We don’t have to fight God alone like Jacob. The man Jesus fought and won God’s blessing for us.

“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:24-25,30-31)”

In 1988 the boxer Mike Tyson fought the undefeated Michael Spinks and knocked him out in 91 seconds. For that fight Tyson earned 23 million dollars! In todays terms, that means Mike earned a staggering 5.7 million dollars a second!!

You’re thinking: for that kind of money, I’d fight ‘Iron’ Mike. What’s the risk – other than permanent brain damage? Not me! I would never face Mike Tyson alone without my mother, father, wifey, government, and a titanium suit of armour. But what about facing God alone?

Jacob had to wrestle with God in the dark and all alone. God attacked him one night when he was stuck at the boundary between his past and his future. Suddenly this ‘man’ appears out of nowhere and they end up fighting for the whole night. Jacob puts up a good fight but God always has another gear. He touches Jacob on his hip and Jacob is crippled. One touch from God and Jacob needs a hip replacement. At last, the night is over and a brand new day begins, the start of a new life.

Never mind Mike Tyson, who could possibly come face to face with God and live? Jacob did. But he would limp for the rest of his life. For the rest of his life he would lean on a crutch or God Himself. And every night his hip would have hurt. God hit him where it hurts – Jacob had spent his whole life running from his past and now for the rest of his life he would never run again.

Was wrestling with God worth it? Oh yes! Worth more than 523 million dollars. Right now Jacob is in perfect health, enjoying paradise forever because he met God face to face and his life was delivered.

Don’t worry, we don’t have to shirt-front God. That same ‘man’ – that man who is God Himself – that man came back to earth again. He wrestled with God throughout the night. ‘Father, please, if its possible, let this cup pass from me.’ Throughout the night He fought the temptation to call on armies of Angels to rescue Him. He was mercilessly flogged and beaten. He didn’t just have a hip put out of joint, all his bones were out of joint.

For hours He fought to breathe as He hung alone in the crucible of pain. Even though the crowds bayed for Him to quit, He went the distance until in the final round He gave up His spirit and died. What did He win? You.

Jesus Christ wrestled with God on your behalf. Jacob would not let the man go until He blessed him. Jesus won our blessing for us. He wrestled death in the grave and rose victoriously. Now, crowned as world champion, He hands out the blessing of eternal life to all who hide behind Him.