STRIVE WITH GOD AND PREVAIL

A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International

Week of November 28-December 2, 2022

MONDAY
And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Genesis 6:3

God says His Spirit will not always strive with man. He then limited man’s days on the earth to 120 years. God saw that man was violent and selfish and in His great mercy and love limited the number of man’s days. He mercifully removed Enoch from this sinful world after Enoch lived 320 years. God is full of mercy and in His wisdom decided when to cease striving with us. How does God strive with man? How is this strife manifested? Why is this necessary?


If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:

Rx: Psalm 107:20 ~ He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.


“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15

If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:

November 28: 1 Chronicles 24-25, 1 Peter 5, Micah 3, Luke 12
November 29: 1 Chronicles 26-27, 2 Peter 1, Micah 4, Luke 13
November 30: 1 Chronicles 28, 2 Peter 2, Micah 5, Luke 14
December 1: 1 Chronicles 29, 2 Peter 3, Micah 6, Luke 15
December 2: 2 Chronicles 1, 1 John 1, Micah 7, Luke 16
December 3: 2 Chronicles 1, 1 John 1, Nahum 1, Luke 17
December 4: 2 Chronicles 2, 1 John 2, Nahum 2, Luke 18


TUESDAY
And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Genesis 6:3

Striving with God’s Spirit is a way to God. God has to show man His holiness, so He fights us in a way where we will know the truth. Before I came to the Lord, God strove with me. I began to be aware of my weaknesses. Until God began to strive with me, I thought I was pretty strong and nothing could harm me. At the same time, I had to confront something I couldn’t master. One way that God strives with us is through withholding help or deliverance or not allowing the things that we have relied upon in the past to work for us. If you consider yourself strong physically, you may experience weakness or injury. If you think your brain is your best feature, then you may suffer depression or confusion. God strives with us by allowing us to see how helpless we are without Him.


WEDNESDAY
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
So He said to him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Jacob.”
And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Genesis 32:24-28

Jacob strove with God. He was a trickster, a supplanter, and for most of his life, his tactics worked. He stole the birthright from his brother Esau and caused Esau to lose his inheritance.

This was a big thing. A man who was disinherited would wander from place to place homeless and with no means to support himself. This was not a light thing, and to do it to one’s own flesh and blood was downright wicked.

God watched for a few years then He began to strive with Jacob. The first fight between God and Jacob involved Jacob’s desire to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter. Jacob was told he could marry her after working for Laban seven years. Laban did not keep his word.


THURSDAY
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
So He said to him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Jacob.”
And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Genesis 32:24-28

Jacob worked seven more years for Rachel, even though he was married to her sister Leah. These women competed with one another all their lives to have children for Jacob. He had twelve sons in all, plus daughters. Jacob was finally able to overcome this strife with Laban after many years toiling.

Finally, God was able to reveal himself to Jacob in a vision one night, and Jacob had a revelation of God in the place where he dwelt. Once Jacob knew that God was there, he began to wrestle with the angel of the Lord, which he did all night. He desperately wanted a blessing from God.

Prior to that time, he was a man on his own, but after he saw the Lord, he wanted the blessing of God.


FRIDAY
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
So He said to him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Jacob.”
And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Genesis 32:24-28

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Israel means “one who strives with God and prevails.” When we decide we want to be blessed by God, all striving ceases. Hebrews 6:16 says, “an oath for confirmation is the end of all strife.”

Jacob made a vow to tithe in that place. This was part of man’s covenant with God. When he found God was there and revealing Himself to him, he decided he wanted more of God. This is how he prevailed. He ended striving with God by surrendering to God on God’s terms.

This is how we all enter into God’s Kingdom. His Spirit will strive with us and win.