POWER WITH GOD!

POWER WITH GOD!

Gen 32:24-30 KJV

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 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.

26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28 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.

29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

          Yesterday I considered the subject of the sovereignty of God. I stated my case that God can’t be manipulated by puny men unless He allows it. Well, today let’s look at the opposite side of the issue and peer in on a marvelous thing; that God allows and even encourages us to pray. In the portion above we do not see prayer but stubborn wrestling with a superior force. Yet a blessing was secured by the wrestling. Was the angel of the Lord, who scholars say was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, overwhelmed by the strength of Jacob or was the blessing part of God’s sovereign plan? It is an enigma that we will not solve here today.

In Luke 18:1, Jesus “spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Then he followed with the parable of the persistent widow who received a request from an unjust judge. The message from Jesus is that we should pray persistently and stubbornly. The message is that God can be moved by our requests. That is an amazing thing!

          In Joshua chapter 10 we see a battle in which God Himself is an active participant. God cast down great hail stones to destroy the soldiers of a five kingdom confederacy. But the most amazing thing is that Joshua requested time to stand still while he finished the battle – and God complied!

Josh 10:13-14 KJV

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

          We have power with God because God has invited, encouraged and even commanded us to pray! Yet we have not because we ask not. We neglect this great invitation.

James 5:17-18 KJV

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Heb 4:16 KJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Dear Lord, You have opened your hand to those who pray. Today there are many who need you to answer and act on their behalf. Thank you for answered prayer. AMEN