雅各抓住神
雅各的大腿窝，正在摔跤的时候就扭了，雅各不行了。但是，有一件事很希奇，我们看二十六节：“那人说，天黎明了，容我去吧！雅各说，你不给我祝福，我就不容你去。”按我们看，雅各大腿窝的筋已经扭了，他已经浑身无力了，那人怎么还走不了呢？可是那人说，“天黎明了，容我去吧。”这是告诉我们，什么时候我们大腿窝的筋扭了，也就是我们把神抓得最牢的时候。我们在没有办法的时候，反而要抓住神。当我们软弱的时候，我们就刚强了。当我们大腿窝的筋扭了的时候，我们反而能对神说，我不让你去。你自己没有力量的时候，你反而能抓住神。没有力量时的抓住，才是真的抓住。抓住神的人，永远用不着自己的力量。所有成功事情的信心，都是像芥菜种一样的信心。芥菜种那样的信心，反而能移山（太十七20）。许多时候，那些热闹的祷告，热闹的信心，只是热闹而已，不会发生事情。可是有时候，你连要神都不会要，你连求神都不会求，你连祷告都不会祷告，你连相信都不会相信，但是你仍然信！希奇，就是那个软弱的信，成功了事情。
那人就给他祝福：“那人说，你的名不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列。”（创三二28）“以色列”在原文的意思是“与神一同管理”，或“与神同为君王”。这是雅各的转机。毗努伊勒的经历是雅各败在神手里了，雅各大腿窝的筋扭了，并且是一生一世的瘸了；但是接下去神说，“你与神与人较力，都得了胜。”这一个才是得胜。我们真的得胜的时候，就是败在神手里的时候，就是不能凭着自己的时候。
雅各不知道神的名字
那人来的时候，雅各不知道；那人去的时候，雅各也不知道。雅各只知道他自己的名字应当改作以色列，雅各却不知道那人是谁。在经历上，凡被神摸着大腿窝的，当时都不是知道得很清楚地。有毗努伊勒的经历的人，他不能把道理讲得那么清楚，他只知道遇见了神，只知道腿瘸了。他只能说，自从主那一次遇见他之后，他没有那么大的力量了，他没有那么大的把握了。瘸腿，是大腿窝被摸过的凭据。雅各在这里不知道神的名字，只知道有一个记号留在他身上，就是腿瘸了。什么叫作瘸腿呢？就是从此以后，你不敢凭着自己，你不敢倚靠自己，你不敢相信自己，你不敢自作聪明，你不敢自以为有本事，你不敢再用计谋，你只能仰望神，你只能等候神，你只能倚靠神，你战兢恐惧，你软弱了，这就叫作瘸腿。
但是，毗努伊勒的经历还不是完全的。毗努伊勒是神的起头，毗努伊勒是神第一次对雅各说，“你的名…要叫以色列。” 在毗努伊勒，雅各只知道自己的名字要叫以色列，雅各还不知道神的名字。要到了创世记三十五章，雅各才知道神是谁。所以毗努伊勒是一个转机，要等到伯特利才有所成功。
信息重点：当人天然的力量失去时，才真正学会抓住神、倚靠神。
应用祷告：主耶稣，求你帮助我放下天然的能力，单单抓住你、倚靠你，愿我的一生经过你的变化，活出荣耀你的生命。阿们。
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The Breaking of Jacob’s Natural Life (6) — Gen. 32:31-32
Jacob Holds on to God
Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he was wrestling, and Jacob could go on no longer. But there is a remarkable thing in verse 26: “Then he (the man) said, Let me go, for the dawn is breaking. But he (Jacob) said, I will not let you go unless you bless me.” As we see it, the sinew of Jacob’s thigh was already wrenched, he was already utterly without strength — how could the man not simply leave? Yet the man said, “Let me go, the day is breaking.” This tells us that the very moment the sinew of our thigh is wrenched is the moment we grip God most tightly. When we have no way out, it is precisely then that we take hold of God. When we are weak, we become strong. When the sinew of our thigh is wrenched, we are instead able to say to God, I will not let You go. When you yourself have no strength, you are instead able to hold on to God. Holding on when you have no strength — that is the real holding on. Those who hold on to God never need their own strength. All faith that succeeds is like faith the size of a mustard seed; such mustard-seed faith can move mountains (Matt. 17:20). Often, lively prayers and lively faith are merely lively — nothing happens. But sometimes, when you cannot even bring yourself to want God, cannot even bring yourself to ask God, cannot even bring yourself to pray, cannot even bring yourself to believe — yet you still believe! It is remarkable — it is that weak faith that accomplishes this matter.
Then the man blessed him: “He (the man) said, Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel” (Gen. 32:28). “Israel” means “to rule together with God,” or “to reign together with God as king,” in the original language. This was Jacob’s turning point. The experience of Penuel was Jacob’s defeat in God’s hand — the sinew of his thigh was wrenched, and he was made lame for the rest of his life. But then God said, “for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” This is true victory. The time we truly win the victory is the time we are defeated in God’s hand, the time we can no longer rely on ourselves.
Jacob Did Not Know God’s Name
When the man came, Jacob did not know; when the man left, Jacob still did not know. Jacob only knew that his own name should be changed to Israel, but Jacob did not know who that man was. Experientially, whoever is touched by God on the thigh does not, at the time, understand it very clearly. Whoever has the experience of Penuel cannot explain the doctrine very clearly; he only knows that he has met God, only knows that his becomes lame. All he can say is that ever since the Lord met him that time, he no longer has such great strength, no longer has such great confidence. Being lame is the proof that the thigh has been touched. Here Jacob did not know God’s name; he only knew that a sign remained on him — a lame leg. What does it mean to be lame? It means that from then on, you dare not rely on yourself, you dare not depend on yourself, you dare not trust yourself, you dare not be clever on your own, you dare not think you are capable, you dare not use scheming anymore; you can only look to God, you can only wait for God, you can only depend on God; you tremble in fear, you are weak — this is what is called being lame.
But the experience of Penuel is not yet complete. Penuel is God’s beginning; Penuel is the first time God said to Jacob, “Your name…shall be Israel.” At Penuel, Jacob only knew that his own name would be Israel; Jacob still did not know God’s name. Not until Genesis chapter thirty-five did Jacob come to know who God is. So Penuel is a turning point, but the accomplishment must wait until Bethel.
Message Main Points: Only when a person loses his natural strength does he truly learn to hold on to God and depend on Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me lay down my natural ability, to hold on to You and depend on You alone. May my whole life pass through Your transformation, that I may live a life that glorifies You. Amen.