Praise the LORD!
It may seem strange to even think about wrestling with God but be sure it is something we all do, and, maybe often without even realizing it. As we read through the bible we come to understand that probably every person in the bible wrestled with God at some point. One of the earliest and most clear of the scriptures begins with Jacob in Genesis Chapter 32.
Genesis 32:24
And Jacob was left alone;
and there wrestled a man with him until the break of day.
For those familiar with the story, we understand that this man, Jacob, wrestled with was more than just a man. Jacob was wrestling with the preincarnate Christ or you could also say, God Himself! It's interesting here that as Jacob began to wrestle, he first found himself all alone. I have noticed through the years that many times as people come to me as they begin to search for God, they mention how lonely they are feeling. It seems that as a heart begins to get serious in it's search for God and truth, God brings them to this place of lonliness in life, where it is only the individual and God communicating.
I believe this is a very important place in the life of every individual. The reason I say this is important is because it seems to me that this is the place where they will begin to find security as they actually feel God and learn to trust Him above everything else in this world. This is also the place where an intimate relationship begins, because, we all know that in every relationship, there is always a little wrestling to do to continue to keep that relationship in good standing.
Our flesh is very hard to break and often we feel the need to rely on our own works rather than the works of God. Throughout the bible many were taught that they must come to the end of theirselves and learn to rely entirely on God. If that sounds easy, you may have to continue wrestling until you truly understand what it means to entirely rely on God! and "YES" I am preaching to myself right now also!
Although it is easy to see that Jacob was actually wrestling, there are many more in the bible that also wrestled. Jonah actually did a double round with God. In the Book of Jonah we see he attempted to run from God in the first chapter.
Jonah 1:3
BUT Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
If you are not familiar with the life of Jonah, this may be something you want to get into. After Jonah's attempt to run from God we see his humble prayer in Chapter 2 as he realizes he is wrestling with the wrong God and Jonah submits himself to God's will.
Jonah 2:7
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD:
and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Although Jonah's prayer sounds good here, don't forget he did do a second round of wrestling with God. After he had preached to the ungodly Assyrians, Jonah was a little upset to see God's mercy upon these very ungodly people. The Assyrians were said to be some of the nastiest people of all in that time, especially when it came to battle. The Assyrians would put hooks into the lips of those they captured and also put out their eyes with a spear so that their enemy would be of no danger to them while captive.
Jonah was so angry that God spared the Assyrians that he bagan round two with God.
Jonah 4:1
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Yes even the men called by God know what it is like to catch an attitude with God, but, be sure it is a match that can never be won!
Although it may seem strange that God could have such mercy on ungodly people, we should all be very grateful for such mercy, because, we have all ,probably had some ungodliness in us at some point in our life that we need God's mercy upon.
The Prophet Habakkuk is another good example of a Prophet wrestling with God. In this short but power packed three chapter book we see another attempting to wrestle with God. In fact, for the first two chapters Habakkuk is wrestling with God and in the third chapter we see he finally submits to God. Habakkuk's issue with God was similar to Jonah's actually. Habakkuk could not understand how God could let all the wicked people around him continue on, but once again, we should understand the mercy of God to give even the wickedest of people a little more time to change their heart, before they meet Him, after they pass from this life on earth.
I think it is safe to say that God is more than fair with us and gives us every chance we need to get it right here. Thank God for the blood Jesus shed that cleanses us each time we err so that we can continue to move into the presence of a Holy and Almighty God.
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:
but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Have a blessed day and be SURE to tell someone on the job about JESUS!
The Ten Minute Tribulation/The Final 7 Years// Get the book
It may seem strange to even think about wrestling with God but be sure it is something we all do, and, maybe often without even realizing it. As we read through the bible we come to understand that probably every person in the bible wrestled with God at some point. One of the earliest and most clear of the scriptures begins with Jacob in Genesis Chapter 32.
Genesis 32:24
And Jacob was left alone;
and there wrestled a man with him until the break of day.
For those familiar with the story, we understand that this man, Jacob, wrestled with was more than just a man. Jacob was wrestling with the preincarnate Christ or you could also say, God Himself! It's interesting here that as Jacob began to wrestle, he first found himself all alone. I have noticed through the years that many times as people come to me as they begin to search for God, they mention how lonely they are feeling. It seems that as a heart begins to get serious in it's search for God and truth, God brings them to this place of lonliness in life, where it is only the individual and God communicating.
I believe this is a very important place in the life of every individual. The reason I say this is important is because it seems to me that this is the place where they will begin to find security as they actually feel God and learn to trust Him above everything else in this world. This is also the place where an intimate relationship begins, because, we all know that in every relationship, there is always a little wrestling to do to continue to keep that relationship in good standing.
Our flesh is very hard to break and often we feel the need to rely on our own works rather than the works of God. Throughout the bible many were taught that they must come to the end of theirselves and learn to rely entirely on God. If that sounds easy, you may have to continue wrestling until you truly understand what it means to entirely rely on God! and "YES" I am preaching to myself right now also!
Although it is easy to see that Jacob was actually wrestling, there are many more in the bible that also wrestled. Jonah actually did a double round with God. In the Book of Jonah we see he attempted to run from God in the first chapter.
Jonah 1:3
BUT Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
If you are not familiar with the life of Jonah, this may be something you want to get into. After Jonah's attempt to run from God we see his humble prayer in Chapter 2 as he realizes he is wrestling with the wrong God and Jonah submits himself to God's will.
Jonah 2:7
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD:
and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Although Jonah's prayer sounds good here, don't forget he did do a second round of wrestling with God. After he had preached to the ungodly Assyrians, Jonah was a little upset to see God's mercy upon these very ungodly people. The Assyrians were said to be some of the nastiest people of all in that time, especially when it came to battle. The Assyrians would put hooks into the lips of those they captured and also put out their eyes with a spear so that their enemy would be of no danger to them while captive.
Jonah was so angry that God spared the Assyrians that he bagan round two with God.
Jonah 4:1
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Yes even the men called by God know what it is like to catch an attitude with God, but, be sure it is a match that can never be won!
Although it may seem strange that God could have such mercy on ungodly people, we should all be very grateful for such mercy, because, we have all ,probably had some ungodliness in us at some point in our life that we need God's mercy upon.
The Prophet Habakkuk is another good example of a Prophet wrestling with God. In this short but power packed three chapter book we see another attempting to wrestle with God. In fact, for the first two chapters Habakkuk is wrestling with God and in the third chapter we see he finally submits to God. Habakkuk's issue with God was similar to Jonah's actually. Habakkuk could not understand how God could let all the wicked people around him continue on, but once again, we should understand the mercy of God to give even the wickedest of people a little more time to change their heart, before they meet Him, after they pass from this life on earth.
I think it is safe to say that God is more than fair with us and gives us every chance we need to get it right here. Thank God for the blood Jesus shed that cleanses us each time we err so that we can continue to move into the presence of a Holy and Almighty God.
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:
but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Have a blessed day and be SURE to tell someone on the job about JESUS!
The Ten Minute Tribulation/The Final 7 Years// Get the book
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