Re-digging the Wells
TEXT: Genesis 26:12-22 New Living Translation, “When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. 13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. 14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. 15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac's wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.
16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. "Go somewhere else," he said, "for you have become too powerful for us." 17 So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down. 18 He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.
19 Isaac's servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. "This is our water," they said, and they argued over it with Isaac's herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means "argument"). 21 Isaac's men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means "hostility"). 22 Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means "open space"), for he said, "At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land."
Introduction: Anywhere in the Bible you see a well, there is something significant attached to it. Think about John 4 with Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Think about Isaiah 12 which speaks about the Wells of Salvation. And then, there is this scripture here which is the story of Isaac.
When I met your pastor in Canon Beach at our Minister's Retreat earlier this year, and I began to hear his story about how this church came to be, I began to think about this scripture and knew that God was giving me a word to speak to this church.
Let’s take a look at these things.
1. Isaac received a hundred fold return for his planted seeds, and the blessing continued to grow.There is no question that the principles of sowing and reaping are spiritual laws that are active in the dimensions of the world we live in.
Gal 6:7-10 Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
2. This blessing and prosperity stirred up trouble with the enemy who messed with him by filling in the wells that Abraham’s servants dug.
You would think that when God blesses a person or a church that everyone around would be absolutely excited and happy for the person. Not True! Envy, jealousy, and such like are revealed as character flaws of others.
Hebrews 12:15" Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Be careful of bitterness which comes from failing the grace of God. It is a terrible thing that causes defilement and is a spring of trouble. You cannot always help how others are acting, but you can control how you react and respond to situations."
3. Gen 26:17-18 “So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down. 18 He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had named the wells.”
There is a generational blessing, inheritance and legacy which The Lord wants to give to us in this present generation. This is true of the family blessing as well as the organizational inheritance.
There are those who have been this way before us. Yes, it was a different day, a different style, a different structure but it is there nonetheless to re-dig. How do you tap into this? Through honor. We receive the fruit of their labor though honoring them and the hard work and the price they paid for our freedoms and anointing.
We are not necessarily trying to replicate a move of God that happened in the past, that isn't what we mean by re-digging the well. Re-digging the well means we acknowledge what our fore-fathers have done and we honor that fact. We must also identify with the understanding that we are part of the new or next generation and as such we must identify with what God is doing today.
We must honor the Church of God and the work of those who began our movement in 1886 in the midst of great controversy concerning the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and such. They dug deep wells of salvation and revival which has contributed greatly to who we are today.
4. Gen 26:19-20 “Isaac's servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water."
It is interesting that they re-dug the wells of their ancestors and as they were doing so, they were also able to dig fresh wells. God wants to help us discover the new wells, the fresh water.
5. "Isaac's servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. "This is our water," they said, and they argued over it with Isaac's herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means "argument"). 21 Isaac's men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means "hostility)."
I hate to bring this up but it is historically proven that you cannot have a move of God without opposition. It is going to happen when you step out. But, that is okay. Just know it is part of the price you pay for going forward in these things.
Gerar being translated means pilgrimage, but it also means dispute or combat. Yes, sometimes when you are digging for a new well there can be such a huge contention that you never intended to happen, but it can happen and must be considered as part of the price you must pay to be a well digger.
How you react to the pilgrimage or dispute will either make you or break you. On one hand you may feel justified to enter into the dispute. On the other side you may simply write your "opponents" off and consider yourselves more spiritual or holy than them. Spiritual pride will destroy a move of God just as quickly as will a "Holy War."
Please note here that Isaac did not stay at the wells of argument and hostility. He moved beyond those places and dug another well which he named Rehoboth which means “open space” and is a place of unity, agreement and is a place where God causes you to prosper in this land.
6. Gen 26:23-25 "From there Isaac moved to Beersheba, 24 where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. "I am the God of your father, Abraham," he said. "Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will multiply your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant." 25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well."
Beersheba means “The well of a promise or the seventh well.” As you probably know, the number seven is the number of completion. It means that it is done and can never become undone.
We need to be familiar with Job 22:28 “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Prophetically, I would like to tell you what I see for this church.
I see this church being planted deeper into this community.
I see this church as place for un-churched people who have no prior spiritual background.
I see this church being a discipleship center, healing center and training center for the entire region.
I see this church raising up pastors and preachers and evangelists who will plant or replant churches in neighboring towns, serve the body of Christ around the world. I see this church sending out preachers to preach in pulpits around the country as fire-starters or pyromaniacs.
Don’t ever compromise worship, spiritual gifts, the supernatural or the spirit-filled distinctives. Someone must lead the way in these matters around here and God has assigned that to us.
In Closing: As we pick up the end of our text we see that after God proclaimed the blessing, Isaac did four things
1. He built an altar
2. He worshipped
3. He set up camp
4. He dug another well
Ha! That’s what we are doing right now, right here. We are building an altar, worshipping our God, setting up a camp and digging another well. Let’s dig another well right now!
Let's dig a well of salvation, of Sozo (salvation, healing, and deliverance) a well of the Glory of God and open heaven wide.
If you would like a fresh well opened within you, come up and let’s do so. I want to pray for an open well to spring up in your life right now.
John 7:37-39 Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" 39 (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
