Who are we really fighting?

"Jacob was his name. You remember him. He had a problem. He was a borderline, if not outright, liar. After he got finished with outright, he remained borderline. And for twenty years he was a careful maneuverer and planner and manipulator. He knew how to get things done. Who needs God when you can manipulate? Then came the big crisis in his life by the Brook Jabbok. He got in a fight with Jesus, and he fought most of the night. Then, at dawn, it dawned on him. And the breaking of the day he realized that he had been doing this for twenty years. He thought he had been fighting his own battles when in reality he had been fighting Jesus for twenty years. Yes, that is the problem. The way we fight Jesus is by fighting our own battles. And we always lose, one way or another, even though we think we win." pg. 33

This quote reminds me to Exodus 14:14:

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

 

There is something about this story of Jacob that always draws me in- like there are so many onion layers to this story and I look forward to the next layer being revealed to me.

 

I also wanted to share a little excerpt from the book "Patriarchs and Prophets" that helps us dig a little deeper. Click on the link above if you would like to read more of the chapter that this quote was found in.  

 

"Jacob "had power over the Angel, and prevailed." Hosea 12:4. Through humiliation, repentance, and self-surrender, this sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner's plea.

The error that had led to Jacob's sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud was now clearly set before him. He had not trusted God's promises, but had sought by his own efforts to about that which God would have accomplished in His own time and way. As an evidence that he had been forgiven, his name was changed from one that was a reminder of his sin, to one that commemorated his victory. "Thy name," said the Angel, "shall be called no more Jacob [the supplanter], but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."

Jacob had received the blessing for which his soul had longed. His sin as a supplanter and deceiver had been pardoned. The crisis in his life was past. Doubt, perplexity, and remorse had embittered his existence, but now all was changed; and sweet was the peace of reconciliation with God. Jacob no longer feared to meet his brother. God, who had forgiven his sin, could move the heart of Esau also to accept his humiliation and repentance." pg197-198