“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the day.  And when He (God) saw that He prevailed not against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s this was out of joint, as He wrested with him.” Genesis 32:24-25.

I wonder just how many of us are going through a spiritual battle but it is not the devil we’re fighting.  There are many who have a sincere heart for God and the Truth but are going the wrong direction.  Sometimes we don’t realize Cain was a Believer in God as well, otherwise he wouldn’t have made an offer.  The problem was Cain offered what he thought was good in the eyes of God not what God PROVIDED for him to offer.  Cain’s offering was our first example of man made righteousness.

“And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” Genesis 4:6-7.  We must also remember, God loved Cain just as He did Abel.  Abel’s offering was one of repentance while Cain’s was one of self righteousness.  The Lord continued to offer Cain dominion over the Earth if he would place his trust in the right Sacrifice…in the only Sacrifice God would accept. 

Such is true today.  God continues to offer His promises to His children, if we will only have faith in the only Sacrifice He will accept – Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  Our faith in our presumptuous decrees and socialist justification programs does not give us dominion over the world but makes us part of the world.  The seeker sensitive churches today don’t trust the Holy Spirit to draw the sinners but instead trust their programs.  They draw the sinners to a civic activity in order to identify and meet the needs of society and promote the common good of all humanity.  That sounds wonderful doesn’t it?  Cain thought so.  The problem with these “civic outreaches” is they encourage the negative aspects of human nature such as man made righteousness in exchange for greed and selfishness.   Instead of giving them a hot dog, changing their oil and telling them we love them while on their path to hell why don’t we do this…tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ, THEN the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts.  It is only when hearts get changed that society gets changed – not oil.  The Holy Spirit only works within the parameters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified; He can’t draw the sinner under a false gospel being preached.  The Gospel of Jesus is the only way to break bondages.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22.  “be ye doers of the Word” means be ye doers of the Word.  When we are doers of the Word, the works will follow.  The works don’t produce the righteousness but the righteous produce the works.  This isn’t understood by the seeker sensitive churches because they are not spiritually discerned.  These churches aren’t lead by the Holy Spirit but by surveys and man made schemes.  Much of the masses’ Salvation remains in their head and has not been ascended into their heart because they are NOT sitting under the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified but under another gospel preaching another Jesus.  Just because scripture is being quoted does not mean it is the Gospel of Jesus.  Satan twisted scripture and is a great theologian…but he is still satan.

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”  James 2:24-25.  Rahab’s faith produced works….not vice versa.  Jesus is the Author of our faith, the only requirement is our faith in HIM and His finished work.  As our faith is built, precept upon precept, line upon line; we too will receive the messengers and send them another way. 

Is God answering our prayers by fighting with us?  Has He touched the hollow of our thigh to give us a humble and desperate heart for Him as we have pleaded for His Truth and Mercy?  Is it possible the problem is on our end?  Look to the Sacrifice – is it Jesus or is it us?  – Donna Warren