Wrestling with God: Transformation Through Confession

Devotional

Day 1: Wrestling with God: The Story of Jacob’s Transformation

Jacob’s life was marked by struggle, deceit, and striving to secure blessings through his own cunning, but when he found himself alone and desperate, God met him in a literal wrestling match that exposed his true nature and brought him to a place of surrender. In that dark night, Jacob could no longer manipulate his way forward; instead, he was forced to confront who he truly was and yield to God’s transforming power. This encounter was not just about defeat, but about God’s relentless pursuit to bring Jacob—and us—to the end of ourselves so that we might step into the destiny God has prepared. When we finally “tap out” and admit our need, God is ready to give us a new name and a new future. [33:07]

Genesis 32:24-30 (ESV)
And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 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. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 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.” 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.

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are still wrestling with God, refusing to surrender control? What would it look like to “tap out” and let God have His way today?

Day 2: God Uses Broken, Messed-Up People

Throughout Scripture, God consistently chooses and uses people who are deeply flawed, broken, and sinful—people like Abraham, David, Paul, and Jacob—demonstrating that His grace is greater than our failures. No matter how scandalous our past or how many times we have fallen short, God’s love pursues us, accepts us as we are, and then begins the slow, lifelong process of transforming us into who He has declared us to be. This is the hope for every believer: God does not leave us in our mess, but catches us and then cleans us, shaping us through the process of sanctification into the image of Christ. [41:01]

Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt unworthy or disqualified by your past. How does knowing that God delights to use broken people encourage you to trust Him with your story today?

Day 3: Confession and Repentance: The Pathway to Blessing

True transformation begins when we come face to face with who we really are, confessing not just what we have done but what we have become, and allowing God to expose the hidden places of our hearts. Repentance is more than feeling sorry; it is a godly sorrow that leads us to hate our sin, love the sinner, and long to become what God created us to be. When we honestly name our sin and yield it to God, He removes the yoke of our old identity and blesses us with a new name, a new purpose, and a new destiny. [48:54]

1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Reflection: What is one area of your life that God is shining His light on today, inviting you to confess and repent? Will you allow Him to redefine you in that place?

Day 4: Entering God’s Promises Requires Yielding the Old Life

We cannot inherit the promises of God while clinging to our old ways, our fallen nature, or our self-sufficiency; God brings us to a place where we must yield, surrender, and allow Him to transform us before we can step into the fullness of His blessings. Just as Jacob could not enter the land of promise as the deceiver, we too must let go of our old identity and trust God to lead us into the destiny He has prepared. This process may be painful, but it is always for our good, as God’s purpose is not to shame us but to give us our true inheritance as His beloved children. [44:54]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Reflection: What is one habit, attitude, or identity from your “old self” that you need to surrender in order to fully enter into God’s promises for you?

Day 5: God’s Faithfulness in the Process of Transformation

Even when we resist, stumble, or fall back into old patterns, God is persistent and faithful—He does not give up on us, but continues to pursue, corner, and call us back to Himself, offering us grace and a new beginning each time we yield. The journey of sanctification is ongoing, and God’s Spirit is always at work, shining His light, exposing what needs to change, and empowering us to become the sons and daughters He created us to be. Our hope is not in our own strength, but in the relentless love and faithfulness of God who finishes what He starts. [51:52]

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Reflection: Where have you seen God’s faithfulness in your journey of transformation, even when you have resisted or failed? How can you respond to His persistent love today?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered in the presence of the living God, seeking not only fellowship with one another but, more importantly, communion with the Holy Spirit. We lifted up the needs of our community, interceding for those who are sick, struggling, or expecting new life, and we prayed for our leaders—both in the church and in civil authority—asking for wisdom, unity, and revival in our land. We acknowledged that true transformation and healing begin with us, the people of God, as we humble ourselves, repent, and seek His face.

Turning to Genesis 32, we reflected on the story of Jacob—a man whose very name meant “deceiver.” Jacob’s life was marked by striving, manipulation, and self-reliance, always trying to secure God’s promises through his own cunning. Yet, as he prepared to return to the land of promise, Jacob found himself alone, desperate, and finally confronted by God Himself in a wrestling match that would change everything. In that struggle, Jacob was forced to face the truth of who he was, to confess his identity as a deceiver, and to surrender his old ways.

This encounter is a powerful picture of sanctification—the lifelong process by which God exposes the depths of our brokenness, not to shame us, but to transform us. Like Jacob, we cannot enter into the fullness of God’s promises while clinging to our old nature. God brings us to moments of crisis, where our self-sufficiency fails, and we are left with nothing but the need to yield. It is in these moments, when we finally “tap out” and confess who we have become, that God is able to give us a new name, a new identity, and lead us into our true destiny.

God’s purpose is not to leave us in our sin, but to make us into the people He created us to be—His sons and daughters, bearing a new name and a new purpose. This journey is not a one-time event, but a continual process of repentance, surrender, and transformation. Even after we have begun to follow Christ, we may find ourselves wrestling again, needing to yield afresh to His sanctifying work. Yet God is faithful and persistent, pursuing us with relentless love until we are fully His.

Key Takeaways

1. God Uses Broken People for His Purposes God’s story is filled with flawed, sinful individuals—Abraham, David, Paul, and Jacob—whom He calls, redeems, and uses for His glory. Our own brokenness does not disqualify us from God’s purposes; rather, it is the very context in which His grace is most powerfully displayed. The journey of faith is not about presenting a perfect self, but about yielding our imperfections to the One who transforms us. [39:44]
2. True Transformation Begins with Honest Confession Jacob’s turning point came when he was forced to admit, “I am Jacob—I am the deceiver.” God brings each of us to moments where we must face the truth about ourselves, not just our actions but our very identity. Only when we stop hiding and confess who we have become can God begin the work of giving us a new name and a new destiny. [48:00]
3. Sanctification Is a Lifelong, Often Painful Process Like the melting of an iceberg, sanctification exposes layer after layer of our hidden sinfulness. God’s light reveals not just the obvious faults, but the deep-seated patterns beneath the surface. This process is slow and sometimes painful, but it is necessary if we are to be transformed into the likeness of Christ and enter into the fullness of His promises. [42:04]
4. God’s Promises Require Surrender, Not Self-Sufficiency Jacob tried to secure God’s blessings through manipulation and self-effort, but the land of promise cannot be entered on our own terms. God will bring us to the end of ourselves, stripping away our self-reliance, until we are ready to yield completely. Only in surrender do we receive the new identity and inheritance God has prepared for us. [44:01]
5. Repentance Is More Than Remorse—It Is Embracing God’s Vision for Us Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for our sins or admitting our failures. It is a turning away from what we have become and a turning toward what God has created us to be. It is hating the sin, loving the sinner, and stepping into the destiny God has ordained for us—a destiny marked by a new name, a new heart, and a new purpose. [49:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:41] - Opening Prayer and Invocation
[16:26] - Prayers for the Church and Community
[17:46] - Intercession for the Sick and Expectant
[19:13] - Prayers for Leaders and Revival
[22:04] - Introduction to Genesis 32
[33:07] - Jacob’s Story: Wrestling with God
[37:20] - The Power and Meaning of Names
[39:44] - God Uses Broken People
[42:04] - The Process of Sanctification
[44:01] - Surrendering the Old Self
[48:00] - Honest Confession and Transformation
[49:30] - Repentance and Embracing Destiny
[53:40] - Ministry Time and Invitation
[57:49] - The Nicene Creed and Confession
[66:08] - Holy Communion
[82:30] - Sending and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Genesis 32:22-32 (ESV) — 22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
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

What was Jacob doing the night before he met Esau, and how did he end up alone? (Genesis 32:22-24)
In the sermon, what does the pastor say about the meaning and importance of names in the Bible, especially Jacob’s name? [[37:20]]
According to the sermon, what was the turning point in Jacob’s wrestling match with God? [[48:00]]
What does the pastor compare the process of sanctification to, and why? [[42:04]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does God ask Jacob to state his name during the wrestling match? What is the significance of Jacob admitting, “I am Jacob—I am the deceiver”? [[48:00]]
The sermon says that God uses broken, sinful people for His purposes. Why do you think God chooses to work this way, and how does this challenge our ideas about who God can use? [[39:44]]
The pastor describes sanctification as a slow, sometimes painful process, like the melting of an iceberg. What does this metaphor suggest about how God works in our lives over time? [[42:04]]
According to the sermon, what is the difference between feeling sorry for our sins and true repentance? [[49:30]]

Application Questions

The sermon says that God brings us to moments where our self-sufficiency fails and we are left with nothing but the need to yield. Can you think of a time in your life when you reached the end of your own strength? What did you learn from that experience? [[44:01]]
Jacob had to confess who he really was before God could give him a new name and destiny. Is there an area of your life where you need to be honest with God about who you have become? What would it look like to confess that to Him? [[48:00]]
The pastor said that God’s purpose is not to shame us, but to transform us. Are there parts of your life where you feel stuck in shame instead of moving toward transformation? How can you invite God into those places? [[51:12]]
The sermon teaches that sanctification is a lifelong process, exposing deeper layers of our brokenness over time. How do you usually respond when God reveals something new that needs to change in your life? [[42:04]]
Repentance is described as turning away from what we have become and turning toward what God has created us to be. What is one practical step you can take this week to move toward God’s vision for your life? [[49:30]]
The pastor mentioned that even after we start following Christ, we may find ourselves wrestling again and needing to yield afresh. Is there an area where you sense God is asking you to “tap out” and surrender right now? What is holding you back? [[52:06]]
God gives Jacob a new name and a new purpose. What “old names” or labels do you need to let go of, and what new identity do you sense God wants to give you? [[50:33]]

Sermon Clips

Fortunately, and I mean this with all of my heart, God chooses to use Jacob, to use and to bless messed up people. Let me hear an amen. And if you don't believe it, look in the mirror. When I look closely at the heroes of the faith from scripture, I'm scandalized, frankly. There were some rogues who are the patriarchs of our faith. Abraham was a bit of a coward, making his beautiful wife pretend to be a sister so that the rulers in Canaan would not kill him in order to get to her. King Saul, perverted the law and toyed with the occult. King David was an adulterer and a murderer. Paul was a religious fanatic who persecuted and killed Christians. Simon the Zealot was likely an assassin. Matthew was a pariah, a traitor and an enemy sympathizer as a tax collector for Rome. James and John had such terrible tempers, they were nicknamed the Sons of Thunder. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. God somehow loves and inexplicably uses broken, sinful people. And let's be honest, guys, we're all a hot mess. God accepts us as we are. But praise be to God, he doesn't leave us like he found us. [00:39:47] (87 seconds) #UsedAndBlessed

``God chooses us despite our corruption, our sin and our rebellion. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. God loves us that way. And while we're still in our sin, when we yield to God, he declares us in that moment to be the very righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He declares you to be that, even though you're not anywhere near. He declares you to be that. And then a lifelong process ensues where he makes you into what he's declared you to be, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. [00:41:14] (39 seconds) #DeclaredRighteous

This process of sanctification is sort of like an iceberg. If you know anything about icebergs, you know only about 10% is above the surface that you see. 90% is below the surface. And as the sun shines on the exposed part, that iceberg begins to melt, but it causes the rest of it to come to the surface, which is a lot like our sinfulness. In the same way, we're only usually aware of about 10% of how bad we really are. The rest of it is far beneath the surface. But as this light of God's word shines on that and melts that away, if we stand in the light, then more of us, of what we are, comes to the surface. It is a lifelong process like melting an iceberg. [00:42:10] (49 seconds) #SanctificationUnveiled

God will not allow Jacob to enter the land of promise with his deceitfulness intact. If any of us think we can enter the promises of God without confessing who we are and surrendering, we are in for the cage match of our life. Because God will spare you no pain to bring you to a place where you yield to him, and you can be transformed in what you were created and designed to be. You step into your very destiny, but only when we yield to God. [00:43:50] (38 seconds) #YieldToDestiny

God exposes our sins and he causes us to confess who we really are. We come face to face. James said it this way, he said the word of God is like a mirror that you look into. When God shows up, we see a reflection of what we really are. It's why in the Bible so often when people encounter God, they cried out, woe is me. I am a sinner. I'm a man of unclean lips living in the midst of a people of unclean lips. God does with Jacob what he does with all of us. He begins by exposing who we really are. [00:45:03] (43 seconds) #MirrorOfTruth

When we wrestle with God, he always exposes and forces us to admit who we really are. God brings us to a place of repentance. Repentance is more than just admitting fault. Repentance is even more than being sorry. Judas was sorry. It didn't lead him to repentance. It led him to suicide. Admitting what you've done and what you've become is important, but if we stop there, it only leads to guilt and remorse, self-pity and self-loathing. Repentance is recognizing we ought to be more than we are. We were made for something different. All of us were. Something better. [00:48:43] (47 seconds) #RepentanceIsMore

Once Jacob confessed his deceit, he was finally in the place where God could bless him, and that confession, that admittance, was the surrender that God was looking for. Once Jacob tapped out and admitting he was the deceiver, God removed that yoke of sin and declared him to be free. You are no longer the deceiver. Now you are Israel. You are God's chosen. God has a new name for you too. He made you uniquely for a far better purpose than you've realized. I promise you that. [00:50:09] (38 seconds) #ConfessionLeadsToBlessing

Sin wraps us up into something we were never intended to be. God wrestles with us, pins us down, and demands we confess that. And when we finally come to the end of ourselves and admit what we've done and what we've become, everything changes in our life. I've experienced that. Many of you have experienced that. God's purpose is not to shame you or embarrass you or inflict us with a limp. God's purpose is to give us our destiny. [00:50:46] (38 seconds) #FromSinToDestiny

Some of you are in a cage fight with God right now, this morning. But if you want to enter the land where God's promises come true, you have to yield your old life of sin. You have to admit what you've become and allow God to redefine you as he designed and created you to be. And fortunately, fortunately, he doesn't give up easily. He is faithful. He is persistent. [00:51:24] (29 seconds) #YieldAndRedefine

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