Genesis 32:22-31
Jacob Wrestles with God
But during the night Jacob got up and sent his two wives, two concubines, and eleven sons across the Jabbok River. After they were on the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a Man came and wrestled with him until dawn. When the Man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. Then the Man said, "Let me go, for it is dawn."
But Jacob panted, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
"What is your name?" the Man asked.
He replied, "Jacob."
"Your name will no longer be Jacob," the Man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won."
"What is your name?" Jacob asked Him.
"Why do you ask?" the Man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
Jacob named the place Peniel - "face of God" - for He said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared." The sun rose as he left Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.
Jacob fought with this Man because of his past sin. He was preparing to meet up with his brother Esau, whom he had betrayed many years before. Jacob had talked his brother Esau into giving him his birthright one day when Esau came home starving from a long day of work. Esau had asked his brother Jacob for a bowl of the stew that he was cooking. But Jacob made him give up his birthright for the bowl of stew.
Jacob was a schemer in many different ways and proved this throughout his story.
Jacob was so afraid of facing his brother because of what he had done, that he felt as if God would allow Esau to kill him and his family.
(O Lord, please rescue me from my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to kill me, along with my wives and children. Genesis 32:11)
So Jacob did what he knew was best. He sent every one and everything on ahead of himself and he spent the night in PRAYER!
He wrestled with the Man (a representation of an Angel) all night long!
Have you ever had a night of fighting with a situation that totally left you panting and then limping in the morning?
(figuratively speaking of course)
Then you are like Jacob.
Jacob wrestled throughout the night with God. He called out, he cried out, he didn't give up and he didn't give in. He continued fighting for his life throughout the night.
Many times we sit up at night wrestling in prayer asking, begging and seeking God for solace. Our situation is filled with so much despair that we fight so hard with "the Man" and we won't let up until we win!
This was Jacob's issue. He wouldn't let up because he feared for his life and the life of his loved ones.
But God!
Allowed him to win and gave him a remembrance of his fight by touching his hip and knocking the joint out of socket so that with every limp, Jacob would remember what he had to go through in order to receive God's redemption from what he had done to his brother.
Jacob was sorry and wanted to mend the broken relationship with his brother, but he was just so fearful that his brother would not feel the same.
We fight over things we have no control over, and God fights along with us, knocking at the joint in our hearts and inflicting a good pain that we would be able to carry around with us as a remembrance and a testimony of his grace and mercy.
We fight throughout the night with tears, prayers, shouts and fists shaking at heaven. In the morning we are exhausted from our hard night.
(I cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears.
For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear him, and he rescues them. Psalms 34:6-7)
Do you know that God goes ahead of you and prepares the way for your situation to work out in your favor so that your fighting would not be in vain?
Jacob came face to face with God Almighty and lived to tell his story. God spoke to the heart of Esau and showed him another side of his brother Jacob that brought compassion to his heart and a notion of forgiveness and not resentment.
After his fight and Jacob limped off into the sunrise, he later met up with his brother and they made peace with each other.
(Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed low seven times before him. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him. Both of them were in tears. Genesis 33:3-4)
Do you know that weeping
(fighting and praying really hard), may endure throughout the night, but joy
(along with grace, mercy and God's unconditional redemption) comes to us in the morning!
As Jacob fought the battle of his mind throughout the night and after he was struck with a pain, he was asked the question; by the "Man"
"what is your name?" When Jacob replied he was given another name, Israel, which meant that he fought with God and won.
REDEMPTION!
Jacob was released from a mind that was tormented by the sins he had committed in the past and he was given a new name as a representation of a deliverance, salvation and restoration.
After fighting your battle all night long,
what's your name?
Lord, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness. In your strength I can crush an army with my God I can scale any wall. As for God, his way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. (Psalm 18:28-29)
But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. And everyone who tells lies in court will be brought to justice. These benefits enjoyed by the Lord, their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 54:17) 
