King James Daily Bible Study: Wrestle With God
Date: Tuesday January 11, 2011
Chapters: Genesis 31-33
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-january-11
Details of Today's Reading: Jacob and his family leave Laban's and head for Canaan, Laban finds out and goes after them, Jacob wants to make amends with Esau, but fears his life when he finds out that Esau is coming to see him, Jacob wrestles with an angel, and Jacob and Esau make amends.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
God is a forgiving God, He does not want to stay angry with us or even make us suffer for our past sins. When He says we are forgiven, He means we are forgiven. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9. So, why don't we feel any better about ourselves after we repent? We need closure, something that makes amends to the wrongs that we have done. Sometimes, the only way to get that closure is to wrestle with God, what I mean is confront Him face to face. Tell Him how you feel and let Him show you how to make amends not only between God and yourself, but with anyone or thing that keeps haunting you.

Jacob did not always do things the way God wanted him to, although God blessed him with what He promised, at times he did seem to connive his way into getting them. Not only did he have the guilt of deceiving Esau in the back of his head he also had the guilt of deceiving Laban, although he did not really deceive him. Laban and his sons eventually became hostile and envious of Jacob's prosperity, they assumed that Jacob had employed unfair manipulation to gain their father's riches. So, by God's command, Jacob, his wives, children, arose up in the night, took all they had and headed for Canaan without telling Laban.“Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.” - Genesis 31:17-21.

The safety of believers under trying circumstances is much due to the hold God has on the consciences of wicked men. In the path of obedience, we may count on God’s care. We do not need to wrestle or fight with those who deceive us. While the believer may resent injuries, he is not to avenge them, but remember that God is the avenger. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord...Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” - Romans 12:19,20.

On their way back to the land of Canaan, Jacob discovered that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet up with him with 400 men. Fearing the worst, (seeing no visible hope of survival for himself and his family) he began praying to God. “And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto 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.” - Genesis 32:9-11.

Sometimes we just have to beg and plead with God, confront Him with what He has promised. You can talk to God without disrespecting Him, He knows your frustration and even that you question His way of doing things from time to time. He likes you to remind Him of His promises, which tells Him that you reading and studying His Word. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” - Hebrews 10:35-37.

Still a little fearful, Jacob hastily divided his wives, children, and flocks into two groups, reasoning that if Esau should come upon one camp and destroy it, the remaining camp would escape in the opposite direction. Later that night, Jacob literally wrestled with God. “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 breaketh. 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.” - Genesis 32:24-28.

Jacob in a sense confronted and wrestled with his fears, he was not about to give up the fight. He did not let go until God blessed him. When God realized that Jacob was not giving up on Him and would not stop until He blessed him He, in fact, blessed him, also changing his name to Israel, which means "Prince with God". Jacob is an example of just how often we have set our heart to do God's will only to discover how weak and insufficient we are to do it without Him. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” - Hebrews 13:5,6.

The time had come for Jacob to meet Esau face to face, “And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant...So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.” - Genesis 33:3-5,16-18.

Jacob and Esau found peace and forgiveness with each other, Jacob no longer had to wrestle with his conscience, and he is at peace with Esau and with God. Either we lean on God or on our own plans. The arrangements of unbelief and impatience prevent God from blessing us, He must bring us to the end of our own strength before He strengthens us through Christ, who will bring the blessings. To be alone with Christ is the only way to arrive at a knowledge of ourselves and our ways. Jacob wrestled with himself and it was not until he confronted God face to face that God has respect for him. It is not God that you are actually wrestling with, it's guilt, shame, or anger, it's actually the devil who wants you to dwell on the things of the past, not God. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” - Ephesians 6:12,13.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Jesus Christ is revealed through the angel of God, Jesus is the mediator between you and God. “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” - Hebrews 8:6.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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