This message centered on the theme of struggle in the context of faith, using the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with God as a primary example. The discussion emphasized that struggle is an inherent and necessary part of living out one’s faith and purpose, and that deep faith and spiritual growth are often forged through such challenges. Tom highlighted that Jacob’s transformation — marked by a new name, Israel, and a physical limp — symbolized both personal change and the broader calling of a people who wrestle with God. The message encouraged participants to embrace their own struggles as formative experiences, suggesting that true spiritual depth and purpose come not from ease but from wrestling with doubts, fears, and God’s will. The meeting concluded with an invitation to accept God’s grace through Jesus Christ and a blessing for peace and spiritual growth, reinforcing the idea that struggle, when surrendered to God, leads to transformation and blessing.
Thou Hast Prevailed
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. — Genesis 32:28
One night Jacob had a struggle. There was no sleep that night. There was a lot of wrestling.
When morning came, he had a new name: Israel, the one who wrestles with God.
And that name became the name of an entire nation.
Have you ever had a night like Jacob’s when restless thoughts turned over and over in your mind and your heart was deeply disturbed? Have you ever been tossed about on your bed until you could almost float in a sea of perspiration?
What was the outcome?
When morning cam, Jacob insisted on a blessing and received one, but he also received a reminder and a new name. His reminder was a limp and his new name was Israel. It was only in the morning that he discovered he had wrestled with God and had prevailed.
Of course, in letting Jacob prevail, God and His will had prevailed.
God is calling men and women who are willing to struggle. Jacob was no stellar character from the start. He was not a ready-made saint. He did not come into his princely role through the path of least resistance. It was a path of much resistance.
He had struggled with God and struggled with man and that became the fountain of his personal power: the struggle.
Oh how we desire, in our feeble flesh, a life of ease and comfort. It shall not be so for those whom God uses in mighty ways. It shall not be so for leaders and prayer warriors. It shall not be so for the fathers of nations and princes among men.
God forms us in the crucible of struggle and through nights of wrestling with His will as we toss upon our beds. When He prevails, we prevail and then we rest.
Oh friend, do not flee from the struggle. Let it form you. Let God touch you in the thigh with such force that every step reminds you of the encounter. Let Him give you a new name and wear it with honor for it is a mark of His hand upon your life and His purpose for you.
What might it be about the struggle that honor’s God and serves God’s purposes?
Why must we come through a struggle to surrender to grace?
Genesis 32:22–31
Jacob receives God’s blessing
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”
So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans and have prevailed.”
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved.”
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
DISCUSSION from Calendly Notes
The Struggle of Faith and Purpose
Tom explores the reality that living out faith, discovering purpose, and doing the will of God are inherently challenging. He asserts that struggle is not only unavoidable but also essential for spiritual growth, shaping character, and deepening faith. Rather than something to be avoided, struggle is presented as a necessary process that leads to transformation and maturity in one’s spiritual journey. The message encourages listeners to embrace struggle as a means to be formed and refined by God, rather than seeking a life of ease or comfort.
Jacob’s Story: Wrestling with God The biblical account of Jacob wrestling with a mysterious figure — understood as God or an angel — is recounted to illustrate the transformative power of struggle. Jacob’s experience results in both a physical injury and a new name, Israel, symbolizing his transformation and the birth of a new identity for an entire nation. The story demonstrates that wrestling with God is both a personal and communal experience, and that true transformation often comes with a lasting reminder of the encounter. The narrative highlights that in the struggle, both Jacob and God ‘win,’ and that such encounters are foundational for spiritual identity and mission.
Personal Application of Struggle Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of struggle, sleepless nights, and questioning faith, drawing parallels to Jacob’s story. The message emphasizes that such struggles are universal and can lead to deeper faith, a sense of mission, and lasting transformation. The limp Jacob receives is likened to the enduring impact of personal struggles, serving as reminders of encounters with God and the growth that results from them. Rather than avoiding struggle, individuals are urged to let it shape their character and purpose.
Transformation and Spiritual Leadership The message underscores that those whom God uses in significant ways — spiritual leaders, prayer warriors, and influential figures — are shaped through struggle, not comfort. Jacob’s journey from a flawed individual to a leader is presented as a model for transformation, showing that personal power and spiritual depth are forged in the crucible of resistance and wrestling with God. The willingness to be changed is essential for leadership and fulfilling one’s purpose, and the pursuit of a life of ease is cautioned against as it does not lead to true spiritual significance.
Blessing Through Struggle and Conclusion The conclusion ties together the themes of struggle, transformation, and blessing, asserting that deep faith and spiritual insight are born from struggle rather than superficial or easy experiences. Jacob is blessed both by being wounded and by receiving a new name and character, illustrating that blessing often comes through hardship. The message ends with an invitation to embrace struggle, say yes to God through Jesus Christ, and receive peace and blessing, emphasizing that peace through Christ is the ultimate outcome of faithful struggle.
For Your Small Group Discussions
How has Jacob’s story reminded you of your story?
Where are you struggling now?
What good things in your life have come as a result of struggles?
What other “take-aways” do you have from this study?
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