8672 striving with God

Striving with God can refer both to the fruitless opposition of the ungodly to God’s will and purposes, and to the struggle of the righteous with God, as they seek to find his will and obey it.

The striving of the wicked with God

It is the result of a guilty conscience Ac 26:14

Striving against God cannot succeed 2Ch 13:12 See also Pr 21:30; Isa 8:10; Ac 11:17

It leads to the destruction of those who attempt it Ps 2:2-5 See also Job 15:20-26,30

Ways in which the wicked strive with God

By resisting the Holy Spirit Ac 7:51

By arguing with God Ro 9:20 See also Job 40:2; Isa 45:9-11

Through unbelief Nu 14:1-4,10-11; Nu 20:13; Ps 95:8-9

By attacking God’s people Ac 5:39 To attack God’s people is to attempt to attack God himself. See also 1Sa 17:45; Isa 37:22-25; Ac 9:4-5

Jacob strives with God

Ge 32:24-28 Jacob’s struggle with God represents the conflict within himself between self-will and dependence on God. As “Jacob”, the supplanter, he had overcome Esau and Laban, but God demonstrates his superior power in the wrestling match so that as “Israel” he will be submissive to the divine will. See also Hos 12:2-5

The striving of the righteous with God

The struggle for righteousness Ac 24:16 See also Lk 13:24; Ro 7:14-25; 1Co 9:25-27; Php 3:10-14; 1Ti 4:10; Heb 12:4

The discipline of prayer Col 4:12 See also Isa 64:7; Lk 22:44

The struggle to understand God’s purposes Ex 5:22-23 See also Job 10:18; Ps 73:16; Ps 88:14-18; Hab 1:2-4,13

See also