The Struggle: 4 Phases God Takes Us Through To Get Us Ready For His Dream!
Time To Dream | Week 4 | Oct 4, 2020 | Pastor Sandy Brown
1. THE CRISIS PHASE: I STRUGGLE WITH GOD & OTHERS
“That night Jacob sent his family across the Jabbok river. Then Jacob was left all alone in the camp, and a Man came and WRESTLED with Jacob all night.”
Genesis 32:22-25 (NLT)
“Before Jacob was born, he STRUGGLED with his brother; when he became a man, he even FOUGHT WITH GOD.”
Hosea 12:3 (NLT)
Crisis:
a time when a difficult or important decision must be made.
In life, crises are inevitable. Being defeated by them is optional! Rely on Christ ONLY!
2. THE COMMITMENT PHASE: GOD TESTS MY FAITH IN HIS PROMISE TO BLESS ME
“Jacob WRESTLED with this Man 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 won’t let you go unless you bless me!”’
Genesis 32:24b-26
Commitment:
the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.
Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality!
Our promise is Eternal Life!
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
3. THE CONFESSION PHASE: I ADMIT THAT I AM MY BIGGEST PROBLEM!
“The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘My name is JACOB,’ he answered.”’
Genesis 32:27 (NIV)
Jacob
original: “deceiver/manipulator”
Confession:
a formal statement admitting the truth regarding a specific situation
Confession is an act of honesty and courage!
Christ modeled that for us in reality!
4. THE CONVERSION PHASE: GOD GIVES ME A NEW IDENTITY & A DREAM!
“Then the Man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob. Instead you will be called ISRAEL… Then God blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face…”’
Genesis 32:28-30 (NIV)
Israel
“Prince with God”
Conversion:
the process of changing from one form to another
Nothing is more crucial to your Eternal Life than your own conversion!
Choose Christ!
“The sun rose as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.”
Genesis 32:31 (NLT)
“If anyone belongs to Christ, they are a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NCV)