Wrestling with God

 

 

Wrestling with God:

Pressing the Issue versus Pressing into God...

Mary Ann Wray

The phrase "press the issue" means to continue to insist on discussing or addressing a matter, even if others may not want to see things "your way" or come to the same resolution. It can involve persistently bringing up a topic, pushing for a decision, action or covertly insisting on someone going along with your perspective perhaps against their will. However, "pressing an issue” can be a good thing or regrettably a fleshly thing. It depends on the context, intent of the heart and the reason behind pressing an issue that a person has in mind. Pressing an issue in the wrong sense can be directed at God or another person.

In a positive biblical context, when a prophet refuses to back down from proclaiming God's truth, even when faced with opposition it’s what God demands. That is exactly what Jesus practiced. He “pressed the issue” with the Pharisees many times. Stephen pressed the issue to the point where he was stoned for it.

“You stiff-necked people... you always resist the Holy Spirit... you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Acts 7:51–53

Jesus expected the same heart posture from His disciples and they learned to follow the Master’s example. At the same time, Christ gave the disciples clear instructions about where to go, how to proclaim His word and who to stay with. Peter and John "pressed the issue" of preaching the gospel despite human resistance (see Acts 4:17-20). Jesus gave His disciples the following admonitions to not “stand down” when opposed:

“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” Matthew 10:27

“If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet...”Matthew 10:14

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” Matthew 28:19–20

The Pharisees, on the other hand, were masters of pressing an issue in a very negative and ungodly way. They constantly defended themselves, their positions and their mindsets. Jesus had a lot to say to them and basically told them to "stand down" more than once. They hated Him for it. The Pharisees used control, coercion and lording over others to enforce their interpretation of the law at the exclusion of mercy, justice and faithfulness. See Matthew 23: 23.

Even as sincere believers we can "press an issue" in the wrong way. Maybe we have certain ‘convictions’ that another brother or sister doesn’t have. It if it not a matter of eternal salvation or doesn’t compromise the gospel in any way, what right do we have to impose our convictions on other? See Romans 14 and Colossians 2: 16-22.

When this happens, we are performing 'dead works' thinking we’re doing God a service. Why is this so? Because we are striving in our flesh to try to accomplish God's Will or convict others of things that have nothing to do with furthering the gospel but pushing our own agendas. Does God really need our help or does He allow us to be partakers with Him? Can we accomplish or bring forth any good fruit apart from “abiding in the vine?” We can get so focused on what we want to see happen in our service for God that we can get into striving without realizing it. 

Is it not the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment? Our soulish words cannot convict anyone; they only condemn. God’s Word is a two-edged sword that divides our soul from spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Pharisees were masters at this. We all need frequent reality checks by the Holy Ghost to see where our allegiance lies and what our heart motivations really are.

Another thing we all wrestle with is the fact that we live in the natural realm so it doesn't take much to get caught up with temporal duties for God thinking we are "doing" the right thing. When Moses asked God for His name He said, "I am that I am." He didn't say "I do what I do." Our good works can change from worship to dead works quickly. Why is this? I believe it is because we can inadvertently switch from trusting God with the work He's called us to do and how HE wants us to do it versus trusting Him with EVERY matter, EVERY step of the way.

“Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16: 3
This is especially challenging to those of us who are wired with a passion and strong desire to serve, give to others, deliver God’s Word and achieve personal goals we set. Setting goals isn’t bad and they’re not good either. Once again, it depends on the context and intent of the heart. It's easy to go from praying about what He's given us to do, and depending on the leading of the Spirit, versus striving in our flesh to make things happen.

We can sometimes expect God to endorse our own personal agenda, rather than submitting to His timing and will. In so doing, we can come to a place of disregarding another person’s will or mind in a matter causing friction in a relationship. A perfect example of this was when Jesus redirected Martha's attention to what truly mattered. She became anxious over her serving, while her sister Mary, "rested" at Jesus feet. Martha was consumed with her personal passion of serving to the extent that she criticized her sister for not seeing things "her" way. 

Martha chose a sense of duty over devotion. Jesus praised her sister, Mary, for choosing the better part: worship of Yahweh over focusing on her own works. See Luke 10: 38-42. Martha was anxious about her work; Mary rested in devotion to Jesus, understanding that there is a "rest" for the people of God. See Hebrews 4: 1-6. He gently rebuked Martha in order to redirect her gaze from the temporal to the eternal. It’s not that Martha’s works were bad. Jesus just saw that she was being “consumed” by them. This is what can easily happen to all of us in our “service” to the Lord whether it be preaching, teaching, writing, singing, feeding the poor, visiting the widow and orphan, podcasting, prison ministry, helping our neighbors etc. etc. etc. All these things are GOOD works but they can easily become DEAD when we shift our focus from devotion to Yahweh doing things “our-way.”

Pressing an issue can also become a form of nagging or trying to control an outcome. It eventually destroys our peace and wounds relationships. A classic example of nagging in the Bible is found in the story of Samson and Delilah, specifically in Judges 16:15–17. Delilah persistently pressured Samson to reveal the secret of his strength, and her repeated questioning wore him down. He caved in and we know the outcome and fruit of that.

Proverbs 21, 25 & 27, points out the "pain" of living with a nagging woman but women aren't the only ones guilty of pressing an issue. Scripture doesn't refer to men as nagging but rather engaging in persistent, annoying or pressuring behavior which is bothersome to others. Jacob is a prime example of a man of God resorting to fleshly striving to get what he wanted. The first time we see Jacob at "work" was in Genesis 25: 29-34 where he pressed Esau for his birthright. Then again in Genesis 27, he deceived Isaac with his mother's help to get the blessing of Abraham over his brother Esau, the first born who by right was to receive Abraham’s invocation of Divine Favor. In Genesis 29 we see Jacob pressing to obtain Rachel as his wife, even willing to “work” for seven years for Laban in order to get her. Laban, a fellow manipulator, deceived Jacob into working another 7 years after giving him Leah instead. This striving by Jacob to get a wife, was quite a contrast from Isaac’s path to betrothal. See Genesis 24. 

Isaac’s marriage was “made in Heaven” so to speak: divinely orchestrated by God through his father Abraham’s wisdom. Jacob’s manipulation to get his wife resulted in a lot of pain and miscarriage of justice. Nevertheless, God’s promise to Abraham’s seed, and His marvelous mercy and grace prevailed in the end. It still does today. Thank God, we are saved by grace, over and over and over again, or we would all be doomed to permanent failure! See 1 John 1: 9-10.

Jacob finally had his “come to Jesus” moment. At last, we see Jacob "wrestling" with God in Genesis 32: 24-30 telling the angel of the Lord "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Jacob met his match with God. Actually, He was no match for Yahweh. Jacob’s strong will gave him the ability to persevere through severe times of testing that mostly came from his own selfish ambition. Eventually, he learned to truly submit his ENTIRE will to God. Jacob was a strong-willed man that got caught in his own devices until Peniel happened. It took a wrestling match between His will and God Almighty that finally taught Jacob “who was boss.” 

Peniel means “Face of God.” This is the place where Jacob faced off with Adonai. We all have to have those times. Better sooner than later! God blessed him and Jacob received a new name. "Your name will no longer be Jacob (the supplanter) but Israel (God prevails) because you have struggled with God and with humans and you overcame." What did Jacob overcome? He overcame striving, conniving and “pressing the issue” to get what he desired in exchange for total submission to God's will and the Lord’s blessing. From that point on, he walked with a limp. It was a permanent reminder that God prevailed over his own will, plans, schemes, dreams and calling. It is a prophetic reminder to us that Jesus is at work in all of us for His will and good pleasure-not ours (Philippians 2: 13).

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, one of the key elements of the Lord's prayer was and is this: "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven." May I humbly remind all of us that man was made from the dust of the earth. His will must be first fleshed out in us (our earth suit and hearts) before we can see His Kingdom truly come. As we tether our wills to the Word of God, we begin to petition the Father with a different heart motive. We begin to ask that He would “give us this day, our daily bread.” We come to realize and understand that our “bread” is to do the Will of Our Father in Heaven, rather than feed our fleshly desires by consuming irrelevant and irreverent things.

“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” John 4: 34-35

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22: 42

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38
“I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:
Chesed (grace) and Shalom (peace)…