I Wish
I could change the past - Outline
April 19, 2020
If you could be free of one thing in your life what would it be?
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is_____________________.
(2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT)
When you are closest to God is when you are the _________________________________ in your life.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. (John 8:34–35, NLT)
So if the Son sets you free, you are_________________________. (John 8:36, NLT)
Finding freedom from the regrets of the past.
Jacob’s story. (Genesis 25:27-34; chaps. 27-32)
“_____________________________”
His brother’s ____________________________.
His father’s ________________________________.
His father-in-law’s_________________________.
This is how he built his own flock instead of increasing Laban’s. (Genesis 30:40b, NLT)
At first, Jacob experienced __________________________sorrow.
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in _______________________. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks___________________________, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT)
Jacob is finally changed when he has an ________________________ with God.
I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. (Genesis 32:10a, NLT)
O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. (Genesis 32:11, NLT)
Jacob learns four practical things about regret.
1. Your biggest failures are not too big for______________________.
During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.
This left Jacob all alone in the camp…
2. Sometimes you need to wrestle with God over _________________________________________.
This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket.
Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
3. You can’t change your past, but God can give you a___________________________.
“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
4. An encounter with God will not leave you _________________.
“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. (Genesis 32:22–31, NLT)
So if the Son sets you free, you are__________________________. (John 8:36, NLT)
Digging Deeper
A deeper study for individuals and small groups
Think about a time when you needed God’s protection.
How did that affect your prayer life?
Read 32:1-8.
How did God reveal his protection? Why might Jacob need protection? How did Jacob make initial contact with Esau? What was the messengers’ report? How did Jacob interpret the report? How did he calculate and prepare for Esau?
Read 32:9-12.
In his prayer, how did Jacob address God? What did he remember about God’s promises and God’s grace? What was his one main prayer request? What does this prayer show about his faith?
Read 32:13-21.
After praying, what did Jacob do? What instructions did he give his servants? Why? What does this reveal about Jacob?
Read 32:22-26.
What did Jacob get up in the middle of the night to do? Why? Describe the wrestling match. What was the outcome? How was Jacob injured? What blessing did he want? Who was struggling with Jacob?
Read 32:27-32.
What blessing did God give Jacob? What is the meaning of the changed name? What did Jacob name this place? Why?
Describe a time when you struggled or wrestled with God over something that was happening in your life?
What did you think that God was saying to you during that time?
What did you learn about God?
Take some time to share and pray for each other.