"brokenness" in the biblical sense means to renounce self-will

to serve the will of Christ only

• Genesis 25:21-28 – fighting at birth

• Genesis 25: 29-34 – bargains for

Birthright.

• Genesis 27: 1-29 - Jacob with help from his mother deceives Isaac to receive Esau’s blessing.

• Gen. 28:5 - Jacob runs to escape his offended brother’s wrath

• Genesis 28: 10-22 - Jacob receives God’s protection

• Genesis 29:15-30 - Laban’s games

• Genesis 30: 25-43 - Jacob’s games

• Genesis 31 - Jacob runs from his father-in-law

• Genesis 32 – NIGHT OF RECKONING

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till

daybreak. 25When the man saw that he could

not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

26Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak.“ But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

27The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

28Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why

do you ask my name?" Then He blessed Him there.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw

God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

31The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Psalms 119:71 Pg. 438

I. We need times ALONE. – vs. 24

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till

daybreak.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

There are two things that happen when we are alone. We are

faced:• By our Recollection• By our Redeemer

II. We must allow the BREAKING. vs. 24,25,26

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till

daybreak. 25When the man saw that he could

not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

26Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak.“ But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

III. We must ask for the BREAKING. vs. 26-29

26Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak.“ But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

27The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

28Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why

do you ask my name?" Then He blessed Him there.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

Brokenness is the process of sanctifying our God given

character for His use.

IV. Being Broken helps us deal with our past. – vs. 30

30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw

God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

V. Being Broken Helps us deal with our future. – vs. 31-32

31The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping

because of his hip.32Therefore to this day the Israelites

do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.

Genesis 32:24-31 Pg. 25

“Pride, it seems, dogs our steps all our days, so that we need a reminder with every step of who we are and where we've been. It takes a limp to reaffirm our weakness, to help us avoid trouble, to keep us from

running away.

And it's a limp in our walk -- the mark of maturity that the Bible calls "humility" -- that says so powerfully to others, "I saw God face to face, yet my life was spared."

Does every limp in your life remind you of your weakness? 

•

Does it make you conscious of the evil within you? 

He BREAKES us to make us stronger.

Have you wrestled with God until He had made you confess your real character

and nature to Him? 

Has He humbled you by placing His finger in the strength of your life and made you leave limping because you

wrestled with God?

• Proud people focus on the sins of others; broken people know

their own spiritual needs.• Proud people need to prove they

are right; broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

• Proud people claim their rights with a demanding spirit; broken people yield rights with a meek spirit.

• Proud people desire to be served; broken people are willing to serve others.

Proud people have an attitude which says, "The church is lucky to

have me in it." But broken people feel this way: "I don't deserve to have any part in this ministry. O how good of God to include me."

Proud people keep others at arm's length; broken people are

willing to be vulnerable and close to others.

Proud people have a hard time saying, "I was wrong and I'm sorry." broken people are quick to confess and are genuinely repentant.

Proud People, in a conflict, wait for the other person to apologize; broken people take the initiative to reconcile, regardless of who was at fault.

Proud people don't believe they need revival, but are sure everybody else does. broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God.

Proud people compare themselves to others and feel superior; broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and beg for mercy.

Proud people ask, Why me? Broken people ask, Why not me?