03/11/2018
I’m limping but still alive
Genesis 32:24-32 Gods Word
We want to talk about what do you do when the struggle is real?
There isn't anyone in the place today who is exempt from struggles. We all have struggled from something.
We've had financial struggles, marital struggles, Parental struggles, spiritual struggles and physical struggles. The bottom line is we all have struggles.
And even our kids have struggles.
“So Jacob was left alone. Then a man wrestled with him until dawn. When the man saw that he could not win against Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that it was dislocated as they wrestled. Then the man said, “Let me go; it’s almost dawn.” But Jacob answered, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.” So the man asked him, “What’s your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel [He Struggles With God], because you have struggled with God and with men—and you have won.””
I don’t know where you are with your struggle but the question is how do you react to the struggle because your reaction is crucial to the outcome.
In my life I have found out that struggles can be good for you and struggles can be bad. Meaning in both senses I have to put myself on the right side of the struggle rather it be good or bad the right side of the struggle is where God is. To explain this further more to be on the wrong side we tend to blame God for our struggles and on the right side we can praise God in the struggles
The Bible is filled with struggles and in the lesson we find Jacob dealing with his struggle and my prayer today is that if you are in a struggle we can learn how to deal with our struggle through this example.
Now remember in the earlier part of Jacobs life he was a conman, a scam artist, he was a trickster, he tricked his father into giving him his brothers birthright. The birthright was a Mosaic law, which meant the first-born had a particular right to possessions or privileges over the other siblings. He would have a double portion.
However, we are soon to find out that Jacob’s encounter with God delivered him from being a scam artist, trickster and a conman.
This tells me that there still help for some of us. If this is you on today you can be delivered!!! And Yes I know we’re in church but some people are still trying to con, get away with, rundown, miss use, take advantage of and abuse people right in the church. You can be delivered!!! You may think you getting away... but ultimately YOU will have to answer to the ALL Mighty GOD!
So here we are
Jacob is at the point that he’s left alone. Jacob was terrified!! He was afraid when he found out that his brother Esau was coming to meet him and that he wasn’t coming alone. He had his pose (400 men) with him. If I can use imaginary mind
When you have wrong somebody all kinds of things begin to go through your mind. They are out to get me, he told me he was going to kill me, I can’t let them catch me; Jacob was terrified he was horrified his mind Now the trickster is being tricked by his own self. And now the struggle is real.
So when does the struggle get real for you? Is this you, are you the trickster, are you trying to run a sham on someone, are you living a life of shame, who are you trying to get over on someone? Let’s be real…
So let’s help one another with this.
We have to Position ourselves, Pray and Be Persistent
There are three things you need to know when the struggle is real.
1. 1. Get into position you need to get into position. The first thing Jacob did in order to get in position was that he had to move the people. Sometimes you have to get people out of your space, out of your life, out of your business, and out of your way so that you can hear God in your struggle. You see, So he had to position himself. When we are in the mist of a struggle we start calling people and asking people what would they rather than asking God to show us what to do.
Position is everything because when we’re out of position we can’t hear God when we are out of position we fail the test that’s before us
When we’re out of position things start to crumble and we wonder why all of these things are happening to us
So we have to re align ourselves up back with God so God can give us instructions on how to handle or deal with our struggle.
Habakkuk 2:1 Common English Bible (CEB)
I will take my post; I will position myself on the fortress. I will keep watch to
see what the Lord says to me and how he [a] will respond to my complaint.
Don’t try to deal with the struggle and you’re out of position.
1. 2. We have to pray. Remember Jacob had sent all the people away and the Bible says he prayed to God!! I’m here to tell you that before you deal with your struggle you have to learn how to pray. Notice Jacob did not ask somebody to pray for him or even intercede for him but he prayed by himself. We ask people to pray for us and they don’t even know what we are going through they don’t even know how serious and real our struggle is because many times we only give them half the story. But listen, God knows your full story even before you go to him with it. He’s just waiting on YOU!!
Aren’t you glad that Jesus knows all about our struggles and he will guide until the day is done there’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus no not one. It’s not necessary to go people all the time and ask them to pray for us sometimes we have to pray for our self by ourselves.
Can someone read…
Philippians 4:6 says, “Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.”
1. 3. So the third thing we have to do is be Persistent Jacob Struggled with the man from day to dawn. Jacob would not let this man go until he blessed him that’s persistence. Too many times when the struggle gets real we want to quit, we want to give up, we want to fold when our blessing is at the break of dawn.
I just stop by to tell you to keep on Fighting, keep on Pressing, keep on Pushing, keep on Moving, keep on Believing, keep on Trusting, keep on Praying, keep being Persistent and stay in Position. Just Like God told Jacob said YOU WIN, YOU WIN, YOU WIN
Listen, even Jesus got into position, prayed, and remained persistent as he made his way up a hill called Calvary
He prayed father for give them for they. No not what they do....
They hung him high....stretched him wide... pierced him in his side..... and then he died.
But he didn’t stay dead....Because early Sunday morning he got up with all power in his hand.
