THE YEAR OF THE SPIRIT – The Turning Point

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Topic: The Turning Point

Text: Hosea 12:2-4

Hos. 12:2-4
2 “The Lord also brings a charge against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him.

3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God.

4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, And there He spoke to us —
INTRO
The passage above refers to events that are recorded in Gen.25:26; 27:36 and 32:22-31. In short, it was the summary of Jacob’s life so far. He (Jacob) as we all know was the 2nd grandson of Abraham by Isaac & Rebecca. As a person, he was always used to being in-charge and doing things his way, with outcomes almost always teleguided to give him his desires or objectives.
A) Jacob’s Background – A Review
10 THINGS TO NOTE:
i. His mother was for 20years called barren so his birth came as an answer to prayers –father & mother –Gen.25:21
ii. Right from the womb, Jacob was a struggler, huzzling for advantage of being born first. Gen.25:22
iii. He came out contending and scheming to undo his brother- Gen.25:26
iv. He kept at this as time went on and discovered his brother’s weakness- FOOD – which he took advantage of to fraudulently collect the birth right – Gen.25:29-34.
v. With his mother’s help, he again fraudulently took advantage of an almost blind 160yr old man (his father) to deceived him and collect his brother’s blessing- Gen.27:36
vi. Afraid of his brother’s anger, with the help of his mother again, he ran away from home to seek greener pastures about 650km away. –Gen.28:1-2
vii. While in the foreign Land, his problem began from the very people that were to comfort and protect him i.e – His uncle and father –in-law. He was deceived and cheated time and time again and his wages changed more than 10times! What should comfort him –His marriage and family became major obstacles and headache!!
viii. After 20years (How long have you been running?) He summed up courage to face his brother and make things right.
ix. This was a very dangerous move and could cause him his life and that of his family; yet it had to be done.
x. To do this, he desperately needed God. He got alone with God!!

B) JACOB ALONE WITH GOD – Gen.32:22-31
1. V24- know that in life, some battles must be fought alone because you will get to some times or seasons when no one can help you except God alone. Such was the experience of:
– Moses – When he fled Egypt – 40years alone with the flock of Jethro and God in the wilderness until God came around for him.
– David – At Ziklag. ISam. 30:6 –Alone abandoned and despised by his men. He sought and encouraged himself in God.
– Our Lord Jesus Christ – Matt.26:36 Many things can be dealt with and decided when we get alone with God!
2. V25 – Jacob was brought to the end of himself when the man crippled him. Even if he wanted to fight Esau and defend his family, he could no longer do so because he was now crippled His strength was gone!
3. V26 – Jacob because of his dislocation could no longer wrestle. He changed from a cunning man to one clinging on God pleading for a blessing.
This was the key that changed everything for Jacob. He won more through this defeat than he had ever won through many years of walking in the flesh.
4. V27- The angel asked him, what is your name? – before he could be blessed and lifted – the implication was that he had to acknowledge and confess who he was – Jacob – a Swindler, a cheat, a usurper e.t.c. when he came this way humbly before God, things changed for him from that instant.
5. V28 – with that change, he got much more than what he ever bargained for in life – A prince with God – ISRAEL!
Read
2 Chron 25:7-11
7 But a man of God came to him, saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel — not with any of the children of Ephraim.
8 But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.”
9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”
And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”
10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir.
Eph 3:20
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Esau’s was changed when Jacob allowed God into his life.
CONCLUSION
If you will choose to honour God with your life this New Year and be submissive to Him, He will do same and much more than your expectation in 2011.

Dr. Udoh
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