Notes | August 29, 2021

Today's Message: Fight For Your Life | Sean Patterson & Cody Leidheisl

We are in a message series called, Moving Forward. Stay caught up on this series by following the message series playlist on YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrEv__Oj59QevPRKJBdPk0PQChZBa0bFq
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” – Sun Tzu (Art of War)

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”       – Job 1:1-12
The minute you make peace with God is the minute that all God’s enemies declare war on you.

If you overestimate your enemy you will surrender or retreat too soon. If you underestimate your enemy you will fight with inappropriate or insufficient resources.

“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 And Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his hip.” – Genesis 32:24-31

Looking at Jacob’s life, there are 2 themes: Wrestling and blessing. Jacob was a man who had a birthright without a blessing.
A Christian is someone who not only knows their ultimate future, but they live it as an inward experiential reality now.

1. The fight we can’t win.
2. The fight we can’t lose.

“God whispers to us in prosperity, but shouts to us in adversity.” - C.S. Lewis

God often has to wrestle us into a transformed life instead of comfort us into a transformed life.

Your growth in God and your sanctification will feel a lot more like a fist fight than a walk in the park.

Here is the sign that Jacob has really changed: He’s holding on in spite of the pain. He’s holding on in spite of the danger.
On the cross, Jesus Christ got the full weight of God’s wrath and just judgment for sin.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate Jacob who took the devastating blow of justice so that we can encounter and experience God, but survive it victoriously.