My Name Is Jacob — K.P. Yohannan

The Struggle Beneath Repeated Failure

Where are you in your life? Are you struggling to find peace? Are you struggling to get over some kind of deep insecurity? Some tension. Some bend in your nature that you repented you argued you fought, but there's no change.

I Beg of you on the behalf of Christ. Stop it Let it be give up. Grace always flows to the lower.

Hello, welcome to the road to reality with brother KP Johan and founder and director of gospel for Asia today. We're going to bring you the second half of the message from brother KP simply called My name is Jacob.

Jacob's Deception and God's Breaking

You may recall the story of Jacob in the Old Testament. He stole his brother's birthright and deceived his father into giving him the family blessing. Jacob was a schemer. They're always looking out for number one.

The funny thing was God wanted to bless him all along and Jacob would be blessed. But only after he was broken was by the KP Johan and the detail, you know, it's funny.

The Limits of Helping Others

I Began my life serving God at the age of 16 and the year 18 I was became a leader kind of few over eight nine men and Then later I was over a region Somehow all my life. I was in some kind of leadership and My nature.

It's it's a blessing and a curse, I guess I Do get emotionally involved with people and do care deeply about people's pain. I do. There are times I sit in front of the microphone and tape radio broadcast and a breakdown weeping and I had stopped You know gather myself up again and retake because I I get so involved with this lady writing a letter about You know husband beating her and plucking her eyes out and abusing her and you know This guy take the baby and throw it in the you know canister and you know in the dustbin and these are real events and and I tried to read the letter and and talk about those issues and I can't do it anymore and There are a few times few times not a lot of times few times I I had to stop my broadcast taping completely the whole day because I was destroyed by emotion.

I do care. In my nature, I have tried and tried and tried to help so many young brothers and sisters in the work of God. Counseling them, you know when I was studying in college in seminary My favorite subject was psychology and counseling and I prided myself as someone who know how to help people.

I Tried and tried and In the end, I hate myself for having failed. In the end I come to a conclusion There's nothing I can do to change anyone. Nothing I can do. God must open their eyes to themselves.

Discovering That the Problem Is Within

So In my reading this morning I came across a story. It's a fascinating story story of a young man who finishes higher education brilliant by temperament. He's a winner. Exceptionally talented and skilled star in the university.

The story goes on. He would be hired by some high-powered agency and he's so enthusiastic so he plug in but in a few months time He loses his job. Then he gets into another job there's another Years goes by.

With all his brilliance and sensibilities. He's not able to succeed. Finally he runs runs into this man who's an older man wise. And he said I need help. I Just don't know what to do. Every trick under the Sun I Mean I have so much going for but I'm not able to succeed.

This older man tried to counsel him, but it didn't work. He didn't accept it. Some years goes by. This older man happened to be lecturing in his town where this young man come from. So he runs into him after the lecture says I found it.

I found it. I got it. I found it. He said you remember The years I struggled and lost and lose and everything yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember that and I told you what do you will listen to Me he said yeah, I didn't.

But I found the answer. He said I found the reason for all my problems and failures. It was me Discovery. I Finally discovered the problem is me and nobody else this older man said son I Try to tell you that but you won't listen to me.

Taking Responsibility for Personal Change

I hope You will leave it out. The story continues by the way this young man Recognized the problem was not his boss his colleagues his office other people circumstances. Nothing it was his own Making and He must change not circumstances.

And he succeeded incredibly successful he became and The story goes on as a conclusion says he changed his thinking about himself and he changed his circumstances by his Change in his own thinking about who he is my brothers and sisters.

Some it will take 20 years before he changed. Some it will take three years. Some may never change their thinking about themselves and the funniest thing the saddest thing. That the most terrible painful thing on planet Earth is God Almighty stands Doing nothing with human being.

Who will not respond? He cannot take you one Centimeter further than you personally agrees and Submit what is your name? Finally he said Jacob in Genesis chapter 28 verse 11. After saying he's Esau we read the Sun had set.

After he said Esau the Sun set while it is a historical fact yet it depicts the reality of a life of endless struggle and darkness 20 long years or struggle. Some of us in the leadership people who walked with God long enough and learn from all the people.

Spiritual Knowledge Cannot Replace Godliness

We tell our younger brothers and sisters to join the ministry read and study and meditate the release of the spirit by watchman we tell read Calvary Road and live your life out from the reality. Are we so After some kind of power.

Some kind of thing to Get something out of anyone. I hope you understand that's not the case. I Have personally I have no agenda about getting anything from anyone. Why we do it? It's simply because We have seen enough know enough and watched enough The ways of God in our own life in history in others and what God's Word says this reason sometime Even to the point of being misunderstood.

I say all the knowledge about spiritual warfare Bible theology doctrines will never make you godly. You can be a carnal and Self-centered and depressed and melancholic and dying on the inside like any lost human being.

Because I know unless we come to Honest terms with our own self who we are We will never make it.

The Prodigal Son Comes to Himself

Throwing away self-reliance for trusting God it is the path of brokenness. But also the path of blessing in a few moments. We'll return to our teaching a message entitled My name is Jacob. Now this is for the road to reality.

Our speaker is brother kpohannan founder and director of gospel for asia. If you are not familiar with the mission work the Lord is doing through gospel for asia, please stop by our website. It's found at gospel for asia org.

You can see video read exciting accounts of God's working through the native missionaries in asia. And you can also learn about bridge of hope which is rescuing thousands of children from poverty and hopelessness.

Again, the web address gospel for asia org nor get information by phone the toll-free number 866 win asia, that's 866 win asia. Now let's return to brother kpohannan who examines the story of the prodigal son from Luke chapter 15 in my reading of.

Christ's description about the younger son in Luke 15 One who was extremely deeply self-centered. He comes to the dad and says I want to go. And I read that thing few times and I came to a conclusion.

It took the father a greater love Greater mercy for him to let go Than to receive him when he came back. Because by the law of the Jewish this father could go to the elders and say this rascal he need to be put to death and They could stone him to death for what he's doing.

But the father didn't do that. The dad must have cried his eyes out and Finally said son. I love you the same you can go and Gave the riches His portion and let him go. But he waits on the veranda Hoping that his son would somehow come back but the son will never come back and understand the glory the joy the freedom the liberty of the home.

Until he come to himself the Bible says and he came to himself and Recognize what is happened to me. I'm in the pig's pen. I'm eating this stupid dung. He came to himself and then out of ashes. He got up and went to the father's house well chapter 32 verse 31 in Genesis we read After he said what is my name?

Jacob Admits His Own Failure

I'm the one in trouble. I'm the one who failed. I'm the egocentric fighting for my rights. I'm the one who fight for my independence to make my way. I'm the shrewd one. I'm Jacob and there you read in that verse and the son rose.

Again a historical event yet it again speaks of A new beginning and new life. My brothers and sisters. None of us should Come to the place Where we think we learned it all. I Will be foolish To come to a place and say now I learned I know it all know.

Continuous Repentance and the Danger of Spiritual Pride

I One that starts and end with one repentance one admission one Acknowledgement, but will be perpetual and continuous. I said to someone today at the airport. I said, you know Some of the saddest stories I know of God's people failing Miserably are not young Christians, but all the Christians.

And and I can write a list the last for one whole stack of yellow pages that that pad People I know not young Christians, but people who've been the God's work for long years supposed to be mature Christians, but The success the position the power the blessings and all what God gave to them becomes the reason for pride and arrogance and Self-centeredness and God simply walks away and we lose all.

David's Confession and the Meaning of "It Is Me"

David was such an incredible man of God. But one year Psalm 32 he will live with such incredible darkness and his bones. Literally Mara rotting away sick in bed can't get up. One long year and finally when Nathan came and said David by the way, it's you.

He could cut his head off. What's wrong with you? Who are you to tell me? I am the one He said it's me. It's me. My name is Jacob. I'm the problem no one else. Every promise in the word is yes. Yes Yes in Jesus, but it has no meaning until I receive it.

The Older shall serve the younger the Almighty promised. But it has no meaning 20 years. Until he says I am Jacob. Giving up stop fighting give up. Where are you in your life? Are you struggling to find peace?

Are you struggling to get over some kind of? Deep insecurity some Tension some bend in your nature that you repented you argued you fought but there's no change. I Beg of you on the behalf of Christ. Stop it Let it be Give up.

Grace Through Surrender and the Way of the Cross

Grace always flows to the lower ground not the higher ground and The Lord's grace is sufficient for all godliness for everything He means the best for us. But we must stop fighting in our own strength.

This is the way of the cross. This way of forgiveness. This way of healing this way of life. I Will conclude by saying I had a very Strange, but interesting conversation this morning from the mission field.

One of our senior leaders Called me and said I Need your advice to make this decision. In one of the state in North India. They are removing one of the leader and Replacing him with another leader. Overseeing a very large work this brother had two choices.

Two names. I know both of them. I listened and listened the one I call brother a Is a post graduate? From a secular University and post graduate from a theological seminary. Brilliant his his track record is exceptionally great as a leader.

But he has many many strife and difficulties to get along with people. Then there is another brother who hardly finishes high school who went to our Tenkasi Bible school and finished two years and When the leaders told him to go to this unknown unwanted nobody want to go village.

He obeyed and went and he planted four churches. He taught himself English. He speaks very fluently it's amazing he learned that and What shall we do. And This brother is not a great personality. Like the other guy.

I said tell me what does your heart say? The strange answer came my head says brother a my heart says brother B. I Said brother B. It all had to do with a broken humble life not ability Jacob Became a broken man 20 years he ran now.

Jacob Worships While Leaning on His Staff

He was a cripple he had to have one of those Stick. He can walk alone. He had to have something to keep him because he was a cripple and God made him a cripple, but you read in Genesis 50 he leaned on his staff and worshipped God and blessed Pharaoh.

What a conclusion. What I end. May the Lord help each one of us. Help me. I pray that I will never come to the place where I will waste time and Let that be all of our lives portion. Let's pray father.

Prayer for God to Open Our Eyes

Thank you for this evening. Thank you for the fellowship. The joy of worshipping you this evening Lord and how often how many times We failed. Not understanding the problem is not out there. It is not my brother my sister.

My circumstances it is me. How many times Lord I? failed so miserably and Your grace and mercy that somehow in the end you open my eyes to see Myself. Thank you for my brothers and sisters Lord. That as we walk with you Help us remember that you are always More interested in making us More like you Who did not seek anything for yourself.

But only for the glory of the Father. Lead us tonight Lord. And make us more like you. We say this father in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen you've been listening to the road to reality with brother KP Oh Hannan founder and director of gospel for Asia. Today's message can be heard again through our website. The address is gospel for Asia org.

Well, we all face obstacles in life be it sickness or disappointment and we indeed can feel like we're pulling against the wind. In his latest book brother KP Ohannan examines our race of faith the race God has sat before you and I.

They are our own unique race. And like the Apostle Paul you can learn what it takes to be able to say I have fought the good fight I've finished the race I've kept the faith. Brother KP's book is called against the wind and you can order a copy for just $15 through our website that's found at gospel for Asia org once again.

The web address is gospel for Asia dot org or place an order by phone. Or just get information at our toll-free number eight six six win Asia. That's eight six six win Asia. The road to reality is sponsored by gospel for Asia.

Remember don't let anything distract you and your walk with the Lord and join us next week for more encouragement. For the Word of God until then may the Lord bless you.