"PREVAILING WITH GOD"
Intro: Story of interest: basic things of soul . . . a man wanting to get
alone with God & God accommodating Him by becoming a man in order
to meet him on his level. Theophanies
I. THE SENSE OF HIS NEED.
A. He was coming face to face with his past.
1. Past is not always behind us.
2. He is returning home after 20 years, but why did he
leave home?
3. Hours that we all face when we must come face to face
with past.
4. He was a shrewd, astute, bargain driving man.
a. "With my staff I crossed over this Jordan..."
b. Still he was troubled & disturbed.
5. A man seeking vest for his soul.
a. Experiences with Laban unsatisfactory.
b. Wealth did not bring him comfort.
c. "I have seen God face to face & my life was
preserved."
II. THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAME TO HIM.
A. This had been quite a day for him.
1. Laban had left that morning.
a. pile of stones Mizpah
2. Jacob then saw a host of angels.
"This is God's host" Mahanaim (place of 2 hosts).
3. He arranged the presents for Esau.
4. Now he seeks solitude with God.
5. "And Jacob was left alone, & there wrestled with him a
man until the breaking of the day."
6. Against this strange encounter Jacob exerted all his
strength through the night.
a. The tremendous resisting power of Jacob.
b. God was trying to break this man's will.
c. But Jacob resisted.
7. As long as he was a whole man God could not conquer
him.
a. The central area of his life was wrong.
1. He had faith in God all right.
2. Great confidence in self, he was always
trying to help God accomplish His will.
8. Today maybe you also are striving against God as did
Jacob.
9. God now uses another tactic toward morning, He cripples
Jacob.
a. This does not always conquer a man but it gives
him a new opportunity.
b. The crippling perhaps caused Jacob to realize
this was not a man but God. That which he
desired happened.
c. Many a man desiring to meet God has come to
grips with Him without realizing.
10. Now as the day began to break the wrestler said, "Let
me go for the day breaketh." "I will not let thee go
except thou bless me. Not the demand of a victor."
Hosea - "with strong crying & tears."
He wrestled God to a draw.
then when crippled in his weakness.
he cried unto God & prevailed.
"What is thy name?
In submission to God he found the place of power.
God puts Himself between a man & his past . . . in the morning when he met
Esau no present necessary. Esau meets him in love & tenderness. Are your
past sins haunting you? Let God put Himself between you and your past.
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Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.