Jacob was the second-born son of Isaac. He was a schemer but he knew what he wanted. He wheedled the birthright, then he got the blessing. He was always working the angles.  When he met God in Gen 28.17 he said “If you will bless me, help me, keep me, feed me and clothe me, then I’m going to make a house for You and begin to tithe like Abraham. Which is fine but it is a bit like saying If I’m better off materially, by being right with God then I’ll serve him. He might have thought; the reason I’ll tithe is so that I can get blessed. (The reason we tithe is that we are already blessed. The job you have already, is a blessing and we need to honour God, lest we lose the one we’ve got.) Jacob knew what he wanted and when God met him he said “I want you to bless me and wrestled with him till God blessed him. God did bless him but the blessing meant a change in his walk. He walked with a limp from that day on. He was no longer striving in his own strength which was diminished. That is what we call sanctification; when we learn to lean completely on God and come to a place where we realise that our strength is not sufficient. God wrestles with us in such a way through circumstance that though we are loved sons and fully justified before God, He helps us to become like Jesus in actuality.  In reality, we are changed to be more like him. This is practical righteousness not just imputed or even imparted righteousness. We might be justified and declared righteous, but our habits can still be demanding, selfish or ungrateful, so God will help us change.

Friend, if we don’t realise he is wrestling with us we will wrestle all night but not win.  Give in and do it Gods way.