For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the phrase ‘level up’…it is simple a phrase that means to make moves for the benefit and betterment of ones life.   It means that a person is not waiting for something to happen but rather they are ready to make something happen.  Things are moving because I’m making some moves!  It is a phrase that pushes us to our potential…create a burden for our best…to give us an appetite for achievement…it is the individual that is saying, “I want God’s best for my life.”

 Of course when I say, ‘level up’ most people think of elevation (you know, going up)…however, I am not referring to elevation as much as evolution.  I’m not referring to becoming a better version of an old thing…I’m talking about a superior version of a new thing.

 Vance Havner – God is not in the antique business…where He takes an old thing and makes it look new.  He is in the creation business where He takes old things and makes them brand new.

 So, what had to happen in Jacob’s life before he could come to this place of evolution…here are a few things to consider.

 Jacob got word, that his brother Esau knew he was coming.  So, he sent his family on ahead of him just in case things would go bad between him and his brother….he sent them over the brook Jabok and the Bible said, he was left alone…at the place of the crossing there he wrestled with a man ‘till daybreak.

 So, here, in the middle of the night God shows up…now I prefer the God that shows up to tell me He loves me…I would rather see the God that tells me, “Lo, I’m with you always even till the end of the world.”

I would rather see the side of God that tells the storm, “Peace, be still.”  This time God shows up, and for no apparent reason HE STARTS A FIGHT!

 When the man saw that he couldn’t win over Jacob he touched his hip until it was pulled out of place…he dislocated it.  To dislocate is to disturb the normal arrangement of things…to change the connection

1. You might have to allow the Lord to change some of your connections
There are some places you will never go simply because you have the wrong people in your life…People come and people go. Some are there just for a season. Others are there to fulfill general aspects of your life.

Some of the people around you are logical, and some are analytical. Others are creative and energizing, but the contribution of each person is vital.  On the other hand, some of the people in your life are an empty well, and you know it.  There are some people around you that possess the solution to your problems, there are others that are the problem to your solutions…in order to level up you will have to discern some relationships and you may have to allow the Lord to do some dislocating and change some of your connections.

The result of this encounter results in Jacob walking with a limp…v.32. Then the man says, “…let me go for it’s daybreak…” v. 26.  Now, Jacob is injured but he still has the ability to keep fighting.  I’m hurt but I’m still here!

 2. On the way to your next level, you must learn how to keep on, even though you’re limping.
I’m hurt but I can still pray…I’m hurt but I can still praise…my feelings are hurt but I’m gonna move on…you can tell I’ve been through something because I’m limping.

 Now, if you read your Bible closely you will see that the trajectory of Jacob’s life changed from this encounter…v. 26 says that they wrestled until day break…which means they fought all night.

3. Now, Jacob didn’t become Israel until he won the battle he was fighting in the dark.
We all have something we are wrestling with.

·      There’s a wrestling match going on that you keep hidden from those around you…maybe it’s unforgiveness…maybe its bitterness, insecurity, sadness…