Wrestling With God: Genesis 32:24-29 24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh 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 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then 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.

The War Within: Faith vs. Flesh The victory of faith is eternal but our fight with the flesh occurs daily.

Outline Fruits of Faith – Genesis 33:1-11 Fruits of Faithfulness – 33:1-3 Family Reunion – 1a Family Roster – 1b-2 Full Respect – 3 Fruits of Reconciliation – 33:4-7 Genuine Grace - 4 Genuine Gratitude - 5 Genuine Greeting - 6-7 Fruits of Repentance - 33:8-11 Prepared from a Heart of Flesh - 8 Presented from a Heart of Faith - 9-10 Received in Grace - 11

Outline Spoils of the Flesh – Genesis 33:12-20 Jacob’s Rejection of Esau – 33:12-16 Faithless Excuse Jacob’s Rejection of God – 33:17-20 Tragedy at Shechem

Spoils of the Flesh Galatians 5:19-21 Ephesians 2:1-3 immorality, impurity, sensuality, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, etc. Ephesians 2:1-3 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Definition of Flesh The ego that identifies spiritual emptiness and aggressively seeks to fill it with anything other than God.

Fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control Ephesians 2:7-10 7 So that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

connected and controlled by The Spirit and Will of God. Definition of Fruits The blessing of being connected and controlled by The Spirit and Will of God.

How do fruits and faith coexist? Romans 7:14-20 14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

Fruits of Faithfulness: Genesis 33:1-3 Family Reunion – 1a Family Roster – 1b-2 Full Respect – 3

Fruits of Faithfulness: Genesis 33:1-3 1 Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2 He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Fruits of Reconciliation: Genesis 33:4-7 Genuine Grace – 4 Genuine Gratitude – 5 Genuine Greeting – 6-7

Fruits of Reconciliation: Genesis 33:4-7 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maids came near]with their children, and they bowed down. 7 Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down.

Parable of the Lost Coin: Luke 15:8-10 8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God’s Great Love for Us: Isaiah 40:12 “Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?” The scale of your sins will never outweigh the sacrifice of His Son

Fruits of Reconciliation: Genesis 33:4-7 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maids came near]with their children, and they bowed down. 7 Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down.

Fruits of Repentance: Genesis 33:8-11 Prepared from a Heart of Flesh - 8 Presented from a Heart of Faith - 9-10 Received in Grace - 11

Fruits of Repentance: Genesis 33:8-11 8  And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9  But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10  Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11  Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.

Fruits of Repentance: Genesis 33:8-11 8  And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9  But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10  Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11  Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.

Fruits of Repentance: Genesis 33:8-11 8  And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9  But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10  Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11  Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.

Fruits of Repentance: Genesis 33:8-11 8  And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9  But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10  Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11  Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.

Spoils of the Flesh Flesh: The ego that identifies spiritual emptiness and aggressively seeks to fill it with anything other than God.

Jacob’s Rejection of Esau: Genesis 33:12-16 Faithless Excuse

Jacob’s Rejection of Esau: Genesis 33:12-16 12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.” 15 Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

Jacob Was Called To Bethel Genesis 28:20-22 Genesis 31:13 Genesis 35:1 Genesis 35:9-16

Jacob’s Rejection of God Genesis 33:17-20 Tragedy at Shechem

Jacob’s Rejection of God Genesis 33:17-20 17 Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth. 18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19 He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Cost of Discipleship: Matthew 16:24-27 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.”

Challenge Where is your Bethel?

The War Within: Faith vs. Flesh The victory of faith is eternal but our fight with the flesh occurs daily.