July 9, 2024 • 14 mins
In this captivating episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, Dr. Andrew Farley delves into a profound biblical story that exemplifies the transformative power of prayer. The narrative centers around Jacob, a man who spent his life playing games and employing deception to secure blessings. However, when faced with imminent danger, he found himself in a desperate situation where his only recourse was to cling to God with unwavering determination. Farley introduces this compelling story as a gateway to explore the theme of prayer and its significance in our faith journeys. This foundational episode invites you to reflect on your own willingness to go to great lengths and cling tightly to God in your pursuit of His blessings.
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The episode highlights the importance of surrendering our own strength and relying on the power of God, a concept beautifully articulated by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians. Through the stories of Jacob and Peter, you'll discover the power of wrestling with God, allowing Him to shape your faith through the trials and tribulations of life. As you embrace these narratives, you're encouraged to contemplate your own willingness to cling to God and the lengths you're prepared to go to receive His blessings. Don't shy away from the hard prayers or wrestling matches with God; they are the crucibles of faith, leading to profound transformation.
Download the Pray.com app today to experience the vivid revelation of God's divine presence through cinematic storytelling, guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. He has said to me, my grace
is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly. Therefore, I will rather glory in
my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Second Corinthians, Chapter twelve, verse nine. Dear Lord, I know
(00:25):
your power rests on me in my weakness. When I
feel like I can't continue, you remind me of your strength.
When I reach my limit, I realize it was never
about my strength, and I cling to yours instead. Thank
you for your permanent presence within me, enabling me to
(00:46):
confront each day's struggles head on. Your grace is more
than just forgiveness and a journey to heaven some day.
Your grace is empowering and inspiring. Thank you for being
all I need even when things feel overwhelming. You are
my strength today and all the days of my life.
(01:10):
In Jesus' name, Amen, Thank you for praying with me today.
Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through pray dot
COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Consider Jacob in the Old Testament. What made his prayer
so powerful was the desperation this man played games his
whole life, but when danger knocked at his door, he
knew his only option was to cling to God and
to be blessed by him.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Jacob's eyes closed tightly, and he flexed his arms first
to the legs of this man and said, I will
not let you go unless you bless me.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
What links would you go to in order to receive
God's blessing? Fortunately, you don't have to wrestle with God
and convince him to bless you, as we'll see he
already has.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and welcome to another episode of
the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We've spent the last couple
of months surveying biblical stories, searching for themes that enrich
our lives and help us grow deeper in our understanding
of God's love and grace. I believe the next eight
(02:45):
episodes will be foundational as we dive deeper into prayer.
Prayer is our communication with God, the privilege we have
through his spirit to open up and tell him everything
that's on our minds. Today we'll look at a powerful
prayer that shaped the entire nation of Israel. This prayer
(03:08):
was born out of desperation, as many of our prayers
tend to be. Jacob spent most of his life lying
to get blessings. In fact, he tricked his father and
brother into giving him an inheritance that didn't even belong
to him.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Rebecca told Jacob what Isaac was planning on doing, and
together they devised a plan to steal away Esau's blessing.
Jacob killed a goat and made his father a delicious stew.
Rebecca then dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes. Since Esau was
a hairy man, Jacob covered himself in goat fur. With
(03:52):
Esau's clothes, fur and stew, Jacob entered into his father's tent,
determined to come out with a blessing. Slowly entering into
the tent, Jacob lowered his voice and spoke, here I
am father. Isaac blind looked towards Jacob and said, who
(04:12):
is here? It is Esau, You're first born. I have
done what you asked. Please get up and eat so
that you may bless me.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Jacob also tricked his father in law into giving him
more resources, but all of that deceit caught up to
him when his brother was at his doorstep with four
hundred soldiers on the eve of facing his brother Esau,
Jacob retreated to a high place to pray.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Jacob prepared for the worst. He divided his camp into
two parties and sent them on opposite ends of one another.
If Esau came to destroy one of the camps, the
other would be spared. Jacob trembled before God. Fear was
overcoming him, and he looked to heaven and said, God
of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, you have told me
(05:09):
to return. You desired for me to be here so
that you might bless me. I am not worthy of
your kindness or your provision. Jacob, for perhaps the first
time in his life, felt the full weight of God's
love for him. You have shown me steadfast love and faithfulness.
(05:30):
I began with nothing to my name except to staff,
and now I have two camps that rely on me.
Tears hit Jacob's trembling hands. Please deliver me from the
revenge of my brother. I fear him, and I fear
for all the people here under my care. But you
(05:50):
promised to bless me and to expand my offspring. I
will trust you. Jacob, lingered there for the night, he
sent out droves of gifts of cattle, goats, and other
livestock before him to gain favor with Esau. Yet there
was no predicting how Esau would receive his gifts, for
(06:12):
he pursued Jacob with four hundred men behind him.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
At that moment, an angel of the Lord appeared and
began a cosmic wrestling match between God and man. It
was an interesting reply to Jacob's prayer, but it was
a response that would prove to be transformative.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
That same night, Jacob arose with his wives and eleven
children and sent them across the stream of Jabok. He
sent them away to be safe. With everything else he
had in his possession, Jacob was left alone until a
man sprang up from behind him. Struggling in the mud
and gravel, Jacob wrestled with this man in the dead
(06:57):
of night, sweat and blood dripping from his body. Jacob
fought for his life under the weight of this unknown stranger.
The night drew on and the sun was beginning to
rear its head between the hills. Jacob, while endeavoring with
this man, became increasingly more aware of his divine nature.
His wrestling match was not an assault, but an invitation.
(07:21):
This is God's camp echoed in his memory. Jacob, the
once timid, tent dweller, found himself grappling on the ground
with God himself. Dawn peeked through the trees. The man
saw that he would not prevail against Jacob. He touched
his hip socket and jammed his hip out of its
joint a. Jacob screamed and released his legs from around
(07:44):
the man, yet he clung to him with his arms,
refusing to let go. Let me go, for the day
is broken.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
The man said, no more games or lies. Jacob realized
how helpless he was. Sometimes God lets us reach the
end of our own strength to help us understand what's
most important in life. Fleshly strength needs to fail so
we can rely solely on the power of Christ within us.
(08:16):
Paul said in Second Corinthians that God's power is made
perfect in our weakness. Similarly, Jacob had to realize who
the source of his strength really was.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Jacob, who had spent his entire life making his own luck,
was face to face with the end of himself. He
had deceived his brother into selling his birthright, he had
tricked his father into blessing him, and he had swindled
Laban into making him richer. Yet now Jacob was faced
with God himself and had no means to trick his
(08:54):
way into victory. Jacob's eyes closed tightly, and he flexed
his arms firmly to the legs of this man, and said,
I will not let you go unless you bless me.
A slight smile came across the man's face. What is
your name, he asked, Jacob, he shouted in pain. You
(09:16):
shall no longer be called Jacob, he said, but Israel,
for you have wrestled with God and with men and prevailed.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
What makes this prayer so powerful is the desperation. This
man played games his whole life, but when danger knocked
at his door, he knew his only option was to
cling to God and not let go. We, akin to Jacob,
find ourselves enmeshed in a dynamic yet sacred interaction with God.
(09:51):
But unlike Jacob, we've been graced by the indwelling Christ,
guaranteeing us a boundless supply of strength and assurance even
in our deepest adversities. Navigating through the labyrinth of our trials,
it becomes evident that our weaknesses are not a cause
(10:12):
for despair, but rather a gateway through which God's unparalleled
power is manifested most vividly. Just as the apostle Paul
declares that God's power is perfected in our weakness, we
are tenderly reminded that the treasure of God's presence resides
(10:34):
in our earthen vessels, promising that in every tear shed,
in every moment of agony, there's the unspoken, invincible strength
of Christ emerging from within us. Our spiritual union with
Christ means we're shielded, guided, and perpetually connected to the
(10:56):
source of life itself. We experience something today that even
the Disciples didn't experience until they received power from on
high at Pentecost. Until then, they were afraid of everything
that came their way. Remember Peter as an example. When
(11:17):
he thought the sea would consume him.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Peter felt the support of his feet give way as
he dropped into the black abyss. He gasped for air,
but was then buried underneath a wave. Peter was terrified.
He went from complete awe to utter panic. As the
waves crashed over his head. Peter cried out to Jesus.
In his hysteria, he was able to speak one of
the most powerful prayers ever spoken, a prayer that would
(11:48):
echo in eternity, a prayer so simple yet so filled
with meaning, that if anyone spoke it, they would be
forever embraced by the loving arms of the Father. As
Peter was surrounded by waves and gas hosp for air,
he looked up and shouted, Jesus save me. Peter was
hit by another wave and felt himself sinking deeper into
(12:09):
the dark belly of the sea. His mind began to
fog and his strength failed. Then two arms reached down
and grabbed Peter from the depths. He emerged out of
the water in the arms of Jesus.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
My encouragement for you today is that your tears are
not aimlessly spilled. They're precious, a testimony to your new
heart's resilience. The struggles of life are fertile ground where
our trust in God's irrevocable love is deeply rooted. Difficulties
(12:44):
bring forth and enduring faith birthed from every ache, every pain,
and every prayer uttered from the depths of our despair.
Our sufferings are not unnoticed, our battles not unaided, for
the invincible power of the indwelling Christ is our eternal strength,
(13:08):
illuminating our path even in the darkest valleys of life.
And unlike Jacob, we don't need to wrestle or plead
with God to bless us because He already has. We've
been blessed with every spiritual blessing already where in Christ Jesus,
(13:28):
of course, and that is where we permanently reside in Him.
Everything we need is there in Him, and we are too.
We're there in Him. So let your prayer be one
of thanksgiving. Thank you, Father for blessing me in every
(13:49):
way through Jesus. I am forever grateful. Thank you for
listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about
the Bible, share it with a friend or family member,
download the pray dot Com app, and for more encouragement
(14:11):
in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.
Let us pray. He has said to me, my grace
is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly. Therefore, I will rather glory in
my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Second Corinthians, Chapter twelve, verse nine. Dear Lord, I know
(00:25):
your power rests on me in my weakness. When I
feel like I can't continue, you remind me of your strength.
When I reach my limit, I realize it was never
about my strength, and I cling to yours instead. Thank
you for your permanent presence within me, enabling me to
(00:46):
confront each day's struggles head on. Your grace is more
than just forgiveness and a journey to heaven some day.
Your grace is empowering and inspiring. Thank you for being
all I need even when things feel overwhelming. You are
my strength today and all the days of my life.
(01:10):
In Jesus' name, Amen, Thank you for praying with me today.
Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through pray dot
COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Consider Jacob in the Old Testament. What made his prayer
so powerful was the desperation this man played games his
whole life, but when danger knocked at his door, he
knew his only option was to cling to God and
to be blessed by him.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Jacob's eyes closed tightly, and he flexed his arms first
to the legs of this man and said, I will
not let you go unless you bless me.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
What links would you go to in order to receive
God's blessing? Fortunately, you don't have to wrestle with God
and convince him to bless you, as we'll see he
already has.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and welcome to another episode of
the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We've spent the last couple
of months surveying biblical stories, searching for themes that enrich
our lives and help us grow deeper in our understanding
of God's love and grace. I believe the next eight
(02:45):
episodes will be foundational as we dive deeper into prayer.
Prayer is our communication with God, the privilege we have
through his spirit to open up and tell him everything
that's on our minds. Today we'll look at a powerful
prayer that shaped the entire nation of Israel. This prayer
(03:08):
was born out of desperation, as many of our prayers
tend to be. Jacob spent most of his life lying
to get blessings. In fact, he tricked his father and
brother into giving him an inheritance that didn't even belong
to him.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Rebecca told Jacob what Isaac was planning on doing, and
together they devised a plan to steal away Esau's blessing.
Jacob killed a goat and made his father a delicious stew.
Rebecca then dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes. Since Esau was
a hairy man, Jacob covered himself in goat fur. With
(03:52):
Esau's clothes, fur and stew, Jacob entered into his father's tent,
determined to come out with a blessing. Slowly entering into
the tent, Jacob lowered his voice and spoke, here I
am father. Isaac blind looked towards Jacob and said, who
(04:12):
is here? It is Esau, You're first born. I have
done what you asked. Please get up and eat so
that you may bless me.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Jacob also tricked his father in law into giving him
more resources, but all of that deceit caught up to
him when his brother was at his doorstep with four
hundred soldiers on the eve of facing his brother Esau,
Jacob retreated to a high place to pray.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Jacob prepared for the worst. He divided his camp into
two parties and sent them on opposite ends of one another.
If Esau came to destroy one of the camps, the
other would be spared. Jacob trembled before God. Fear was
overcoming him, and he looked to heaven and said, God
of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, you have told me
(05:09):
to return. You desired for me to be here so
that you might bless me. I am not worthy of
your kindness or your provision. Jacob, for perhaps the first
time in his life, felt the full weight of God's
love for him. You have shown me steadfast love and faithfulness.
(05:30):
I began with nothing to my name except to staff,
and now I have two camps that rely on me.
Tears hit Jacob's trembling hands. Please deliver me from the
revenge of my brother. I fear him, and I fear
for all the people here under my care. But you
(05:50):
promised to bless me and to expand my offspring. I
will trust you. Jacob, lingered there for the night, he
sent out droves of gifts of cattle, goats, and other
livestock before him to gain favor with Esau. Yet there
was no predicting how Esau would receive his gifts, for
(06:12):
he pursued Jacob with four hundred men behind him.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
At that moment, an angel of the Lord appeared and
began a cosmic wrestling match between God and man. It
was an interesting reply to Jacob's prayer, but it was
a response that would prove to be transformative.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
That same night, Jacob arose with his wives and eleven
children and sent them across the stream of Jabok. He
sent them away to be safe. With everything else he
had in his possession, Jacob was left alone until a
man sprang up from behind him. Struggling in the mud
and gravel, Jacob wrestled with this man in the dead
(06:57):
of night, sweat and blood dripping from his body. Jacob
fought for his life under the weight of this unknown stranger.
The night drew on and the sun was beginning to
rear its head between the hills. Jacob, while endeavoring with
this man, became increasingly more aware of his divine nature.
His wrestling match was not an assault, but an invitation.
(07:21):
This is God's camp echoed in his memory. Jacob, the
once timid, tent dweller, found himself grappling on the ground
with God himself. Dawn peeked through the trees. The man
saw that he would not prevail against Jacob. He touched
his hip socket and jammed his hip out of its
joint a. Jacob screamed and released his legs from around
(07:44):
the man, yet he clung to him with his arms,
refusing to let go. Let me go, for the day
is broken.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
The man said, no more games or lies. Jacob realized
how helpless he was. Sometimes God lets us reach the
end of our own strength to help us understand what's
most important in life. Fleshly strength needs to fail so
we can rely solely on the power of Christ within us.
(08:16):
Paul said in Second Corinthians that God's power is made
perfect in our weakness. Similarly, Jacob had to realize who
the source of his strength really was.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Jacob, who had spent his entire life making his own luck,
was face to face with the end of himself. He
had deceived his brother into selling his birthright, he had
tricked his father into blessing him, and he had swindled
Laban into making him richer. Yet now Jacob was faced
with God himself and had no means to trick his
(08:54):
way into victory. Jacob's eyes closed tightly, and he flexed
his arms firmly to the legs of this man, and said,
I will not let you go unless you bless me.
A slight smile came across the man's face. What is
your name, he asked, Jacob, he shouted in pain. You
(09:16):
shall no longer be called Jacob, he said, but Israel,
for you have wrestled with God and with men and prevailed.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
What makes this prayer so powerful is the desperation. This
man played games his whole life, but when danger knocked
at his door, he knew his only option was to
cling to God and not let go. We, akin to Jacob,
find ourselves enmeshed in a dynamic yet sacred interaction with God.
(09:51):
But unlike Jacob, we've been graced by the indwelling Christ,
guaranteeing us a boundless supply of strength and assurance even
in our deepest adversities. Navigating through the labyrinth of our trials,
it becomes evident that our weaknesses are not a cause
(10:12):
for despair, but rather a gateway through which God's unparalleled
power is manifested most vividly. Just as the apostle Paul
declares that God's power is perfected in our weakness, we
are tenderly reminded that the treasure of God's presence resides
(10:34):
in our earthen vessels, promising that in every tear shed,
in every moment of agony, there's the unspoken, invincible strength
of Christ emerging from within us. Our spiritual union with
Christ means we're shielded, guided, and perpetually connected to the
(10:56):
source of life itself. We experience something today that even
the Disciples didn't experience until they received power from on
high at Pentecost. Until then, they were afraid of everything
that came their way. Remember Peter as an example. When
(11:17):
he thought the sea would consume him.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Peter felt the support of his feet give way as
he dropped into the black abyss. He gasped for air,
but was then buried underneath a wave. Peter was terrified.
He went from complete awe to utter panic. As the
waves crashed over his head. Peter cried out to Jesus.
In his hysteria, he was able to speak one of
the most powerful prayers ever spoken, a prayer that would
(11:48):
echo in eternity, a prayer so simple yet so filled
with meaning, that if anyone spoke it, they would be
forever embraced by the loving arms of the Father. As
Peter was surrounded by waves and gas hosp for air,
he looked up and shouted, Jesus save me. Peter was
hit by another wave and felt himself sinking deeper into
(12:09):
the dark belly of the sea. His mind began to
fog and his strength failed. Then two arms reached down
and grabbed Peter from the depths. He emerged out of
the water in the arms of Jesus.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
My encouragement for you today is that your tears are
not aimlessly spilled. They're precious, a testimony to your new
heart's resilience. The struggles of life are fertile ground where
our trust in God's irrevocable love is deeply rooted. Difficulties
(12:44):
bring forth and enduring faith birthed from every ache, every pain,
and every prayer uttered from the depths of our despair.
Our sufferings are not unnoticed, our battles not unaided, for
the invincible power of the indwelling Christ is our eternal strength,
(13:08):
illuminating our path even in the darkest valleys of life.
And unlike Jacob, we don't need to wrestle or plead
with God to bless us because He already has. We've
been blessed with every spiritual blessing already where in Christ Jesus,
(13:28):
of course, and that is where we permanently reside in Him.
Everything we need is there in Him, and we are too.
We're there in Him. So let your prayer be one
of thanksgiving. Thank you, Father for blessing me in every
(13:49):
way through Jesus. I am forever grateful. Thank you for
listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about
the Bible, share it with a friend or family member,
download the pray dot Com app, and for more encouragement
(14:11):
in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.
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