JUST A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS  Genesis 32:22-32

Intro: This is the second spiritual encounter of Jacob's life. The first was at a place called Bethel, Gen. 28:10-22. At Bethel, Jacob saw a ladder, as Jabbok, he saw the Lord. At Bethel, Jacob became a believing man, at Jabbok, he became a broken man. At Bethel, Jacob became a son of God, at Jabbok, he became a saint of God. At Bethel he died to his sins, at Jabbok, he died to self. He left Bethel with a spring in his step, he left Jabbok with a lasting limp but with a forever changed heart.

I. V. 24a JACOB WAS VERY MUCH ALONE

A. Jacob was facing a serious time of testing. He had left his home behind and he was about to face a brother he had wronged many years earlier. At this juncture in his life, he needed to seek counsel from the Lord. The fact that Jacob spent the night in prayer is evident from Hosea 12:4. As he entered this time of prayer meeting, Jacob found himself very much alone. All he had was gone. Jacob was forced to face God all alone!

B. People structure their time to be as full as possible. The reason? When we are alone and unoccupied, then we have to come face to face with God, Yet, the very thing they fear is the very thing they need the most in their lives.

C. If we Christians are going to be strong in the Lord, then we must find time to alone with God.. You and should never fear being alone with the Lord. He only has good planned for us, Jer. 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

II. V. 24b-25a JACOB WAS VERY MUCH ALIVE

A. Jacob was privileged to be in a place where the Lord decided to manifest Himself in a personal manner. The angel was unable to overcome Jacob. Of course, we know that God could whip Jacob with just the thought of His mind, but He allowed Jacob to fight to bring him to the place where he was willing to see himself as he truly was.

B. The fact is, many of us are just like Jacob! We fight the Lord at every turn in our lives. God will tell us something is wrong and the old nature rebels against the Lord's truth. God will tell is something is right and our flesh will rise up in defiance.

C. I challenge you to ask yourself , "Who is alive? My self, that old man; or the Lord Jesus?" Do you constantly find yourself fighting against the Lord? Do you find yourself acting stubbornly when faced with God's plan for your life? Who is alive in you, the flesh or the Lord? Look again at Rom. 6:6-7; Gal. 2:20.

III. V. 25b-32 JACOB WAS VERY MUCH ALTERED

A. V. 25b-27 He Was A Broken man - Notice:

1. He Was Clinging - Jacob is no longer fighting, he is merely holding on. If we insist on fighting the Lord and His attempts at growing us, He will eventually bring us to the place where all the fight is gone. You see, He knows exactly where and how to touch your life to get your attention. God's desire for your life and mine is that we come to the place where stop walking in our own power and self-sufficiency and we come to the place where we are depending on Him for everything. He wants us to understand the truth of John 15:5.

2. He Was Confessing - The angels demands to know Jacob's name. He forced to admit just who he is. Jacob = trickster, supplanter, cheat, one who takes you by the heal. Or, in our terms, one who twists the arm. Jacob had to come to the place of seeing himself as he really was before the Lord could use him. By the way, God can't use any of us until we are will to admit the truth about ourselves to Him. God can't use us until we come to the place where we are willing to admit that we are failures and sinners before Him and that we are incapable of anything without Him - 1 John 1:9.

B. V. 28-30 He Was A Blessed Man - The Jacob who left Canaan of deceived his brother, lied to his blind father, of cheated a crooked uncle. But, the man who returns is a man with a new nature. No more Jacob the "Trickster", but Israel a "Prince with God."

C. V. 31-32 He Was A Branded Man -The limp! Everywhere Jacob went after that day, he carried the mark of God upon his body. Every step he took reminded him and everyone around him that he was the Lord's and the Lord had touched him in a very personal manner. After the hole had been bored into the ear, there was no doubt as to who the slave belonged to! By the way, folk ought not have to wonder about us either!

Conc: Jacob's life was one of contrasts. Before this incident, faulty, substandard living marked this man's life. Perhaps this would be a good time for you to come to this altar and let this be the place for your Peniel experience. Let this be the night when you come before the Lord and allow yourself to be broken by Him for service. Let this be the time when you are forever altered. The time when you fully and finally present yourself a living sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 12:1-2. Many of you know you have resisted His call, let tonight be the night when you find yourself out of step with the world and in step with God. Will you come as He calls you to Him?