(Genesis) Genesis 32:25-32 — J. Vernon McGee

Jacob's Wrestling and the Breaking of His Strength

Now, 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. Now, old Jacob is not going to give up easy.

He's not that kind of a man. And he wrestled. And finally, this one who wrestled with him broke his leg, and he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I'll not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Yielding to God Instead of Struggling

And what happened now? Jacob is just holding on. He's not wrestling. He's just holding on to this one. And he found out that you don't get anywhere with God by struggling and fighting. The only way that you get anywhere with him is by yielding and just holding on to him.

Abraham's Faith and Trust in God

Abraham had learned that. That's why Abraham said amen to God. He believed God. He counted to him for righteousness. Abraham reached the end of his rope and put his arms around God. And friends, when you get in that condition, then you trust God.

Holding On Through Personal Crisis

I've read several letters recently from folk. One, a fellow that had been on dope. Another one who lost a little boy, a precious little boy in the home and had to reach out for help somewhere. Well, my friend, when you're willing to hold on, he's there ready to help you.

Jacob's Name Changed to Israel

And he said unto him, What's thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob. Not Jacob anymore, the one who is the usurper, the trickster, but Israel. Why Israel? For as a prince hast thou power with God and with man and hast prevailed.

And now the new nature of Israel will be manifest in the life of this man. 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.

Peniel and the Pre-Incarnate Christ

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel. For I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved. He had seen the angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ. And as he passed over Penuel, the sun rose upon him and he halted upon his thigh.

Saul of Tarsus and the Spirit's Work

You see, God had to cripple him to get him. God broke his leg, but he got him. And you're going to find out from here on, he's going to manifest a spiritual nature, dependence upon God. Another young man in the New Testament, a son of Jacob by the name of Saul of Tarsus, he tells us his struggle in the 7th of Romans that he couldn't win.

And finally, he found out by yielding and letting the Spirit of God, what the law could not do, the Spirit now is able to do in your life. How does he do it? By an act of the will, by yielding to him.

Victory Comes Through Yielding

And that's exactly what Jacob did. Jacob won, but he won, he got the victory, not by fighting and struggling, but by yielding. That's the only way you and I'll get anywhere with God today.