Jacob wrestles with God and prevails

Jacob sent the rest his family across the ford. He “was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until day break.  Now when He saw He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of Jacob's  hip,  and it was out of joint as He wrestled with him. He said, 'Let Me go, for the day breaks.'  But Jacob said, 'I will not let You go unless You bless me!' So He said to him, 'What is your name?'  He said, 'Jacob.' And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” Genesis 32:22-38).  Jacob limped from that day on.

The “Man” was an angel, the wrestling was supplication,  and it was with tears (Hosea 12:4). Jacob called the place Peniel (face of God -  verses 30).  When you are in torment, the sort of prayer (supplication) that we are talking about here,  is not so much about the words, it is about engaging with God, in a way best  described as wrestling.  When I am frustrated I often have this picture of myself with God's arms around me,  and me pummelling His chest with my fists. On the night I finally surrendered my life to God, all those years ago, I remember saying “I can't fight You anymore!” I felt Him say that He was not fighting me, in fact though it was painful He was drawing me to Him with chords of love.  

Think about this for a moment, could a mouse fight with a lion and win? I mean logically,  can a man fight with God and prevail?  The commentators cannot agree on if the Man is Jesus, as He certainly is elsewhere (Daniel 3:25).  We don't need to know, but what we do need to know, is that when we are wrestling with God in this way, we can win, we can prevail, but the prayer,  the wrestling,  has to be so more than “I wants this,  in Jesus Name Amen!” The prayers of the saints are  pictured as  “golden bowls full of incense” (Revelation 5:8).  Though his prayers were heard from the first day, Daniel had to travail in prayer for 21 days before that particular bowl was full (Daniel 10:12, 13).  What I am saying is that we need to keep wrestling in prayer until that particular bowl is full. The need for persistence and not giving up is illustrated well in the parable of the unjust judge.  If the unjust judge brought justice through the widow's boldness and persistence,  how much more our heavenly Father (Luke 18:1-8). She would not give up until he blessed her!

But what's this about the hip out of joint? The point is that coming to God in prayers like this changes us, even if the answer is no. The blessing then is  just different,  but we're still blessed. The change of name signifies that Jacob is now one of God's overcomers   (Revelation 2:17).

Father, I sense You love it when we come to You with  the same spirit as Jacob determine to not let You go until You bless us. We can't do this alone Lord but Your  “Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). For these and many other things we give You thanks and praise in Jesus Name Amen