Overcoming with God and man...

The end of Genesis 32 is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible. When you think about it, other than possibly Cain and Abel which I think was more of a "kill you when you ain't got no idea it's coming" sort of thing. This could possibly be the first recorded MMA match in the history of mankind! And frankly...that's exciting to me. I can imagine Bruce or Michael buffer making the fight announcment "In this corner fighting out of nowhere really on his way to Edom...Jacob! And in this corner fighting out of Heaven.....The LORD!" And it's obvious that the Lord let Jacob hang in there because he knows everything and is perfect therefore he obviously knew Brazilian Ju Jitzu before the Gracies invented it and all he had to do was touch Jacob in the hip and he was wrecked for life! All for everybody's benefit of course....

This story along with being the most impactful moment in the life of Jacob, and initiating the country if Israel, has so many things we can extract, learn from, and apply to our life. I just want to focus on one statement the Lord makes which is in verse 28 the Lord says "Your name shall no longer be Jacob but Israel" which I don't have time to get into this right now but in a nut shell by this name change the Lord brings Jacob from nothing into his ultimate purpose and destiny. He goes on to say "Because you have struggled (or wrestled) with God and man and overcome."

At times life is a struggle...a wrestling match. But when you are walking with the Lord you can always find purpose in the challenge. Jacob had to be thinking "Why is the dude attacking me?!?" but at the end of the fight destiny was released. I think it's important that we understand the Lord says "Because you have struggled (wrestled) with GOD and MAN and overcome...destiny is being released. Because when all we do is struggle and fight in the natural we are never going to make it to our ultimate purpose. At the same time if all we ever do is fight spiritual battles and don't walk things out in a natural practical way...we will never fulfill our destiny. We live a life and function in a time and space that is both natural and supernatural and we MUST understand that it's when I overcome in the spiritual and the natural that I can see my life's purpose fulfilled! Also notice the order "because you have struggled with God (1st) and Man (2nd)...." The spiritual battle is the most important! Here is the reason: Because in the spiritual wrestling match you find the place of faith. It may take a moment. It may take years...but if you don't loose heart, if you keep fighting...information will become revelation and you will hear and understand the voice of God and the path he is guiding your feet down. It is at the moment you can release true faith (not hope, wishful thinking, or an I'm gonna do this even though I don't believe it attitude...real faith) that results in the natural are guaranteed! FAITH is the spiritual results producer, and sometimes it takes going through a spiritual wrestling match and overcoming to get to that place.

Ok you got this...? What's the issue in your life today? What is the next step? What is the hump you can't quite get over to make it to the next level of destiny in your life. Maybe it's trusting the Lord, maybe it's a confidence issue, possibly and obedience issue. Whatever it may be, have a willingness to fight for it. Both in the spiritual realm, and then in the natural realm while you walk out your spiritual victory.

Hope this helps you guys...Nice weather is around the corner i promise, so hang in there on that. Be an overcomer today!