unto thy country and to thy

kindred, and I will deal well with thee.

I'm not worthy of the least of the

mercies, and of all the truth which thou

showed un thy servant. For with my staff

I passed over this Jordan, and now I am

become two bands. Deliver me, I pray

thee, from the hand of my brother, from

the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest

he will come and smite me and the mother

with the children, and thou sayest, thy

will surely do thee good, and make thy

seed as the sand of the sea, which

cannot be numbered for multitude. In

verse 13 says, he lodged there that same

night. So, he has come over here uh to

the fort jab in the text, we know

according to later on, he's in Penule.

And here in this text, his prayer, he

makes an earnest prayer. I'll say this,

if you just read that prayer for what it

is, it sounds pretty humble, doesn't it?

What he's saying, it sounds like he's

he's really desiring God to help him.

And you know what? He's going to have to

have some help.

>> Amen. He's going to have to have some

help from Esau. He's going to have to

have some deliverance. And so, what's

interesting about that prayer is the

exact moment that he finishes his

prayer, he begins start he he is already

starting out to make his plan. Notice

verse 13. And he lodged there that same

night and took of that which came to his

hand. Notice this, a present for Esau

his brother. Verse 14 and 15 lists the

animals. 200 she goats, 20 hegoats, 200

use, 20 rams, 30 milks camels with their

colts, 40 cine, 10 bulls, 20 shees, and

10 foes. He has took a half of his

inheritance here. He's took a half of

all that he has been blessed with to

make this present. Now, this present

sticks out for this reason because it

shows that there wasn't much faith in

his prayer.

>> He's decided, "All right, if if God

ain't going to deliver me, I'm going to

do something that's going to help out."

>> You're right.

>> How many times we do that?

>> We say, "Lord, you going to have to help

us. We just don't know how we going to

get out of this." And then, right moment

it comes off our lips, we've already got

something else. Well, if that don't work

out, we got a we got a backup plan,

>> right?

>> This is the way Jacob has lived his

life. He's decided. He's everywhere he's

been. And I said it before, I'll say it

again. He is strategizing and he is

scheming everywhere he goes. And he

always comes out successful. But I'll

tell you this, this time it's not going

to happen that way. He's got his present

together. He's got a gift to pacify the

wrath of his brother, Esau. And tonight,

of course, we know that he's bitter.

Esau is bitter at him because of

stealing his birthright, stealing the

blessing from Isaac his father. And

Jacob is concerned that his life is in

danger. And so he makes this present. He

decides his plan. Verse number 17 down

through verse number 22. He's getting

his plan together. He's going to send

out one group with this present to go

out and meet Esau. And Esau's going to

see this. And the servants are going to

present the present there unto Esau. And

Jacob, he's sending them out as a

martyr. You can read that in the text.

Jacob says, "All right, if they go and

die, at least I'll still have every at

least I'll still have half."

>> Right?

>> He's he's got this plan in his mind.

I'll tell you this tonight. When it

comes to dealing with the world, and

that's what Esau's a type of. He's a

type of the world. Amen. The rejectant

ones, you your plans don't work with

them.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. Let me just tell you your ideas

and your thoughts about this life.

You're not going to be able to deal with

the world because the world's got the

deck of cards. You understand that? You

going to have to deal with the Lord on

these things. I think we make the

mistake too often times of trying to

take matters into our own hands.

>> Well, I prayed about it. Well, look the

way you're living after it.

>> That's what he did.

>> He prayed about it, too, didn't he?

Amen. Made a long pretty swelling

prayer. Oh, God. God of my father

Abraham and God my father Isaac, we'll

cry out. Amen. But we decide, we done

decided before we even stopped praying

what we're going to do. Amen.

>> Right?

>> Notice not only the plan in our text,

but notice the privacy here. You see in

our text, the Bible says in verse 22

that Jacob rises up that night. He's

sending the present over over the over

the ford there, Jabbok, unto Esau to

meet them. and he lodges with his wives

uh in the company that's left. Verse 22,

he rose up that night, took his two

wives and his two women servants and his

11 sons and passed over the four jab. So

they passed over. Verse 23, he took them

and sent them over the brook and sent

over that he had. Jacob has put it all

on the other side. And notice verse 24.

And Jacob was left alone.

Jacob was left alone. And what you going

to find here in this text, this right

here, that little moment in verse number

24 is what begins the life change of

this man Jacob. This is where he turns

around. One writer said it this way at

Bethl when Jacob met with the Lord, he

became he was he was saved. But here in

this text, when Jacob met with the Lord,

he became a saint.

When Jacob met with the Lord at Bethl,

God saved him. But in this text, God

sanctifies him.

>> Amen. And I'll say this, there's going

to have to be a point in our life. All

right? Some people it happens for them

at the moment of salvation. I've heard

it heard stories tell about men of God

down through the ages. God saved them.

And at the very same moment, he saved

them. He called to preach called them to

preach and they live the rest of their

life in service to God. You don't hear

much of that anymore.

>> But I tell you what we see a whole lot

of is people that get saved. And it

takes them a long time before they ever

truly get set apart for God. It ain't

supposed to be that way. Let me just put

that out there. Amen. But I'll tell you

this, God's plans are not our plans.

Amen. Notice in this privacy here in

verse 24. Remember I told you, Jacob's

schemes and his strategies always made

him successful. Always made him

superior. But you see, Jacob for one

time in his life, he's left alone. Don't

you think about this? Jacob was never

alone

because of his flocks, his fields, and

his family and his servants. He was

never alone. You think about it. He's

got 12 children and a daughter. He's got

wives. He's got four wives. Two wives

and their their handmaidaidens that are

with him at all times. Jacob is he never

spends a moment alone in his life. He's

busy. And I'll say this, it it

illustrates our life pretty well for us.

Amen. Most of us are never alone at all.

>> But I'll tell you this, Jacob gets in

this place where he's alone. You say,

"Preacher, why did he end up alone?"

Well, I'll say he the loneliness finally

reached Jacob because his failures

caught up with him.

>> Amen. His failures caught up with him.

And because his failures have caught up

with him, his fears are overtaking him.

And you know what happens out of that?

Instead of operating in faith, he's

operating out of fear. And so his faith

is overruled. This is what'll happen to

every one of us. You're

>> right. When your failures finally do

catch up with you when sin when it comes

to pay, when your failures finally reach

you, you got one of two options. You

going to have to deal with it in faith

or you going to have to let fear

overtake you. And what happens? Jacob is

left alone here because he's

strategizing. But remember, it is his

scheme that's got him to this place of

aloneeness. He didn't choose this

willingly.

He did this because in this text, he was

afraid he was going to die.

Amen. He wouldn't have been alone,

>> right?

>> You see, when we we live our lives so

busily, and I don't I don't want to miss

this point. I want to emphasize this

well, okay? We live our lives so busily

that we never have time to be alone and

to think,

>> right?

>> If you never stop long enough to

meditate, I I'm guilt just as guilty as

anybody in here. If you never stop long

enough to think about something, we have

no break. The reason why people were

quicker to repent 50, 60, 70 years ago

is because they didn't have so much

occupying their mind.

>> You're right.

>> They wasn't so busy.

>> Even Jacob, I dare say, he probably

wasn't as busy as some of us are here

tonight,

but he was left alone. I'll say this,

this privacy was not a good thing. It

was not a good thing in Jacob's eyes,

but it was a good thing for Jacob.

>> Right?

Sometimes you just need to get away by

yourself. And I notice in this text, you

see this loneliness has reached Jacob.

He was left alone. I want to say this.

I'm thankful that God doesn't let us

alone when we're left alone.

>> Yes.

>> Amen. He didn't see. See where Jacob has

has pushed everybody else out. This is

what happens when your failures catch up

with you and because of that fear

overtakes you. You It's the natural

response. It's fight or flight. And

that's what Jacob is doing. He's fly.

He's getting away from everything

because he don't want to be reminded of

his troubles. And so what you're going

to do is when you get to that place,

you're naturally going to separate

yourself from everything and everybody.

But I'm thankful God doesn't let us

alone.

>> Amen.

>> When we're left alone, notice here in

this this privacy, the Bible says that

Jacob was left alone and they wrestled a

man with him until the breaking of day.

So according to this text, many people

have said, you know, that Jacob wrestled

all night long. I don't know that it was

all night long, but I do know that it

was a long period of time. According to

the text, it does say in this text that

he that same night there, verse 22, he

rose up that night, took his two wives

and his two women servants. And so if

they're like the average woman, Amen,

y'all don't get mad at me, but it took

them a while to get over the four. Amen.

That was supposed to be more funny than

it was. Amen.

And so I don't know how long it took,

but I do know this that Jacob, the Bible

says that they wrestled until the

breaking of day. Now this man in this

text, the reason the Bible leaves this

discreet here is because this is a

theophony. This is a pre-incarnate

appearing of Christ. Now I made the

statement a few weeks ago talking about

I don't know of any other men that saw

Christ pre-incarnate other mo other than

Moses, Abraham, and Joshua. But right

here's you another one. Amen. Jacob met

with the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 24.

It is the man that wrestled with him

until the breaking of the day. And I'll

say more about that in a minute. But I

notice in this wrestling that that word

wrestle there in your Bible, it means to

grapple. It means they're literally

armlocked.

And what is it? What is what are they

wrestling for? Well, this is what I find

interesting. In the privacy here,

there's a conflict.

And you know what you're going to meet

up with in your life when you get in a

private place, there's a conflict,

>> right?

>> Amen. Cuz what happens is is if your

flesh leads you to that private place.

All right. What you're going to have to

do is is the flesh is going to fight

with God.

>> That's right.

>> Amen.

>> That's what happens. And so there's

going to be a conflict there. And what

is happening here is Jacob has finally

met his match.

>> Amen. You know what? I said it and I'll

say it again. Everywhere else Jacob has

ever been, he's come out on top. You're

>> right.

>> Amen. He's like he's, you know, he's the

Muhammad Ali of the Bible. Amen. He's

come out on top every time.

>> Right.

>> But now Jacob's finally met up with

somebody that's not going to back down.

>> Amen.

>> What's interesting about this fight is

as this describes that one word in verse

24 describes Jacob's life that he

wrestled.

He was constantly in in a battle with

somebody or something. I'll say this

tonight. It's not good to be

contentious.

>> Right?

>> If you are if if problems follow you

everywhere you go, Amen. chances are,

Amen, you're probably the problem. Amen.

>> I had somebody tell me a while back

said, "I've had five people say the same

thing about me, and I just don't know

why they keep saying that."

I'm like, "Well, you might ought to take

a look in the mirror." Amen. Somebody

say amen right there.

>> But it's the truth. If if everywhere you

go and every person you come in contact

with, they seem to find or they seem to

have a problem with you, chances are,

Amen. It might be on your end and not

theirs. Amen. Cuz not everybody's

naturally contentious,

>> right?

>> But Jacob is. It's why he was named this

way. He was the suppler. And in this

privacy here, there's a conflict. But

I'll say his conflict was with Christ.

And in the lone times of life when God

gets you separated, when God gets you

alone by yourself, finally, and I'm

thankful sometimes God uses the

circumstances that we bring upon

ourselves and he uses them to bring

fellowship into our lives. See, if Jacob

hadn't got to this place, he would have

never come to a meeting with God.

But God brings him close in this

chapter. And in this, you see the

persistence here in verse 24. They

wrestled until the breaking of the day.

So there's several hours that that

Christ here and Jacob are are wrestling,

grappling here in this text. And you

notice not only the persistence, but you

notice the power in verse 25. Notice

what the Bible says. And when he saw,

that's Christ, 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. And so as they're wrestling

and and and God here in this text is not

prevailing against Jacob. Isn't that

interesting?

You know, this just goes to show, all

right, what do we know about God?

He's all powerful, isn't he?

>> He's not omnipotent. We believe that

about God.

>> Do you really think that God was having

a having a problem?

It does not have to do with the witness

of his power. It has to do with his

will.

The Bible says he saw that he prevailed

not against him. It's because he didn't

want to. You say, "Why is that?" Well,

every moment that Jacob was there

wrestling, that was a moment they were

close together.

>> Right?

>> I'll say this. God's never going to

override you. That's what this is. God

was not overriding Jacob. He was just

getting Jacob to a point where he's

going to have to realize something's

going to have to be different.

>> Right?

>> God's not ever going to override you.

But I'll tell you this, he will take you

to a place where you're going to have to

submit.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. He's not going to force you to do

anything. God could have wiped Jacob out

right here. We know that. Okay? We're

very well aware of that. But God in this

text, it says he saw that he prevailed

not against him. It wasn't because he

was lacking physical ability, but it was

because Jacob was unwilling to let go

and give up his will. You see, as long

as Jacob was fighting, what was he

doing? He was operating in the flesh,

>> right?

>> I'm telling you, the imagery of this,

the illustration of this is beautiful to

our Christian life. When he saw that he

prevailed not against him, let me say

this. God cannot prevail over your flesh

and your life.

You're

>> right.

>> Listen to what I said very carefully.

God is not. Let me let me rephrase this

way. God will not prevail over your

flesh in your life until you choose to

die. You're

>> right.

>> Amen. He's not going to go beyond that.

And so in this text, the Bible says when

he saw that he prevailed not against

them, he touched the hollow of his

thigh. Now, this is what's interesting

to me. Jacob, you know, he probably at

this point doesn't know who he's

wrestling with. But the very moment that

God takes his finger and just

see the battle changed then,

>> right?

>> He realized this is something more than

just the man.

>> Let me let me throw this out there to

you. Think about this. Christ the

creator,

he's the one that made us. He's the one

that made Jacob. He's the one that made

the body. The body made in the image of

God. And so, who better to know where to

touch?

>> Think about that for just a minute. Let

me tell you, God knows where to touch in

your life.

>> You're right.

>> He knows what he what to put his finger

on in your life to get your attention.

You're

>> right.

>> He knows what's in your life to to to

take you out. Hey, Job said it this way.

He said, though he slay me, he said,

"I'll trust him." Because the fact is in

this life, I'd rather God hinder me.

>> Listen what I'm saying. I'd rather God

hinder me by disabling me than the devil

harm me.

>> That's good.

>> Amen.

>> God allowed the devil to go a long ways

with Job. But I'll tell you what, though

he harmed him physically, he never

harmed him spiritually. Right?

>> He just hindered him. You see what Jesus

did in this text as the creator, he knew

how the body works, he knew the place

that was weakness. And that that hollow

of his thigh, that's the hip joint. And

what he simply did is really dislocate

his hip. That's that's the best of what

I've studied. He dislocated his hip. And

so, you know what? He t he's he's off

balance. He has no stability.

He takes him out. His balance is gone.

What's What's left for him to do? To

fall. He's going to fall. You think

about this. The power as creator, but

the power as conqueror. You see, Jesus

touched the right place. I'll say this.

It wasn't like some Bruce Lee thing

where he chopped him on the hip or

something like that. I'm saying God

touched it,

>> right?

>> And it just come out.

>> You see, he went beyond that physical

power to a a spiritual a godly power.

>> Something beyond. It wasn't something

that was just, you know, super physical

expression. That's not what it was. It

was God's power touching the place that

was going to disable him.

>> He conquered Jacob. In that moment,

Jacob was subdued.

Here's what happens. All right.

God in our life, we'll get to a point

we're wrestling. We're wrestling with

God. God touches that place. You know

what we do? All that's all that's left

for us to do is either fall on him or

fall away from him.

>> You're right.

>> Because you're disabled.

>> Jacob at this point, he has conquered.

His creator has conquered him and his

condition is sealed. Jacob went the rest

of his life with this this in his life.

He he walked with a limp for the

entirety of his stay on this earth

because of this event. The Bible says

that he touched the hollow of his thigh

and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out

of join. That's literally that socket

joint. The Bible says as he wrestled

with him. And so his condition is now

he's disabled.

I'll tell you this, God's going to have

to he might have to disable some things

in your life to get your attention.

You're

>> right. And it may not be you.

>> You're right.

>> It may be a family member.

>> I'm not talking about physically. I'm

saying it can be anything.

>> Notice this verse number 26. Notice that

first phrase. And he said what? Let me

go.

Jacob obviously, you know, because he's

disabled, what does he do? He falls onto

him. You know what? Because he falls

onto him, he can't fight anymore. So,

you know what he does?

He just grabs and holds on tight. Why is

that? Because he can't fight anymore.

You know, it'll be a good day in your

life when God disables you and you can't

fight anymore. That's

>> right.

>> And the only thing left for you to do is

reach on to him

>> and just hold on.

>> Amen.

>> I tell you what, every one of us will be

at that place in our life at some point

or another.

>> You're right.

>> Because God, he he don't he don't mess

around. You see, I understand in our

lives, many people will live a long time

before God gets their attention. But

I'll say this, it's not God's will for

people to wander forever.

>> You're right.

>> It's not. I'll say this tonight. The

quicker we realize, Amen. What does the

Bible say? New Testament tells us if we

judge ourselves, we'd be judged of no

man.

>> Amen.

>> If Jacob would have just humbly

submitted this man was here, you think

about this. There didn't have to be a

fight. There could have been fellowship,

>> right? But what's he doing? He's

fighting with God. And because he he's a

failure. Now, you see, JACOB HAS ALWAYS

COME OUT ON TOP.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. HE'S ALWAYS

BEEN SUPERIOR WITH EVERY man that he's

come up against. He beat Laban. He beat

Esau. He fooled his daddy. Everybody

he's come across, he's been successful

and superior over them. But I'll tell

you what, he met up with Jesus and he

found out he wasn't superior anymore.

>> You know what? he's left to do. He's

just left to fall.

>> To fall onto his mercy. And he said,

"Let me go. Let me go." Why? For the day

breakth. You see, the time is coming.

Daylight is showing up here. And and we

know that Jesus is not to be revealed to

any man at this point in time. And we'll

I'll say more about that in just a

minute. But you see, the power is seen

as conditioned. He is he is disabled.

But you see, not only the power, but

notice the prayer. I want to get to this

point tonight.

Verse number 26. Listen to what Jacob

says. And he said, 'I will not let thee

go except thou bless me.

Now, what's significant about that

prayer? That prayer is 11 words. I will

not let thee go except thou bless me.

You don't see anything in that prayer

that's special, do you?

What has he just prayed in the verses

before?

Verse number nine. Oh God of my father

Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the

Lord which sets unto me, return unto thy

country and to thy kindred and I'll deal

well with thee. ALL THESE GREAT SWELLING

WORDS THAT HE PRAYS. What happens out of

that? He walks out of it. He's still

afraid. He's still operating outside of

faith. He's still got his ulterior plan.

He's got it all figured out even after

that prayer. You know what was different

about this prayer is who was present.

>> Right. You're right. You know, I'm

convinced of our prayers don't amount to

anything in this life because he's not

present.

>> Notice it again, verse 26. And he said,

"Let me go." That's him speaking. That's

the word for the day breakth. And he

said, "I will not let thee go except

thou bless me." This prayer was short,

but it was spiritual,

>> right?

>> What was he hanging on to? He's hanging

on to the word.

You know what you'll have to hang on to

and you get disabled?

>> You're right.

>> You got nowhere else to go.

>> Amen.

>> You know why that night that God

wrestled with Jacob? I've heard people

say this. Well, Jacob was wrestling with

God, and I agree with that. Okay, I do.

But I'll tell you this, God in this text

was having to get Jacob's attention. And

the only way that he could get Jacob's

attention is if he did it this way.

Notice verse 24 again. And Jacob was

left alone. And Jacob wrestled with God

until the break of the day. Is that what

it says? What does it say? And there

wrestled a man with him.

You see, the pro the the the the

beginning of it, the the the start of it

is on God's part. God's wrestling with

him. Why? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY

THING. God could do everything else, but

it was going to take this right here.

What Jacob was best at,

fighting and winning. good

>> being successful.

>> God had to go to that very thing and

say, "Jacob, I know this is what you

trust in more than anything else." He

was witty. He I can get out of anything.

Couldn't get out of this one, though.

>> His prayer was short. His prayer was

spiritual. But I'll say this, just like

always, his prayer was successful.

Look what it says. Verse number, he

said, "I will not let thee go except

thou bless me." Of course, we know that

he's still hanging on. They're having a

conversation. He said unto him, "What is

thy name?" Now, isn't that interesting?

He poses the question. What's the

question? He said, "What's your name?"

Well, what was his name? Jacob. What it

mean? Suppler. You know what Christ was

doing? That word was pointing out

saying, "You remember you know who you

are, don't you? See, Jacob, I put you in

your place. I've revealed you what you

are. Tell me your name again. Jacob.

You know what he was doing? He was

admitting

>> his fault.

>> You're right.

>> You know what you're going to have to do

when you fall on the word and he's

talking to you? He's going to make you

admit who you are.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. You see, Abraham, when his name

got changed, his name went from Abram to

Abraham, never more to be remembered

as Abram. But you see, Jacob's name's

different because Jacob was always

remembered as Jacob and Israel all

throughout the word of God. You know

what that represents? that represents

your life and mine when we get saved.

The flesh is not eradicated.

Jacob represents that fleshly nature.

But Israel represents that godly

>> spiritual nature. Notice this in the

text. Not only the prayer, but the

product out of this. He asked him his

name. What is thy name? He said, Jacob.

He's recognizing who he is. He's

helpless. I'll tell you this. We going

to have to get to that place in the

church in America where we realize that

all our programs and all our plans and

all our promotions. Amen. I'm I'm so

sick of promotional ads on Facebook. I

can't even I can't even think straight.

I have to turn it off because I get so

tired of it. Promoting this preacher's

ministry and such and such ministries

and their their conference of this. I

mean, it's just like endless all the

time. And I'm for announcing things and

promoting things, but it's become it's

become so carnal,

>> right?

>> It's what can we do to draw more people?

It's it's it's so carnalized. And see,

in this text, Jacob here, he was at wits

end. That's where the church going to

have to get in this d time. We going to

have to get to the complete end of all

of our means and all of our methods

until we can finally realize that if

we'll just go back,

>> Yes.

>> Amen. to where it started at and start

over again and quit trying to fight.

Amen. And just surrender. Amen. Fall on

his mercy.

My soap box a little bit. Notice the

product here in the text. Verse 28. And

he said, "Thy name shall be called no

more Jacob, but Israel." What's

interesting about that? You say,

"Preacher, you said that he was still

called Jacob." And he was, but it was by

his family. When God seed him, what?

God called him Israel. That's

>> right. Boy, aren't you thankful when God

sees us, he don't see the the lost.

You're

>> right.

>> God's eyes saved, sealed. Amen.

>> Sent apart. The flesh is done to God. He

doesn't see that anymore. The blood

covers that.

>> Amen.

>> And in this text, he says, "Thy name

shall be called no more Jacob, but

Israel. For as a prince hast thou power

with God and with men." And notice this.

"And hast what?" Prevailed.

Now, I thought Jacob lost.

He did. You say, "Preacher, what how why

does it say that he prevailed

was just like it always is in

scripture?"

When a man loses,

>> what Jesus say, "He that shall save his

life shall lose."

>> Right?

>> What does it say? God resisteth the

proud, giveth grace to the humble. I got

about 50 things going through my mind.

Just give me a minute here. You see, in

this text, he says, "Thy name shall be

called Israel." See, he wrought victory

not when he won the fight.

But he wrought he he got victory. He

prevailed with God when he fought when

he fell at his feet.

>> Right.

>> When he fell on him.

>> You're right.

>> And just wrapped his arms around him.

You see, it wasn't that Jacob prevailed.

He He Jacob did not prevail in the

conflict. Jacob prevailed not over God,

but he prevailed with God when all he

could do is cling.

>> Right. Right.

>> When Jacob all he could do is cling to

God, that is when he prevailed. He says,

"For as a prince hast thou power with

God and with men." You know what he

recognized? He recognized Jacob's

ability.

>> Jacob was was blessed by God. But the

truth is in this text, he didn't have

the real blessing. You know, we we we'd

say people, and I, you know, we're all

guilty of this, but you know, we we have

possessions and things of that nature,

and we call that blessing. We know that

was what it was in this day and time.

But you see, Jacob was missing out on

the real blessing,

>> right?

>> Communion, fellowship with God. That's

true blessing. And in this text, he was

blessed by God in ability. But I'll say

this, he was blessed by God what he was

able to apprehend. You see, it took

Jacob not being able to fight to really

for God to give him what he wanted. God

might have to disable you before you can

before God can give you what he wants

you to have.

>> That's right.

>> The product his his he his blessing was

supplied. Notice that in verse 29. And

Jacob asked him and said, "Tell me, I

pray thee thy name." And he said,

"Wherefore is it that thou asked after

my name?" And he blessed him there. The

blessing supplied. What was his prayer

was answered. what he really needed.

Jacob was wanting deliverance. He was

wanting deliverance from his burden. But

I'll tell you this, what he got was a

divine brokenness.

>> You see, you see, he was afraid of Esau.

He was afraid of being broken physically

before Esau and losing his life. But I

tell you, it was a good day in his life

when God broke him physically.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Because he walked away from that.

Here's the difference. Amen. God might

break us up physically, but we'll get up

and go on another mile for his glory.

Amen. That's exactly right tonight. But

the truth is, when the devil breaks you,

>> you're done.

>> You've heard it said this way. It takes

a takes a lifetime to build a testimony

and a second to destroy it. That's the

truth tonight.

>> Jacob here was broken by God. His

blessing was supplied. But I'll say

this, he got to see the Lord. Notice

that in verse 30. And Jacob called the

name of the place Pineel, for I have

seen God face to face. What did he

recognize? Well, when God touched him,

he became more than a man.

>> Right?

>> When God laid his hand on, I'll say

this. When God lays his hand on you,

you'll realize salvation is more than a

one-time event. Salvation is saved and

living FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE FOR

JESUS. IT'S BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH UNTO

SALVATION AND THEN SANCTIFICATION

THROUGH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. IT'S NOT

SAVED AND THEN FINISHED.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> Walking in the flesh. You see, it was

this place where Jacob saw God face to

face.

The place where God touched him. The

place where God disabled him. It's then

that he got to see God. His His blessing

was supplied. He was seen that God saw

he saw God in verse 30. But he was also

spared. Notice that in verse 30, for I

have seen God face to face. And notice

this last phrase. and my life is

preserved.

Now, there's there's two ways you can

take that, okay? I'm going to tell you

which one I think. I'm not real sure.

Number one, I would say the Bible says

no man can look upon God and live. Amen.

>> And so, Jacob saw him face to face and

he says, "My life is preserved." Well,

think of the blessing of that.

>> He's looked on him, looked on Jesus in

this text. And we know that that this is

not God the Father physically, but we

know what Jacob says he saw. And that's

inspired, ain't it? Amen.

>> He has seen God face to face. And what

is Jesus? He's the express image

>> of the invisible God. Amen. And so he

says, "My life is preserved."

But I'll say this, I think it could go

even further than that to saying here in

Jacob's life, this is what preserved

him.

Because if he had walked away from this

and not had the blessing, it's very

probable that he could have died

>> right

>> at the hands of Esau.

Let me say this and I'll be done

tonight. If we do not have the blessing

of God in our life, the world will take

us out.

>> Amen.

>> It will.

>> It'll take you out. This world doesn't

play nice.

But God's already working on Esau

time. He's working on Jacob here in this

text. And I'll give you this and I'm

done. You see the product, his blessing

was supplied. He got to see the Lord.

His life was spared. But then you notice

his posture.

talking about his his limp. Notice that

in verse 31. And as he passed over

panel, the sun rose upon him. Isn't that

interesting?

He's fought with the Lord all night

long. God's touched him. And as he's

passing over, leaving his meeting with

God. What is it? The son's coming up.

Notice what's said in the text. The sun

rose upon him. You see, Jacob left with

an image that day that he didn't have

before.

>> Amen.

He left with an image of God on his

life.

>> He had a new name.

>> Amen.

>> He had a new necessity.

>> He walked with a cane.

Notice that in the text, he halted upon

his thigh. The imagery literally is that

he had to have an aid to hold him up.

Not a person, but a a cane.

His posture changed. Man, there's so

much I could say about that. You know

what? He couldn't go as fast as he used

to could,

>> right?

>> Couldn't run away anymore.

>> Couldn't fight the way he used to fight.

Notice the text. Verse 31. And he halted

upon his thigh. You see his posture

number one, it was permanent.

Jacob lived the rest of his life this

way. But I'll say this, his posture

created a pattern. Verse 32. Therefore

the children of Israel eat not of the

sine which shrank which is upon the

hollow of the thigh unto this day

because he touched the hollow of Jacob's

thigh and the sine that shrank. So that

part of an animal that they would kill,

they wouldn't eat eat any of that

because of the Jacob's meeting with God.

You say, what is the emphasis of that?

Well, what Jacob his experience with God

left a mark not only on him but on

everybody that followed him.

>> Right.

>> Amen. Wonder how your experience with

God leave a mark on those that come

behind you. The the the the illustration

we use so much. Everybody mentions Fanny

Crosby. You know the story. She was she

she was born and because of mistake of a

doctor, she was blinded, lived the rest

of her life blind. You know the story.

She says, you know, I thank him. I'm you

know people asked her, you know, would

you be angry? What could you say? What

would you say to that doctor? She said,

"I'd thank him for it." Cuz the first

face that I look upon be the face of my

Lord.

>> Amen.

>> But you think about the impact that her

blindness had

>> on generations to follow her

because of what she did after that God

disabled her. I'll say this tonight. We

ought never, ever,

ever be ashamed of the things that God

disables us in.

>> Amen.

We look handicapped to the world, but

I'll tell you this to God, we look holy.

>> Amen.

>> The world thinks we're foolish, man.

>> They think, man, why you want to why you

want to bind yourself down with that

religion?

>> I wouldn't bind myself down with

religion.

>> Amen.

>> But Christianity set me free. Amen.

>> And I want my life, the disablements

that I have. It may and there, you know,

there may come a day when something

comes along and

I God deals with me in that way. I don't

know what the future holds. I'll tell

you this, if he has to use it to get my

attention, I want to be willing.

>> Amen.

>> I don't want to wrestle with God. Amen.

But I know if I do, he'll deal with me.

Amen. What does it Paul say? If you be

without chastisement or of all our

partakers, then are you bastards and not

sons? Like I said, I'd rather him hinder

me. Amen. And just hurt me for a little

while than the devil take me out.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. I appreciate the Lord. Amen. I

tell you what, there's so much we can

learn in that, ain't there?

>> So much. And never gets old, man. I'm

telling you, every time you open it up,

it's just fresh and brand new. and the

oven of heavens rolling fresh bread out

>> every time. Amen.

>> Bless the Lord. Father, thank you for

this good day. Thank you for your truth.

And God, help us. Lord, I know that many

of us, God, if not all of us tonight,

are broken. Lord, I'm thankful, Father,

that we can be blessed in spite of our

brokenness. And God, it may be that

brokenness that leads us to that

blessing. And so, God, I pray you'd help

us to embrace that. Lord, I thank you

for loving us. I thank you God for

blessing us, giving us this good church.

I thank you for these people. I pray you

bless them. Let them have a good rest of

their week. Watch over us all. Protect

us as we go forth and help us take this

truth, apply it to our lives. We love

you. Thank you for loving us. We ask it

in Jesus name. Amen. Good night. God

bless you, church.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.