Joel Littlefield

Life causes us to be aware of our lack and our need for God’s blessing. But there are few who are willing to go through the often painstaking process in order to get the blessing He offers. Here are 12 observations for the Christan from Jacob’s wrestling with God in Genesis 32, that if heeded, will teach you the worth of hanging in there for the long haul, no matter what.

1. When it comes to your life, your heart, your surrender and holiness before God you have to come to the place of being alone with Him. In that place there is no one else to depend on but Christ.
2.  Be desperate for God and His blessing. No other blessing matters more than that which comes from the gracious hand of God.
3. When you are in that place of desperation for the true God, He WILL show up. If His blessings seem distant, ask yourself, “Have I been desperate for Him above all else?”
4. God wants to bless you so He initiates the first move. When Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32 the Bible says, “The Man wrestled with Jacob”. God sought him out. He will seek you out too in order that you might find blessing in Him.
5. The word wrestle in the Hebrew means to “get dusty”. In other words, if you desire God’s blessing you have to show up for business and have no intention of leaving till the job is done. No matter how messy or how “dirty” you get, stay there to you see more of Him and less of you.
6. Expect brokenness in the process. Brokenness before a good and holy God will lead to proper mending and healing in the end. The scars formed from that time will serve to remind you of His faithfulness. Do not despise either the brokenness or the scars.
7. There is only one purpose for finite man to wrestle with an infinitely wise and powerful God, and that is to prove that you are weak and He is strong. Until you realize this you will never receive the blessing you desperately need. Jacob’s “prevailing” was in his weakness. God’s strength is made perfect in your weakness.
8. Those who “wrestle” with God in this life, those who fight the good fight, wrestle over truth and against sin’s grip, are the ones living with fruitfulness unto God. Simply put – to not wrestle is to lose.
9. If you’re not wrestling with God then you’ll end up wrestling with yourself or others, and there is no blessing there. Even in your dealing with this world, you must look to God alone for blessing, approval and heart change.
10. Jacob said “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The day had broken and the match was over. It was clear that the “Man” was stronger. But Jacob was not willing to let Him go till he received from the Greater. In your situation of needing God, don’t let go till you admit that He is stronger. Only then will you be strengthened too.
11. Wrestling with God requires admitting your faults. Be willing to admit who you are without Him. The Man asked Jacob “What is your name?” to which he answered, “I am Jacob”, a.k.a. deceiver and heel grabber. It can be humiliating to admit human frailty and sinfulness, but this humility leads to God’s blessing.
12. Upon admittance and repentance with humility towards God, He will change you by His Spirit and make you a new person. He will change you and bless you where blessing is needed most. There is much blessing in your willingness to be “governed by God”.