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By BettyJane Gagnon|Published Date: January 25, 2010
 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
Genesis 32:24-30
My boys are wrestlers. Wrestling is an arduous but artful sport, and you have to be in good shape to keep up the rigors it demands. The nature of wrestling is contact. Two opponents, of equal weight, meet in a circle, shake hands and begin when the referee calls, “Wrestle,” and blows his whistle. The referee contorts his body as much as the wrestlers in order to observe their every twist and move. Points are scored by a wrestler achieving one or another kind of advantage over his opponent. When one wrestler is able to hold his opponent’s back to the floor for a three-count, a pin has occurred and the match is over. A match can also conclude after the specified time has elapsed and the opponent with the most accumulated points from various moves during the match is victor.
The Christian life is also like a wrestling match, as Jacob learned. It’s difficult, demanding, and requires consistent discipline and engagement. Christians wrestle with God to gain the blessings He promises; we also wrestle with various everyday opponents who know all the tricks and are always looking to score at our expense.
So, how do I wrestle as a believer? Am I ready for a match? Am I disciplining myself spiritually? Am I practicing all the best moves and working hard to understand my opponents and what they’re likely to do? Who’s my coach in this life-long struggle, and who cheers me on from the bleachers? Who keeps me accountable for wrong moves or celebrates my successes on the mat of life?
Formidable opponents will come, some seen and some unseen. Ours is not an occasional wrestling match; rather, we must be continuously ready, empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Word, to meet those who may spar with us in our spheres of influence. We need to recognize each “match” as opportunity for blessing – an adventure of coming face to face with God in His Word and of striving against all opposition to gain the blessing God intends for us, as well as for them.
We’re not looking for a “pin” necessarily, because this match won’t be over any time soon. Instead, we want to master to the daily disciplines of striving for holiness and waiting on the Lord that will enable us, in each moment of the wrestling match of life, to know that we have striven with God and prevailed.
Help us build our readership; forward this article to a friend. For more help in the wrestling match of life, order Neil Anderson’s Spiritual Warfare from our bookstore. Click “Store” then enter “spiritual warfare” in the search box.
If you’re interested in learning more about the life of wrestling in Jesus, read T. M. Moore’s article, “Worldview Weapons: Taking on the Strongholds of Secularism.” Simply type the title into the search box on the home page, click, and scroll down.
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Greg Hanna makes this comment
2010-01-30 17:48:07
Margaret Helen Brandt makes this comment
2010-01-30 14:24:45