Pastor Merritt

Pastor's Pen

“The Struggle”

Innate in every man is a struggle for dominance. The will of man is in direct opposition to the will of God. In Genesis 32, we witness, Jacob, a man who comes to spiritual formation, a “Defining Moment”. His is the process of ensuing struggle and surrender to the purpose of God.

Gen 32:22-24 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

My first question after reading of the life of the patriarch Jacob is, why did God choose Jacob? Why would God choose him? His brother Esau would be a man I could relate too. A man’s man that could slap you on the back and say, “hey buddy. How have you been? Let’s get together and go hunting sometime.” Jacob on the other hand would make you want to keep a hand on your wallet for fear he would try to pick your pocket. Why would God choose Jacob? Then I realize, why did God chose me? The scripture reminds me God said in Malachi 1:2-3, “I loved Jacob” “I hated Esau”. God had fated Jacob to lead a fated people (Israel) and be a patriarch to God’s chosen people. God chose Jacob.

For Jacob, the struggle and “spiritual formation” begins at the ford Jabbok. This is where God separates Jacob for his purpose and the will of God for his life. Jacob is returning home to face his brother and is past. He is returning with the blessing of prosperity. He has a wife, children, and flocks. However, Jacob is afraid. Esau, who Jacob had cheated out of his birthright, is riding to meet Jacob with 400 men. Jacob has gone as far as he can go and now is the time for God to form Jacob. We read, “…he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.” (Genesis 32:22) Jacob has been successful, however God was not interested in or impressed with his accomplishment. God desired to transform Jacob’s defective character. The change that God was intent on implementing was an interior change to an inferior character. Jacob had to learn that, “right must reign over expediency.”

Jacob could have blamed his character flaws on his mother Rebekah. He seemed to exhibit the same lack of character. In the day we are living, people are trying to use the same ploy of the “generational curse”, by blaming someone in their family for their shortcomings, as if it is a genetic problem and not a sin problem.

There are three elements of “Spiritual formation” (ibid) for Jacob in the scripture text. These represent the transformation for Jacob’s direction and obedience to the will of God.

1. He comes to water. By crossing the ford Jabbok, it signifies the division between “desire and fulfillment” (ibid). God uses the symbol of water to signify a severing of self from ones past and a progression into the deep. In Exodus 14:16, he divided not just the waters for the children of Israel to past through the Red Sea on dry ground, but it brought about a separation from the things of their past. The symbol of the Red Sea crossing is likened to baptism. The crossing of which buries the things in your past (i.e., the Egyptian soldiers/ slave masters). Those things from the world that hound an individual are washed away in baptism. There is a separation from the old life. Only by entering the water can someone fulfill his or her calling.

2. It is night. There is no turning back and nothing is clear. The darkness obscures the retreat and forces the individual to plunder the possibility. In the dark is an eeriness of uncertainty.

3. Jacob was left alone… (Genesis 32:24) He is removed from outside intervention. He is away from any external influences. Alone, he is stripped of his façade and trickery. Now God has him in a place of aloneness.

Now everything is in place for the struggle and domination. It is at this time that God can transform Jacob.

Notice, “… and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. (Genesis 32:24). God initiated the struggle not Jacob. God was trying to wrest the self-will from Jacob. Jacob had been running from his past, running from his brother, running from his Uncle Laban, and running from purpose, but God is trying to wrestle the selfishness out of Jacob. God was trying to force the purpose and change upon Jacob.

God’s will strive with an individual on so long, “And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh.” (Genesis 32:26). There is a set time limit on our formation. Those shallow individuals, who think they have plenty of time, are mistaken. “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Genesis 6:3). There are times that pass people like shadows in the night, when God had exacted a high calling, but they miss the gate. They miss the area of formation that God has for them.

God is struggling with us today. The struggle is for supremacy in our lives. The struggle is for the salvation of our soul. The struggle is through His Spirit to extract greatness and the forming of His purpose and will for our life.

There are books that are titled, “God Chasers”, this is so contrary to the very nature of God. From the beginning of time, we have never chased God. God has struggled to chase us. From the garden, we see God struggle to keep us in communion. He came to us in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Let me dwell in their midst, God seemed to be saying. Then in Solomon’s Temple, God has a centralized location where all can find Him. Then Zerubbabel’s Temple after Babylonian captivity, God is chasing us, ever longing, ever struggling. Then he comes to us bodily, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) God is struggling, striving with man for reconciliation. He was Emanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), and now he desires to be in us, “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:20-21)

The issues of life that we interpret as problem, hardship, struggles, are God’s way to position us (like Jacob) into areas of Spiritual formation and the ultimate will for our life. It is in the struggles that God wrestles us to a place of dependence upon him and away from our self-dependence. Through these struggles, God moves us through the water of separation (Baptism in Jesus Name). Through these struggles, God changes our direction and creates in us greatness by filling us with His powerful Spirit.

Spiritual Enemies

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

In a battle, it is imperative to identify your enemy. If you are not aware of the point of your attack, you are vulnerable. Paul had many enemies. Some resented him, others hated him, and others wanted to kill him. Some, who were supposedly on his side, sought to harm him and his ministry (Acts 9:23; Phil. 1:17; 2 Tim. 1:15;_1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 4:14). In spite of the persecution he faced, Paul never lost sight of his real enemy. Paul was wary of Satan. When people attacked him, he knew they were not his real opponents. They were simply unwitting instruments of the spiritual forces of darkness.

When you meet opposition to your faith, your first reaction may be anger toward your antagonist. This may divert your attention from the deeper, spiritual dimensions of your conflict. Your adversary may be hopelessly in to sin. Rather than retaliating, you should immediately and earnestly intercede for that person. Your opponent’s hostility is your invitation to become involved in God’s redemptive work to free him or her from spiritual .

Be alert to the spiritual warfare around you. It is real and potentially destructive to you and those you care about. Knowing your real foe will protect you from bitterness and unforgiveness. Your hope lies in the reality that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Do not place your hope in humanity, but steadfastly trust in the One who has already defeated your enemy. (Selected)

We have another King, one Jesus!

Acts 17:5-7

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

What an exciting episode in the Word of God! The Apostles were gathering quite a following. They were thereby converting many to the apostolic faith. But, the Jews, that believed not, were moved with envy (jealousy). There will always be a point of jealousy with people who are unbelievers. Some of the most arrogant and hostile opposition comes from people who were “once enlightened” (See Hebrews 6).

One of the most interesting parts of this passage is when the unbelieving Jews “took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort. “ According to Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, these were simply “certain worthless idlers; literally, worthless market people or, idle Loungers.” In my opinion, these idle loungers represent men and women who have turned away from “the faith that was once delivered to the saints” and have changed the Word of God to suit their fleshly wants.

For those of us who deeply appreciate the magnitude of the deliverance God has wrought in our lives, how can we be idle when there is so much to do in the Kingdom of God? Conversely, these same “idlers” continually criticize those who have determined to continue in the faith. I pray they will eventually recognize that God’s Word has not, nor will His Message ever change! What an anomaly it must be to these “lewd fellows” when they realize a few preachers are still preaching the Message that is truly transforming the lives of people by the power of God’s Spirit.

We indeed have “another king, one Jesus.” Our God is ONE. We are not conforming to this world or idly lounging before the time-wasting idols of this present age. It is this message of salvation, through Acts 2:38, John 3:5, Ephesians 2:20, that has carried us this far. In addition, the message of a separated lifestyle, one of the dominate themes in the scripture, has given us the distinction and allows us to experience the overcoming power promised in Scripture. The people of the Apostolic Movement are indeed the community that has undoubtedly “turned the world upside down.”

We serve The King, even Jesus Christ. He has turned our world right side up so we can turn our world upside down.

He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Join us for a life- changing encounter with the Great King of Glory- JESUS!

We are, Absolutely Apostolic… Passionately Pentecostal!