NEVER GIVE UP: KEEP DIGGING THE WELLS
Genesis 26:12-32
Crab Mentality! What do these words mean? It is a way of thinking best described by the phrase, "if I can't have it, neither can you. The metaphor refers to a bucket of crabs. Individually, the crabs in the story could easily escape from the bucket, but instead they are described as grabbing at each other in a useless "king of the hill" competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise. The analogy in human behavior is claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to negate or diminish the importance of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, to halt their progress (Wikipedia)
Right at the moment that Isaac is about to celebrate his success by discovering water on the well, the Philistine snatched his rights and took over the same well by force. By the way, it is the third time that they deliberately did it. Will Isaac give up?
Lets us discover the lessons from the experience of this blessed man, Isaac the digger of the well and how he conquered the world full of jealous people by the grace and protection of his God.
As we study Isaac’s experience step by steps, I am confident that we can relate with Isaac. And like him, we will also discover how to be successful even in the most adverse situations in any endeavors that we are doing in our own life.
LESSONS FROM THE WELLS OF ISAAC
I - THE WELL OF ENVY
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.
13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;
14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.
LESSON 1:
Blessings may invite jealousy.
When other people suddenly throw dirt, it is usually because they are jealous.
Jealousy can turn friends into enemies.
15 Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
LESSON 2:
Jealousy is a product of insecurity.
It is rooted from the wrong appraisal of self worth. It is a mistaken view that my value is equivalent with my possessions. Insecure people always compare themselves with others.
17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
LESSON 3:
God is using conflicts and even broken relationship to test our priorities and characters. Isaac values relationship more than his rights and assets
18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.
LESSON 4:
When disappointed, dig again the former well. God is a God of restoration and revival
Never give up, never back down, keep trying, and keep digging the well.
19 Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there.
LESSON 5:
There’s always plenty of running water in the valley of humility.
A well of continues supply is always reserve for the humble people.
II - THE WELL OF OPPOSITION
20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek,[a] because they quarreled with him
1. Esek – Means Lawsuit
2. Envy can develop into opposition
LESSON 6:
It is easy to grab the well than to dig the well and bad people only prove their worthlessness and incompetence by choosing the first.
Keep digging the well may reveal your enemies’ identity
III – THE WELL OF ACCUSATION
21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah.
1. Sitnah – Means Satan or Accuser
2. A person you never quarreled before can suddenly spread accusations and slander you
LESSON 7:
Unjust accusations and oppositions may be leading you to the better well.
Don’t stop digging at the well of accusation. You maybe one step to the very best.
IV – THE WELL OF FREEDOM
22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
1. Rehoboth – Means Open Space
2. It is a breakthrough after the test and trials
LESSON 8:
After tests and trials, God has prepared a big place for those who never gives up and keep digging to find God’s will for their lives.
V- THE WELL OF VINDICATION
26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army.
27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
28But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you,
LESSON 9:
If we never give up, even those former enemies will realize their mistakes at vindication time
32 It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it Shebah.[d] Therefore the name of the city isBeersheba[e] to this day.
1. Shebah – Means Seven
2. The Lord will restore our blessing seven times
LESSON 10:
No oppositions, accusations and even the worst schemes of the enemies can stop the flow of God’s blessing to those who obey god and trust in Him
NEVER GIVE UP!
Keep digging the wells!
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this author at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.
