Prepare to Lose

Do you ever find yourself fighting for something? Be careful. In your struggle you may be fighting with God. If you ever find yourself wrestling with God, prepare to lose! For in absolute surrender you will win!

Jacob was a fighter. Jacob was a loser. His name means to usurp by treachery or force. He tried to live up to the reputation of his name, but never seemed to get ahead. Just about everything he touched turned to dust in his hand. He was a wrestler, a scrapper, a grappler. But he always seemed to be wrestling with the wrong opponent. Remember “we wrestle not against flesh and blood.” At birth he grappled with his twin brother to be first born, and he lost. He wrestled and wrangled to secure the birth right and the blessing of his father by deceptive means. He thought he had won, but in truth he had lost precious relationships with his family as he fled from the wrath of his brother. Jacob met his match when he approached his uncle for the love of his life. This time he tried to do the right thing, but in his best effort was deceived, manipulated and controlled. And yet the greatest failure of his life was soon to come!

It was at the point where in order to return to his homeland he would have to make peace with his brother. Peace would come at the price of sacrificing everything. At the ford of Jabbok he left his wife and children on the other side, and proceeded alone. Jabbok means to be emptied by utter failure or loss. At this stage in his life he would have to risk everything to achieve restoration. Jacob was devastated. It seemed as if he was always striving for something, but could never quite pin it down – until that night, when he was all alone, he wrestled a Man.

Scripture is not clear whether Jacob was asleep or awake; in consciousness or in the spirit. The word “wrestle” implies to grapple and get dusty. This was the fight of his life. Bigger than the Thrilla’ in Manila - this was the all or nothing round! But this was a fight he could not win! At the point that he felt the victory slipping away, Jacob grabbed hold of the Man for dear life! The Man dislocated his hip, but Jacob would not let go without a blessing.

“What is your name?” the Man asked (Genesis 32:27). “Usurper’” Jacob said. “(Not anymore. From now on you will be called Israel) for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). Israel means GOD PREVAILS! A name change like this always implies a changed life. Jacob lost. God won! God would continue to win in Jacob’s life as he submitted himself to God's lordship.

Jacob called that place Peniel which means face to face with God. No longer was Jacob striving against God, but rather was redirected toward God. Although his hip was forever disjointed, his life was reset in right alignment with the will of God.

Stop fighting with everyone and everything in life. You are not wresting with stuff. You are wrestling with God. When you finally realize that you are grappling with God, GIVE UP! – and let Him realign your dislocated life.