Transformative Touch: Experiencing God's Life-Giving Presence

The presence of God is like rain—refreshing, life-giving, and transformative. This is not about the weather, but about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the “former and the latter rain” that Joel prophesied would fall on all flesh. God is moving among us, pouring out His Spirit, and inviting us to experience His touch in a way that changes everything. Just as the fields burst forth with flowers after abundant showers, so our lives flourish when we receive the rain of the Holy Ghost.

Worship is not a formality or a ritual; it is the heart’s response to the living God who is present and active among His people. When we gather, we come with expectation, believing that God desires to bless, heal, and deliver. Testimonies like Alex’s remind us that the Holy Ghost is still being poured out, still transforming lives, and still drawing people who are hungry and thirsty for something real.

Turning to the story of Jacob in Genesis 32, we see a man at the end of himself, wrestling not just with an angel, but with his past, his fears, and his destiny. Jacob’s determination—his refusal to let go until he received a blessing—became the turning point of his life. The touch he received was not gentle; it left him limping, but it also marked him forever as someone who had encountered God. His name was changed, his walk was changed, and his future was changed.

Throughout Scripture, one touch from God transforms everything. Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and countless others were changed by a single encounter with the Lord. Jesus’ touch healed the sick, opened blind eyes, and even raised the dead. The same God who touched Jacob is present today, ready to touch and change anyone who comes with a hungry heart.

We do not have to beg or wrestle God into blessing us. He is a loving Father who desires to bless us even more than we desire to be blessed. When we make up our minds to seek Him, to refuse to leave unchanged, He honors that hunger. A true touch from God will always leave us different—our walk, our talk, our thinking, and our future are transformed. Let us seek a fresh touch of the Holy Ghost, believing that God is not finished with us, and that with His anointing, we can fulfill the work He has called us to do.

Key Takeaways

• 1. A Made-Up Mind Prepares the Way for Transformation Jacob’s breakthrough came when he resolved not to let go until he received God’s blessing. Determination in the spiritual life is not stubbornness, but a holy desperation that refuses to settle for less than God’s best. When we draw a line in the sand and say, “I will not leave the same,” we position ourselves for a life-changing encounter with God. [38:35]
• 2. God’s Touch Often Leaves a Mark—But It’s a Mark of Grace Jacob’s limp was a reminder of his encounter with God. Sometimes, God’s touch changes us in ways that are visible to others, marking us as people who have wrestled with Him and prevailed. The world may see our “limp,” but it is a testimony that we have been in the presence of the Almighty, and that His grace is sufficient for us. [43:32]
• 3. One Touch from God Changes Everything Throughout the Bible, a single touch from God brought healing, deliverance, and new purpose. Whether it was Daniel’s strength restored, Isaiah’s lips cleansed, or the leper made whole, God’s touch is never ordinary. It is the difference between striving in our own strength and walking in the power and freedom of the Spirit. [45:24]
• 4. God Desires to Bless Us More Than We Desire to Be Blessed We do not have to wrestle God into loving us or blessing us. His heart is already inclined toward us, longing to pour out His Spirit and favor. When we come hungry and thirsty, He is faithful to fill us, and His blessings often exceed our expectations and understanding. [48:33]
• 5. A Changed Walk Is the Evidence of a True Encounter After Jacob’s encounter, he walked differently for the rest of his life. When God truly touches us, it is not just an emotional moment—it is a transformation that affects our daily living, our relationships, and our future. The world’s best cannot compare to the joy, peace, and purpose that come from a genuine touch of the Holy Ghost. [49:07]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [19:05] - The Rain of the Holy Ghost
• [19:46] - Joel’s Prophecy and End-Time Revival
• [20:29] - Blessings and the Coming King
• [23:24] - The Meaning of the Holy Ghost Rain
• [24:06] - Testimonies of Receiving the Holy Ghost
• [27:17] - Announcements and Church Vision
• [29:08] - Alex’s Testimony: A Life Changed
• [31:34] - Turning to Genesis: Jacob’s Story
• [32:09] - Jacob’s Struggle and Fear
• [36:38] - Wrestling with the Angel: The Turning Point
• [38:35] - The Power of a Made-Up Mind
• [43:32] - The Transforming Touch of God
• [45:24] - Biblical Examples of God’s Touch
• [48:33] - God’s Desire to Bless
• [49:07] - Evidence of a Changed Life
• [54:44] - Perseverance in Prayer and Faith
• [56:36] - Walking Differently After God’s Touch
• [59:47] - Receiving a Fresh Touch Today
• [66:12] - Responding to God’s Invitation
• [68:51] - Closing Worship: “He Touched Me”

Bible Reading

Genesis 32:24-32 (ESV) — 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

Observation Questions

1. What was Jacob’s emotional and physical state before and during his encounter with the angel? (see Genesis 32:24-26; [32:09])
2. What did Jacob refuse to do until he received a blessing, and how did he express this determination? ([38:35])
3. What physical change happened to Jacob as a result of his encounter, and how did it affect him afterward? (Genesis 32:31; [43:32])
4. According to the sermon, what are some other biblical examples of people whose lives were changed by a single touch from God? ([45:24])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jacob was so desperate for a blessing that he was willing to wrestle all night and refuse to let go, even after being injured? ([38:35])
2. The sermon says, “God’s touch often leaves a mark—but it’s a mark of grace.” What does it mean for God’s touch to leave a “mark” on someone’s life? ([43:32])
3. The pastor said, “We do not have to beg or wrestle God into blessing us. He is a loving Father who desires to bless us even more than we desire to be blessed.” How does this change the way we approach God in prayer and worship? ([48:33])
4. After Jacob’s encounter, his walk was changed. What does it look like for someone’s “walk” to be changed today after a real encounter with God? ([49:07])

Application Questions

1. Jacob made up his mind that he would not leave the same way he came. Is there an area in your life where you need to draw a line in the sand and refuse to settle for less than God’s best? What would it look like for you to have a “made-up mind” in that area? ([38:35])
2. The sermon mentioned that God’s touch sometimes leaves us with a “limp”—a visible change or reminder of our encounter with Him. Has there been a time in your life when God’s work in you was obvious to others? How did it affect your relationships or daily life? ([43:32])
3. The pastor shared testimonies of people being transformed by the Holy Ghost, like Alex. Do you have a testimony of a time when God touched your life in a way that changed you? If so, what happened? If not, is there something you are seeking from God right now? ([29:08])
4. The sermon said, “We do not have to beg or wrestle God into blessing us.” Are there ways you have approached God as if you had to convince Him to bless you? How can you shift your mindset to trust that He wants to bless you? ([48:33])
5. After Jacob’s encounter, his walk was different. Is there a specific area of your life—your habits, your words, your relationships—that you sense God wants to change as a result of being in His presence? What step could you take this week to walk differently? ([49:07])
6. The pastor encouraged everyone to seek a “fresh touch” from God. What does seeking a fresh touch look like for you personally? Is there a spiritual practice (prayer, worship, fasting, etc.) you want to pursue more intentionally this week? ([01:04:17])
7. The sermon said, “With His anointing, we can fulfill the work He has called us to do.” Is there a calling or work you feel God is inviting you into right now? How can you rely on His Spirit rather than your own strength to step into it? ([01:08:16])