February 11, 2018

BUILDING A PERSONAL PRAYER LIFE

Wrestling With God

Did Abraham wrestle with God?

1. In the silence, many biblical characters wrestled with God.

a. In silence, Job wrestled with God.

b. This is also true for Jesus in the garden.

c. It is true for the martyrs under the heavenly altar.

i. It is possible that, in the silence, Abraham wrestled with God.

2. The biblical characters that wrestled with God discovered a God who is loving.

a. This was true for Job,

i. He was vindicated and his riches were restored two fold.

b. It was true for Jesus.

i. An angel was sent to minister to him.

c. It was true for the martyrs.

i. The conversion of the nations will take place through their witness.

A person who wrestles with God, surprisingly, is drawn closer to God. He/she discovers a God who is compassionate, loving and faithful.

1. Have you spent time wrestling with God?

2. As Abraham walked up to Moriah in silence, what do you think he was doing?

3. When something happens that causes us to wrestle with God, does God at that time seem harsh and, maybe even, cruel?

4. As Job wrestled with God, God was silent. When did God answer Job?

5. As Jesus wrestled with God, when and how did God answer Jesus?

6. When the martyrs cried to God from under the heavenly altar, how did God respond? Read Revelation 6.9-11.

7. On Mt. Moriah, how did God respond to Abraham’s wrestling, if Abraham was wrestling with God?

8. After wrestling with God, what did Job, Jesus, the martyrs and Abraham (if he was wrestling with God) discover?

9. Is it true that in wrestling with God, the person who is wrestling is drawn closer to God?

10. What do you think, did Abraham wrestle with God?

Karin TerpstraFebruary 9, 2018