Do you also wrestle with God?
I do a lot, many do not know what it is to wrestle with God as Jacob did and prevailed! Please note, I do not recommend that new believers read this blog. They are to be first obedient to God’s word by studying the milk of the word to show themselves approved by God, when they become mature then they will have the spiritual teeth to eat the strong meat of the word, the “Deeper Things “of God.
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Genesis 32:28 NIV.
It is my opinion that the one who wrestled with Jacob was the Logos, God the Son *manifested to Jacob as a man, this I believe also took place in the Garden of Eden when the Lord fellowshipped with Adam and Eve at the end of the day. He manifested himself as a man because they were able to see and speak to him and hear him walking in the Garden, a Spirit could not be heard walking. This may sound strange but God manifested himself as three men (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son in their old age.
Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Genesis 18:10 NLT.
I encourage you to read Genesis chapter 18 from the beginning and you will discover that the three men are actually God himself, Abraham had food prepared for them and they ate! Is anything too hard for me the Lord says, by appearing as three men God hid his Glory as no man can look at God and live. Remember, our Lord Jesus after rising from the dead was also able to eat some fish and a honeycomb.
Jacob wrestling with God ended in a draw as the Glory in Jacob was equal to God. Today we also can wrestle with God in order for him to reveal his deep things but this comes through the believer’s obedience to God’s will.
God has made promises to his own, we read in his word; “Draw near to me and I will draw near to you” and; “He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek him” Many believers who become saved stay in the crib due to a lack of desire to study and grow, they love the praise and singing to the Lord, which is always good but neglect the growing through studying of the word.
Many come under the deception of Satan through false teachers/preachers who mislead them and stunt their growth in the Lord. This is done mostly by legalism (Law) through the commandments of men. Jesus had strong words of condemnation for such using the term “Woe” unto them who mislead the little ones (Baby Christians) who believe in me.
Did you know that every believer from the beginning to the end was chosen by God before he created the earth? Also God the Son was predestined to be their ransom for them alone as Jesus the Lamb of God. He did not die for the non-elect who will be cast into the Lake of Fire but for HIS people alone. At the Last Supper Jesus confirms this by saying; “All that the Father gives me WILL come to me, thine they WERE and you have given them to me”. No one can come to God on their own and ONLY God’s elect are drawn to Jesus by the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is true that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment but all the non-elect reject it, their “Dead to God spirits” do not have the ability to respond to God as the fall of man separated them from God forever. Neither do they want God because they love their more and because they are prisoners of Satan, bound to do his will only! Deep stuff indeed but true, Jesus came to seek and save the elect also who were bound and in Satan’s Kingdom. He Jesus is the strongman who plunders Satan’s Kingdom setting the prisoners free and translating them to his Kingdom of Heaven. This all is by God and he receives all the Glory for it is by his doing we the believers are “In Christ”, no one can boast that they had a part in it which would be by “Works” What the elect lacked God through the Holy Spirit provided, he was found by those who did not seek him and he gave them what they did not have. It is written that No one seeks after God and no one understands! The elect are sought after and drawn to Jesus by the Holy Spirit who regenerated them. In regeneration the Holy Spirit grants the “Godly Repentance” that God requires along with the Gift of faith that enables the person to believe and then they become a New Creation, their spirits once again alive to God and his fellowship, they are joined in their spirits as one with God, they become Bone of His flesh, the Glory of God that was in the Temple now resides in them, their bodies a Temple not made with hands. Believers doesn’t this cause you to rejoice and praise God, he chose you drew you to Jesus, gave you what you were incapable of doing, the ability to believe, the love of God you didn’t have! By HIS doing you are in Christ, as written, you were granted to believe in him.
To those who read, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ I encourage you seek the **deeper things of God, when you pray fully seek that the Holy Spirit will give you the desires of your heart. He will enlighten you and you will praise and glorify Jesus who is worthy to be praised.
To those who doubt or have never believed in Jesus, you may be his elect and being drawn to him by the Holy Spirit, as his word says; “If you hear his voice, do not harden your heart” His promise is that all who come to him will be accepted and not cast out. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
The moment you believe in Jesus you will know you ARE his elect and he brought you to this place for faith comes by hearing.
So faith comes from hearing that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. Romans 10:17 NLT.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NLT.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21 KJB.
*These manifestations are called “Theophanies” translated from the word Theophany; please check out the link below for a more detailed explanation regarding this subject.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/theophany.html
**But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets 1-Corinthians 2:10 NLT.
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, Philippians 1:29 NASB.
Author Ken
November 2013