Wrestling. An ancient art and an even more ancient sport. I mean this, quite literally.
There are paintings dated over 15,000 years ago that are plastered on caves from ancient France. Furthermore, ancient Babylon and Egypt (both Biblical locations mind you) detail wrestling methods that are still adhered to, to this day.
Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham perhaps holds claim to the most infamous match ever recorded.
The narrative tells us this riveting story,
“24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 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.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved “(Genesis 32:24-30).
This story is a shocking one to say the least. It begs the question, “is it possible that a person can wrestle with God and live?”
But to that question, the answer is always, “If the Lord wills it” (James 4:15).
By God’s providence, we have the ability to Fight. We can fight for God, fight against God, fight against flesh, and fight against Spirit. But only, and I mean only, by God’s will are we preserved. Only by God’s will, do we prevail.
Know this. It is God’s will that we prevail. Paul tells us in Romans 8:37-39,
“37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
As Christians, we will not only prevail. We will do more than prevail and nothing can dethrone us from this Heavenly place! No ankle picks from the Devil or Olympic headlocks from the Flesh can throw or slam us harder enough to detach us from the salvation and peace we have in Jesus Christ.
The very same Jesus Christ that fought the already defeated Satan, one day, two thousand years ago and was too Holy to have a hand raised. He was raised from the dead and then raised to Heaven, a sign of ultimate victory in.
The score is won, and the match has met an end.
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