The God Of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob - Message 19 - Dislodging The Natural Man

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another faith-building message by Pastor David Entry. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.

[0:12] May your knowledge of Jesus Christ increase as you listen. Be blessed. In the God of Jacob, we know God as the God who disciplines. In the God of Abraham, we know God as the God who initiates and who is the Father, the originator.

[0:27] Everything starts from Him. The Bible says that all good and perfect gifts come from above, not abroad. All good and perfect gifts come from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

[0:50] So everything comes. So in God of Abraham, we get to know God as the God who is the initiator, who is the Father. So when Abraham was childless, his relationship with God is all that mattered, not his relationship with another woman.

[1:08] His relationship with another woman did not guarantee the promise. It's his relationship with God and him and his wife. Because the Bible says in Genesis 21, it came to pass.

[1:19] Visited Sarah as he had said and did unto Sarah as he had spoken. He had spoken to Abraham, not Sarah. He spoke initially to Abraham. Genesis chapter 15. He said, the lazer of Damasco shall not be your heir.

[1:33] He said, chapter 15, verse 5 there. He said, one from your own loins shall be your heir. He promised him. The Bible said that Abraham believed it and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

[1:44] So God told him, I'm going to do it for you. But in chapter 16, the suggestion of Sarah, they agreed. And he went into Hagar and produced an Ishmael.

[1:55] But God says that in Isaac shall your seed be blessed, not in Ishmael. Right? The promise was towards Isaac. Isaac was the promised child. But Abraham now, he was very active at the time he produced Ishmael.

[2:11] But his wife was not active. His wife was barren. That's the point I'm trying to. His wife was barren, but he wasn't infertile. He was fertile.

[2:22] His sperm count was good. But Sarah couldn't produce a child. So they agreed that since God said he will give you a child, let's use my slave girl. And he went into Hagar.

[2:34] And it truly, it proved that Abraham was not inactive. Because Ishmael was a statement that Abraham's flesh was active. Abraham was so productive. He was still viable. He was still fertile.

[2:46] Right? So God said, you know you are depending on your strength. Okay. I'm going to wait till your lights go off. So God waited for 13 years. When Abraham was about 100 years old, in Genesis chapter 17, Bible said that when he was about 100 years old, God came to him and he said, walk before me and be perfect.

[3:04] Next time, don't go to Hagar. Walk before me and be perfect. But I will give you a child. And so, and that time he was about 100 years old, 99 years old, 99 and a half years old.

[3:16] He was too old for him to have a child. Because in Romans chapter 4, Bible makes us to understand, in Romans chapter 4 verse 19, At that time, when he was 100 years old, his body was dead and the womb of his wife was also off.

[3:31] So that was the time God came and said, now I'm going to give you a child. Why? Because I wanted to prove to him that I am the father. You are. You can't. I'm going to give you a child. Even though you can't father a child, I'm going to give you a child.

[3:43] I'm going to make you father a child for you to know that I, it comes from me, not you. So in the God of Abraham, we get to know God as the God who is the father. Listen, it does not matter your age.

[3:55] It doesn't matter your background. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are coming from. If God said, I'm going to do it for you, stop keeping your eyes on your insufficiency and your incompetencies.

[4:06] Take your eyes off your incompetencies, your insufficiencies and disabilities. And focus your attention on God's abilities. Because that's what Abraham did in Romans chapter 4. The Bible says that when God promised Abraham, even though he was about 100 years old, he did not consider his body, which was now 100 years, now dead, nor the deadness of Sarah's womb.

[4:27] The Bible says he became strong in faith. In the verse 20, it talks about how he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory. Look at verse 21.

[4:38] Very interesting. It says, be fully convinced that what God has promised, he was also what? Also what? Able. Also what? Able.

[4:49] What word? The word. Also what? Able. Also what? Able. Say God is able. God is able. Say God is able. God is able. So in your inabilities or disabilities, God's abilities covers you as long as he has given you a word.

[5:04] He doesn't do it based on your abilities. Get it right. He doesn't do it for you based on your abilities. Once he says it, in spite of your inabilities, he's still going to do it because he is a God who is able to perform.

[5:19] He believed that God was also able to perform what he has said. Always remember that. Whatever God says, he is also.

[5:30] He was fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. So instead of looking at your misfortune, look for the promise of God around your life.

[5:43] Because your misfortunes may not change. But it takes the promise of God embraced to change the direction of your future. Somebody is blessed. So in the God of Abraham, we get to know him as the God who is the father, the initiator.

[5:59] In the God of Isaac, we get to know him as the God who provides. Father, the wood. Father, the knife. But where is the lamb?

[6:10] He said, God will provide for himself a lamb. Genesis chapter 22, the seventh day. God will provide for himself a lamb.

[6:21] So in knowing God as the God of Isaac, we know him as the God who provides, who supplies. Look at someone and tell the person, God will provide for you. God will provide for you.

[6:32] If the person near you didn't see it, look for somebody else. Tell the person. God will provide for you. So the father, the initiator, the son, the provider.

[6:45] But in God of Jacob, we get to know him as the God who polishes. Who polishes us. Who works on us. Because I'm sure that you and I would agree that you need some help.

[7:00] I need a little. I'm sure that you and I will agree that we all need a bit of working on. We are not yet finished product.

[7:12] We will not pass the straight standards demands. Because you are still under construction. You are work in progress.

[7:24] Tell someone, I'm work in progress. Sometimes when you mess up, be humble enough to tell your wife or your husband, listen. I need a work in progress. When your husband or your wife does something, remind yourself that this one is work in progress.

[7:41] Sometimes he heads, look at what he said to me. Anyway, work in progress. He says to the father, forgive them for they know not. But Pastor, this one knows what he's doing. He knows he's very much aware.

[7:56] He knows what he's doing. I've told him over and over and over. When you do this, it upsets me. I've told him. And that's the very thing he will do. He will do it. That's why sometimes your natural man must be dislodged.

[8:10] Because you behave like that. That's how you are. And some of you, when you change, then when you go born again, people saw you and said, Hey, this one too.

[8:22] And they really saw that. It's really true. You are changed. Your wife was shocked. Your husband was shocked. You and Jezebel like you. Jezebel like you, you have changed.

[8:34] You are smiling. You are nice. Everyone can touch you and go free. You. That's what the power of the cross can do. Yes. But we are going to go into the text and I'm going to show you how Jacob, God gave him 20 years.

[8:48] Because when he was born, let me just give you a random. When Jacob was born, the guy knew how to be smart. Say smart. Smart. He knew how to get in his own way. You know how to impress your bosses to get a promotion.

[9:02] You've always known how to weave your way through. You are good at that. You don't need the help of God. You'll be fine. You'll be fine. You'll be fine. That's how you do your things. That's how you know how to do your things.

[9:13] Jacob knew how to. He knew how to get a blessing. He knew how to find his way around. He tricked his brother. He tricked his mother. And God sent him. God managed to get him out of home.

[9:25] Because the domestic terrain was very conducive for his natural man. So God sent him out of home. He met God at Bethel. And then between Bethel and Paddan Aram.

[9:35] God sent him there. He was 20 years in his uncle. His uncle was a chief trickster. The uncle was good. The uncle, what? I mean, he changed his salary 10 times.

[9:48] 10 times. Not upgrade. He's finished working. He's about to receive his pay. That's all. Sorry. We made a mistake in the contract. Look at it properly. He didn't read the fine print.

[9:59] He said that this contract can be changed anytime when the pay is due. It can be changed for the better anytime. He said, yes, for the better.

[10:10] He said, yeah. I mean, my better. Better for the business. So Jacob went to Laban. Laban was so good. And Laban used the thing on him.

[10:21] Changed his salary several times. Because he said the business must work. And he was screaming from the board. And Laban noticed that. He said, since you came, my business has increased. It's booming. So when Jacob wanted to go, he said, please don't go.

[10:33] Let's strike another deal. So he struck another deal with him. And this time, Jacob was smart. He said, let's strike another deal. He said, what do you should be? He said, okay. All the sheep that will be spotted and speckled, I'll have them.

[10:47] For this time, I'm serving you. So he said, you can have them. Jacob said, I'll have them. And he said, you have them white. Because most of the sheep were white. So it's hard. The speckled one, it's hard to find them.

[10:58] So maybe you'll find one in every hundred or 200. He said, that'll be my wages. He said, no problem. Let's do it that way. And Jacob says, a good deal. So the man knew that this guy, I'll get him. But Jacob, he knew what to do.

[11:10] When the sheep were mating, he did some stick. And then removed the skin. So he made the speckled.

[11:20] Variegated kind of stuff. So when the sheep were mating, they kept looking at it. It influenced their conception. And by the time they delivered, they delivered speckled.

[11:33] And what he did was, all the very strong and energetic and healthy ones, he made sure that they delivered speckled ones. And the weak and sickly ones, they delivered white ones. So by the time, labor realized, this guy has become very wealthy.

[11:48] He has so much of his, and his owner was all sickly and dying. How did he do it? Jacob. So Jacob eventually tricked his uncle. He showed his uncle that, you want to joke with Jacob next time.

[12:02] Next time. He said, I'm out of here. Man, next time. And so, then in Genesis chapter 31, the Bible said, God came to him and he said, it's time for you to leave. First time he tried to leave, that's when he had to renegotiate the deal.

[12:15] He wanted to leave by tossing God's time. Sometimes, you know, it's very easy to want to cut short some difficult process in your life. Sometimes it may not be God's time. So sometimes, when we think it's hard timing, God knows that it's a premature timing.

[12:29] Because if he puts you into it, you will self-destruct. The Bible said, on the first day, God had day number six to create human beings. But on the first day, he didn't create human beings.

[12:40] Second day, he didn't create human beings. Third day, he didn't create human beings. Fourth day, he didn't create human beings. Day five, he didn't create human beings. He waited till he has created all, put everything in place before he created man and put him there.

[12:53] For some of us, maybe you are on day five. Maybe you are on day four. You are in a rush. Because others have gone. So you also want to go. No, their timetable may be different from your timetable.

[13:04] Look at it. Even twins, sometimes they get into adolescence at puberty. Different times. You understand what I'm saying? So do not run according to somebody's timetable.

[13:16] Amen. Amen. All right. So Jacob tricked his uncle and left home.

[13:27] How has he been getting his way? Getting away with things. He uses his... The guy was good. He was a schemer. Actually, the name Jacob means a planter. Schemer. He knows how to scheme his way through life.

[13:39] He's scheme his way through everything. And he always got away with it. Because the guy was good. He would cheat you. And the cheating would be legitimate. You know I've been cheated.

[13:52] But you can't find a fault with the cheating. You can't say that. No, you've done anything wrong. And you know they've done so much wrong against you. But you can't find anything wrong. You can't prove it. And he's smiling with you.

[14:04] And you're upset. But you don't have any points. That's Jacob for you. And so, guess what? This is where we are going into the cracks of the message. Now look at this. Genesis chapter 32. In Genesis chapter 32, from verse 13.

[14:18] Before verse 13, verse 9, he prayed to God. All right, let's read to verse 6. Look at verse 6. Then the messengers returned to Jacob saying, we came to your brother Esau.

[14:29] And he also is coming to meet you. And 400 men are with him. So, verse 7. Look at verse 7. The Bible says that, so Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.

[14:42] And divided the people that were with him. And the flock and the herds and the camel into two companies. That's when he started scheming. Started again. That guy always knew what to do.

[14:54] So, he divided them. He said, okay, you go here. You go here. In case they attack this thing, this thing will be there. Jacob, when he heard the news, even in his fear, first thing, let me scheme.

[15:04] After 20 years of being in Laban's house, God was trying to use Laban's house to discipline him. Laban's house to discipline him, to drill discipline into him. Jacob still couldn't get it.

[15:17] He went through a lot of disciplinary processes. But still, his nature, his natural person hadn't changed. You go, you can't change your nature.

[15:27] A zebra may fall into water. Or a tiger may fall into water. The skin gets wet. It gets wet. But the marks are still there. Jacob has been through all things, but still.

[15:38] And God, watch this. I'm going, where I'm going. It has taken 20 years for God to bring him. Watch this. God to take him from Betel to his uncle's house, Laban's house, Paddan Aram. And to bring him from Paddan Aram.

[15:50] He's coming back to Betel and then to Canaan. Okay, he's coming back to Canaan. So, if it took 20 years to go through all that process, it gets to a time God has to facilitate.

[16:00] He doesn't have all the time to wait. So, he has to speed up the machine. That's what today's message is about.

[16:12] God is speeding up the process for your greatness. Amen. So, you know, there are some causes that are intense.

[16:24] He divided the people into two. Watch this. This is very interesting. Before he went to pray to God. When he divided it into two, he said, look, watch this. Verse 8. Verse 8. He said, if Esau comes to one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.

[16:38] You see? He was scheming. There's nothing wrong with that. Is there anything wrong with that? That's just common sense. He was just scheming. But God told him, go back home and I'll keep you. I'll be with you.

[16:49] But he was helping God to keep you. Verse 9. Then Jacob said, oh God of my father Abraham, the God of my father Isaac. He didn't know that God was actually going to be a God of Jacob too.

[17:02] Because he knew him as the originator, as the provider. But he hadn't actually discovered that God is a God of discipline. So, he prayed a prayer. And after the prayer, verse 13. So, he lodged there that same night and took what came to his hand.

[17:19] Asked a present for Esau, his brother. Watch this. 200 female goats and 20 male goats. 200 eels and 20 rams. 30 male camels with their coats.

[17:33] 40 cows and 10 bulls. 20 female donkeys and 10 foes. That guy was ritual. I mean, those days when you talk about donkeys.

[17:44] Donkeys are like bentley's. Donkeys are like. And then 30 male camel. 30 camels are like the tracks to transport things.

[17:56] Big ones. The ones that St. Brice has gone. Tesco and Azar has. Those big ones. He just sent them as a gift. So, can you mind when they come? They are coming in a convoy. Hey, where are these going?

[18:07] They are going to Esau. From where? From Jacob. The guy was. I mean, for him to be able to give that. That means he has so much. Don't joke with God's blessing. When a person is blessed.

[18:18] You can cheat the person. But you end up being on top of you. So, some of you. Your bosses and your supervisors are trying to take advantage. Don't worry. Just work the blessing. By the time they realize you are employing them.

[18:30] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. If you believe that, you shout a living amen. Amen. Amen. So, see this. Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta.

[18:41] So, he sent all this ahead of him. And then, verse 16. Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants. Every drove by itself.

[18:52] And said to his servants. Pass over before me. And put some distance between successive droves. So, the droves were going. He said, you stay here. Go after one. And then the next.

[19:02] So, the guy will be confused. What? Oh, this is a master plan. That guy's good, though. Someone say, Jacob. Jacob. Watch this. Let's get it. Let's get it.

[19:13] So, he puts this down between successive droves. Verse 17. And he commanded the first one. Saying, when Esau, my brother, meets you and asks you. Saying, to whom do you belong?

[19:23] And where are you going? Whose are these in front of you? Then you shall say, they are your servant, Jacob. It is a presence sent to my Lord Esau.

[19:34] And behold, he also is behind us. So, you meet first, Joel. They say, oh, this one. Where are all these? Where are you? Where are all these? So, this one belongs to your servant, Jacob.

[19:44] Your servant. Not your boss. Your servant. Not your brother. Your servant, Jacob. And meanwhile, God says that the older shall serve the younger. But he said, tell him that your servant, Jacob.

[19:56] All right. Belongs to you. And he said, when he asks you. But where are you going? He said, these are all gifts for you. For you. His Lord Esau. And then he receives it. Then there was another one. He said, this one is for you.

[20:06] Hey, what's going on? Jacob is good. He knew how to get the car. He was making a deal. So, by the time he arrives, you have been dazed.

[20:19] Oh, Jacob. Verse 18. All right. So, then you shall say, it's a presence. Verse 19. So, he commanded the second and the third. And all who followed the droves, saying, in this manner, you shall speak to Esau when you find him.

[20:34] Verse 20. And also say, behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us. For he said, I will appease him. That's what Jacob was thinking. He said, Jacob said, I will appease him with a presence that goes before me.

[20:50] And afterwards, I will see his face. Perhaps. Say perhaps. Say perhaps. Even that still there was uncertainty. Perhaps he will accept me. So, the presence went on over before him.

[21:05] But he himself lodged that night in the camp. So, the presence went before him. And he said, no, I'm not going. I'll stay here. Now, watch this. After he has pulled his best scheme.

[21:18] That's how he does it. God said, no, I can't wait for you to finish this scheme in before we get to battle. It will take another 20 years. I don't have time to wait for you. I need to be the God of Jacob.

[21:29] I need to work on you so that I can get you. I can make what I want to make out of you. So, God said, okay, you finish scheme in. All right. That's your strength. That's your natural ability.

[21:40] All right. Let's see what God did. Look at verse 24. Okay. Let's look at verse 22. And he arose that night and took his two wives. He hasn't finished. Took his two wives, his two female servants, and his 11 sons, and crossed over the fort of Jabbok.

[21:54] Verse 24. Watch this. Then Jacob was left alone. And what happened? Then Jacob was left alone. And the man wrestling with him when? For how long? Is there a habit?

[22:08] Something in your life that God keeps wrestling with you and he's not winning. Something in your life. You know God wants you to give up. You know God is helping you. You know God wants you to do something.

[22:19] But God has been wrestling and he's not prevailing. God is not. Can you imagine? Almighty God is not winning. He is not winning in your life because you are very strong. If he has to take you to where he has to take you, he has a blow.

[22:34] It's called the mortal blow of God. He will knock you in a way you will never recover. But it's necessary for your future. I know I'm talking to somebody.

[22:46] God has been wrestling with you all night. All night. And he's not prevailing. He's not prevailing. But he needs to move you to your destiny. He needs to bring you into your rest.

[22:58] He needs to bring you into your greatness. He needs to bring you into your glory. And yet you can't get into your greatness with the junk with you. So that you don't say that it's your own strength. And that will even pull you down and mess you.

[23:09] But he has to strip some things of you. And he's not prevailing. Prevailing. God is not prevailing. So Bible says when he saw that he wasn't prevailing, he gave a blow.

[23:21] Okay. He touched. Not touched. He touched a blow. He touched. This Jacob guy. He touched the hole of his thigh.

[23:31] And he hated that it came out of joint. For the rest of Jacob's life, Jacob the strong man. For the rest of his life.

[23:43] It's in the Bible. Why don't you read it? Watch this. He walked leaning on the staff. Because he met God. He met God. And God.

[23:54] Do you know where he met him? In a place called Peniel. It's called a Peniel experience. Peniel experience. He met God. And God dislocated his strength.

[24:05] He dislodged his last trauma. He's a man. Now. The hollow of your thigh. The sinew of your thigh. Is the strongest in the human body.

[24:18] The strongest joint. The strongest part of the body. Joint is here. So what does that mean? It means that your strength. Your area of strength.

[24:28] Your area of strength. Which you can do without God. If God is going to use you. He will touch that area. He will dislodge your natural strength. What are some of the natural strength we can talk about?

[24:39] Some of us. Our natural strength is our emotions. Some of us. Our natural strength is our intelligence. Like Jacob. Some of us. Our natural strength. We know how to negotiate this. And get this done.

[24:50] Going for us. Some of us. Our natural strength. You know how to grab a wife. Or a husband. Or a man. Or a woman. Maybe it can be your talent. Maybe it can be your self love. Some of us.

[25:01] We love ourselves. You love yourself. You love the way you look. You love your figure. You love your certificates.

[25:11] Some of us. Our natural strength. Is our ability to really analyze and think. You are a thinker. Everything must make sense for you. Everything must make sense for me. You know.

[25:22] When you say that. Ask for me. Something is speaking there. There is a natural strength. Speaking there. And if God.

[25:33] Is going to bring you. Into his promised land. He will have to give you. A mortal blow. In order to dislodge. That natural strength. Maybe Laban couldn't do it.

[25:44] He took you to Laban. Thinking that it would change you. 20 years. It couldn't work. God said. Me myself. I will take care of that. So when we talk. About. The dislodging. Of the natural man.

[25:55] Watch this. It doesn't mean. That you have to be talentless. It doesn't mean. That you have to be. Unproductive. It means that. The thing. What. And everybody has got it.

[26:05] Even when you become a Christian. Everybody. Sometimes. It plays out. You can be a pastor. And you are so much. Into yourself. You can be a pastor. Or you can be a church leader. And you are so much.

[26:16] Into your image. A Christian. Very gentle. And humble. But you don't joke. With your image. You can't stand someone. Talking to you. In a certain way. Some of us. Our natural strength.

[26:27] Is the way. Everything has been provided for us. We don't know what. Suffering is. And so you can't stand suffering. But God is bringing you. Into ministry. He has to teach you. So when you have God of Isaac.

[26:38] You are very excited. Because God. You keep providing for me. He will provide. God provides. God. And you don't understand. Why financially. Things have become so dry. Some of you. Haven't you realized. That since you became a Christian.

[26:50] And you decide to walk. Straight with God. The things that you could have done. Like this. You know how to work it. You know how to work it. And you are growing in it. And God is taking you.

[27:01] To a future. That that thing can't follow you to. Follow you there. And so. For him. To win. Or for him. To help you. To have the future. You are supposed to have.

[27:12] He has to. It is an imperative necessity. He has to give you. A mortal blow. Dislodge your natural strength. Dislodge something. Something. Has been dislodged.

[27:22] Then. In first. Second Corinthians chapter 12. Bible says that. Paul said. Because of the abundance. Of the revelations. I had. There was given.

[27:33] To me. A thorn. In my flesh. To buffet me. So that. I don't get lifted. Above. Beyond measure. He said. First Corinthians chapter 12.

[27:44] From verse 4. 5. 6. 7. He said. So I don't. So I don't get lifted. Beyond measure. There was given to me. A tongue. In my. Second Corinthians chapter 12. Verse. Verse 7.

[27:54] Unless I should be. Exalted above measure. By the abundance. Of the revelations. I have. Some of us. Our natural strength. Is your knowledge. You have so much information.

[28:05] I know so much about everything. I know so much. Some of us. Our natural strength. Is your. Is your doctor. Your doctor. Is a top specialist. Top. Cancer specialist.

[28:16] Top specialist. Or your uncle. Is a top neurosurgeon. So you know. So your brains. Will work very well. Give us.

[28:28] Message Bible. In this particular translation. In this particular version. It says that. Because of the. Extravagance. Of those. Revelations. And so.

[28:39] I won't. Get a big head. I was given. The gift. Of a handicap. To keep me. In constant. Touch. With my limitations. And of course.

[28:52] Satan's angel. Did his best. To. Get me down. Keep me down. What he. In fact. Did. Was. Push me. To my knees.

[29:03] Situations. Have to push you. To your knees. So you know. That. A detention. Was good. Situation. Has to put you. Down to your knees. So that. You don't grow. Beyond measure.

[29:14] Because of the good job. You are doing. Good job. Good house. And yet. Health. Good job. Good house. And yet. Your family. You don't know why. Beautiful lady.

[29:25] Beautiful. In fact. Your beauty is. Spelt with two B's. In terms. Beautiful. Beautiful lady. And yet. And yet. You can't just. Settle down in marriage.

[29:36] No one wants to marry you. What is the problem? Beautiful. You are born again. You pray louder than everybody. When we say. Let's pray. Your tongues. Is. 100 tongues per second.

[29:47] You are good. Beautiful. In fact. When you hold the microphone. They see that this is a lady. Your nails. Your eyes. Ha.

[29:58] Hey. Your. Hey. But you just don't know. What you have done wrong. What did I come to sell. That no one wants to buy.

[30:08] Ah. Oh. Whew. Aristotle.

[30:19] How. You're good. So that I don't get exalted beyond measure. We allow our strength, our areas of expertise, areas of excellence to get in our heads too much.

[30:30] If I were you. You know, there are some people, there's no way, they are not ready to be millionaires. Even though it's in their DNA, in their destiny. Because if they are millionaires, they come to church and Usher shows them where they to sit. They say, you look at me and show me where to sit.

[30:44] Who are you? Do you know me? I want to have a word with the pastor. Please, pastor. For goodness sake, anytime I come to church, do not let that Usher Usher me again.

[30:59] That is called simony. You and your money perish. Some people are not ready. Watch this. Let me finish this text. This text will bless you. In the New King James Version. 2 Corinthians chapter 12.

[31:10] The same text. The same text. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Verse 7. Verse 7. It says, Lest I be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me.

[31:21] A messenger of Satan to buffet me. Lest I be exalted. And he said, for this, I went to the Lord three times. God, remove this thing from my life. But he said, concerning this thing, I plead that with the Lord three times.

[31:31] That Lord. It's my, this thing. Let it depart from me. And you know what God said? God said, he didn't say I'm going to remove it. He said, my grace. God said to me, my grace is sufficient for you. Watch this. Watch this. This is where I'm going.

[31:42] My strength is made perfect in your weakness. Until you know you are weak somewhere, my strength cannot perfectly be demonstrated.

[31:57] He said, my strength is made perfect in your weakness. Did you see that? My strength is made perfect in your weakness. Now, now this man who got that revelation, he said, therefore, most gladly, I would rather boast in my limitation or infirmities than the power of God, of the power of Christ, be rest upon me.

[32:19] When your strong man has been dislodged, now you have to lean on something, rely on something to work. After this experience, Esau came and gave him a hug.

[32:30] And Jacob would have thought it was the gift he sent. The gift was not going to work. His coming was not going to work. God needed to dislodge this guy.

[32:41] This guy's strength from where he was taking him to. And I'll show you later on that all the encounters he had with God, he started from Bethel. The description of the place was a reflection of how he was becoming much more selfless and falling into the purpose of God.

[32:56] Because life is not about you, lady. Gentlemen, life is not about you. Life is not about you. Before you were born, life was going on. You were born to make a contribution to life, to play your role.

[33:07] And afterwards, God will call you home. And you should retire in life in peace because you should say like Paul. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7. I have fought a good fight. I have run my race.

[33:19] And I have kept the faith. Therefore, verse 8. Therefore, there is laid up for me. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 and 8. Verse 8 said. Verse 8.

[33:29] Verse 8. Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Which the Lord, the righteous God will give to me on that day. There is a day of reckoning coming.

[33:40] But you can't talk about the day of, you can't talk about the crown of righteousness if you haven't been through verse 7. Verse 7 said. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my race.

[33:50] I have kept the faith. I pray that that job, that relationship will not make you lose the faith. Amen. Sister, keep the faith. Bro, keep the faith.

[34:03] It shouldn't be done. You are getting a better job, better salary. And so now, your attitude towards church, you don't even serve. You don't do anything in the church anymore because I'm too busy. My business partners are looking for me.

[34:14] God, you prayed and prayed and God gave you a house. And when he gave you the house, you took the Sunday to come. Instead of coming to say thank you to God on Sunday, you took it to go and polish the house he gave you.

[34:26] And so now that I'm so busy, the only time I get to polish my car is on a Sunday. The car, God bless me. I'm too busy. Anytime I need him, I will let him know. But now, I'm fine with my car.

[34:37] God, he says that, therefore, I will boast in my infirmities. Look at this. Look at verse 10. This is very interesting. Verse 10 of 2 Corinthians chapter 12. I'm finishing on this. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution, in distresses.

[34:55] For Christ's sake, for when I'm weak, I'm strong. Why? Because the strength of God is made perfect in my weakness.

[35:08] He has to make you weak. If you don't embrace his discipline, he will have to make you weak. Everything he gives you. Say that, Lord, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain.

[35:19] I will serve you. I will follow you. I will worship you with everything you have given me. Now that I'm a husband, it should even make you worship better. Now that I am a wife, it should even make you serve better.

[35:33] Yeah. It should add to your work with God, which helps you to fulfill your destiny. What I don't want, or what you don't want, sister, is a mortar blow from God.

[35:46] It hurts, but it helps. You don't want a mortar blow from God. To just, to dislodge your natural man, your natural strength.

[35:57] That's for me. Yeah, everybody knows that's for me. When I stand to sing, it's wonderful. Everybody knows that's for me. When I begin to talk, yeah, you see that. Some people can say things like that. Some people come to church late because they want some people to, people, when everybody is seated, you come, you walk like a crocodile so they can see your alligator shoes.

[36:15] They can see. For some of us, this is all you may need.

[36:26] You may need somebody who can say it this way to help you receive God's mortar blow. If I were you, I would say, God, if I'm struggling to embrace your discipline, then this is my hip.

[36:45] God is coming. In Peniel, he'll give you a Peniel experience. But guess what? After that, he said, bless me before you go. He said, no. He said, bless me.

[36:56] I want to go. His day is breaking. He said, I won't let you go. That guy has always had the blessing. And God said, what's your name? He said, my name is Jacob. He said, from today, your name shall no longer be a supplanter.

[37:07] Your name shall no longer be a cheat. Your name shall no longer be a schemer. Your name shall be called Israel. Because you have wrestled with, watch this. He said, your name shall no longer be called Jacob, Israel.

[37:18] Why? For you have struggled with God and with men and you have prevailed. What he was fighting with was not man. It was God. God. In theological terms, we call it theophany.

[37:30] Theophany. Theo God. The appearance of God in a physical form. Or if you stretch, it's called Christophany. The appearances of Christ before he was born by Mary in the Old Testament.

[37:43] Christophany. God appeared because he's only Christ who is God and man at the same time. He said, for you have wrestled with God and man and you have prevailed. You are a prince of God, Israel.

[37:55] And from that day, everything started changing for you. But still, he had to go through some process. And I will explain it as we go. Did you receive anything at all? Come on, someone give the Lord a big, big, big shout and a big, big clap.

[38:08] Shout hallelujah. Shout hallelujah. Thank you for listening. To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

[38:20] Why don't you subscribe to our YouTube channel at Karis Church and subscribe to our podcast so you are always up to date. Be blessed.