Turning Setbacks into Setups
Genesis 26:19-22
19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth, and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
You cannot be fruitful in the land until such a time as the Lord makes room for you! There is, shall we say, a testing ground, a time of maturing, a time of character-building our Lord brings us through in order that He may prepare us to be able to handle the responsibilities that await us in our destiny. Nothing is more trying, nothing more frustrating, & nothing more potentially devastating to our future (depending on how we handle it) than the cold damp rags of discouragement thrown on us by others who are not nearly as interested in our success as their own. There’s always someone else demanding to be first at your expense! It’s like taking one step forward and two steps back. As soon as you think you’re making headway, here come the herdmen of Gerar saying, “The water is ours!” As soon as you think your ministry is beginning to take off, all of the sudden the phone stops ringing, and the invitations become fewer and farther between, while others’ ministries take off and thrive! And the whole time you’re thinking, “I dug that well. That well should have been mine!” However, Isaac sets a great example for us in our text! He did not whine, pout, or become bitter because others took advantage of or succeeded as a result of his labor without showing any gratitude or acknowledgement whatsoever; rather, he moved on to the next chapter in his life! He learned that some battles were not worth fighting, and so he resolved to just move on! Have you ever noticed that the more God blesses you with, the more is demanded of your resources by those around you? Look not on this as a burden, but as a test of your character! Pass the test, resolve to let the Lord replenish what you have given away or what has been taken from you, and one day the Lord will make room for you to be fruitful in the land! One day, there will be plenty to go around for you and those around you! And when God scrapes off a spot for you, can’t nobody do nothing about it! See also Pro 18:16.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth, and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
You cannot be fruitful in the land until such a time as the Lord makes room for you! There is, shall we say, a testing ground, a time of maturing, a time of character-building our Lord brings us through in order that He may prepare us to be able to handle the responsibilities that await us in our destiny. Nothing is more trying, nothing more frustrating, & nothing more potentially devastating to our future (depending on how we handle it) than the cold damp rags of discouragement thrown on us by others who are not nearly as interested in our success as their own. There’s always someone else demanding to be first at your expense! It’s like taking one step forward and two steps back. As soon as you think you’re making headway, here come the herdmen of Gerar saying, “The water is ours!” As soon as you think your ministry is beginning to take off, all of the sudden the phone stops ringing, and the invitations become fewer and farther between, while others’ ministries take off and thrive! And the whole time you’re thinking, “I dug that well. That well should have been mine!” However, Isaac sets a great example for us in our text! He did not whine, pout, or become bitter because others took advantage of or succeeded as a result of his labor without showing any gratitude or acknowledgement whatsoever; rather, he moved on to the next chapter in his life! He learned that some battles were not worth fighting, and so he resolved to just move on! Have you ever noticed that the more God blesses you with, the more is demanded of your resources by those around you? Look not on this as a burden, but as a test of your character! Pass the test, resolve to let the Lord replenish what you have given away or what has been taken from you, and one day the Lord will make room for you to be fruitful in the land! One day, there will be plenty to go around for you and those around you! And when God scrapes off a spot for you, can’t nobody do nothing about it! See also Pro 18:16.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill