There are things we want and may have in abundance, and then there is that one thing we need and do not have. Knowing Jesus Christ intimately is what we need the most and that is the starting point of how a Christian woman wrestles with God.

We will be doing a Chapter study from Genesis 32 in this post. Jacob had finally left his father’s house, and then now his father-in-law’s house . Both homes he left after experiencing or creating chaos. He is about to face his brother Esau who is coming with an army of 400 whom he cheated many years ago.

Jacob’s life mirrors what every individual human life struggles here on this earth–

-twins kicking in the womb,( I am a mom of triplets) Genesis 25 :22

-sibling rivalry,

-partiality treatment or abandonment by parents,

-cunningness,

-running away from home,

-heartbreaks,

-friction with in-laws,

-marital discords,

-infertility within a family member ( His mom and his wife both experienced )

-death of a spouse (Rachel),

Today’s post came to me from God after a period of wrestling with Him. God has taught me valuable lessons to glean and share it with you today.

Every woman who has been blessed by God has to go through a season of wrestling with God. A place of loneliness. A season of emptiness, a period of fear. A life of hurts and trials. Finally to finding a legacy of lasting blessings!

** DO YOU FIND YOURSELF FACING AN ARMY OF STRUGGLES, FEARS, WORRIES, AND UNCERTAINITIES? This post is for you!

The most unpleasant places to us in life will turn out to be the place of blessing. -Spurgeon

 

HERE ARE THE 5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRISTIAN WOMAN WHO WRESTLES WITH GOD.

Note : Wrestling does not mean you see God as your opponent but your Coach who is your Potter, Guide, Giver of Life, and the one who knows your heart. We approach Christ prayerfully in full reverence, humbleness, faith and tears.

1. A Christian woman recognizes who her Savior is when she wrestles with God.

Genesis 32 : 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children

Jacob is now afraid of his brother as an adult man. He had once cheated his brother Esau of the firstborn blessings. So Jacob runs away from home and later on accumulates lot of  earthly blessings. He has faced enough trials because of his own sins and those caused by others.

His mom pampered him while his father Isaac favored his twin brother. Many fathers of this world have greatly hurt children by being absent in many ways.

Did Jacob yearn for his father’s acceptance? Did he seek that in his father-in-law Laban and get more disappointed? The place at Jabbok must have been the first realization of a deep need to be loved by the Heavenly Father.

It is what the prodigal son recognized. A need to be embraced by his father. He had been away for so long away from home and guilty of walking in so much bondage.

Genesis 32: 22 “And he rose up that night… and passed over the ford Jabbok…” (Gen. 32:22).

Jabbok in Hebrew means “to empty itself “ . It was the beginning of complete surrender and pouring out of his life.

O great Woman of God, wrestle with God. Touch Him and experience the deliverance!

2. Wrestling strips us off our strength and fills our lives with His blessing

Genesis 32 : 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.

In Genesis 3:9 , we read about how God called out Adam and asked  “Adam , where are you?

*Didn’t God know where Adam was and what he did?

*Didn’t God know what Jacob’s name was and the things he did in the past?

Jacob the supplanter, self-centered, self-dependent was now Israel – a prince who wrestled with God!!!!

The same Jacob who lied blatantly in front of his blind father was stripped off his strength by an all-knowing God the Father.

It is only when we disclose and surrender ourselves fully to God , can HE then transform us to live a fearless, flourishing, and faithful Christian life!

3. A woman who wrestles with God partners with HIM for life

Genesis 32: 11 Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.

Genesis 32: 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a Man [came and] wrestled with him until daybreak.

No one else can wrestle on behalf of you. It must be between you and God. In your moment of weakness, trials, loneliness cry out to Jesus and He will come nigh to you. We read in this verse that God came to Jacob.

It starts in our heart- a willingness to let go of our past hurts, guilts, fear and give our life to God. Only Lord can change our character

***Have you been facing a lot of anxieties lately because of an unseen future or irreparable past?

When God designs his people for extraordinary trials, he prepares them by extraordinary comforts. Matthew Henry

Psalm24:17,KJV Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

4. Wrestling reveals to us the heart and face of God

Genesis 32 :30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Jacob names the place Peniel – face of God. Jacob saw God’s heart. He had a personal encounter with His Maker. God only reveals to those who is willing to change and come to Him wholeheartedly. None of the religious rituals appease God.

Come to Jesus just as we are !!

Hosea 12:4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him. There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him—

When you strive in prayer without ceasing, you will get to see the face of God. When you do see the Face of God, you will then obtain the favor of God. This wrestle with God turns you into a highly favored woman of God.

5. A woman who wrestles with God learns the meaning of perseverance.

Genesis 32 :26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

 

During my personal encounter with God a few years ago in my night of loneliness and fear this is exactly what I prayed to God. “Do not leave me until you bless me and change me completely”

As I read Luke 18 , I realized the importance of wrestling with my Maker. God is not our opponent in this wrestling, HE is our Coach and Giver of blessings. The widow continued to make request to the judge for fairness and the judge granted her wish.

Do you find yourself in the crossroads of your life today? God will meet you right where you are so do not forget to wrestle with HIM in prayers.

May prayer and tears be your spiritual armor today as you wrestle with the Lord !

Wrestling with God does not mean you see God as your enemy but your Maker who is teaching you the depth of HIS love and shows you the way that leads to righteousness and victory.

When we wrestle with God with our petitions in prayer, we shall prevail with praise, perseverance, and witness Peniel (face of God)

Reflection :

** Have you had a personal encounter with the Lord ? I would love to hear your testimony.

If this post encouraged you, do feel free to share them with your loved ones or friends!!! Thank you in advance.

Until we meet again here,

Diana