Understanding the Journey to your Rehoboth.

Genesis 26:12–22 NKJV

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. 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. And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 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. Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. 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.

Introduction:

As we know, this year our theme is on granting ourselves the permission to succeed. Moreover, the question is what does success look like to you this year? Does success look like you are living a healthier life? Do you want a healthier life regarding your physical health? Do you want health regarding your relationships or finances? Whatever the case may be, in order for us to have success, we must first grant yourselves the permission to succeed.

Moreover, in order for us to grant ourselves permission to succeed we must understand that success is not linear, it is a journey. If you think about a journey, this journey includes detours, road blocks, Mountains, Valleys etc. Although the Journey is not always straight forward, it is the journey that qualifies you for that success or blessing. As we are on our journey, one thing we all will face on this journey is such things as failure, people being jelous of your success, and even people attempting to stop up the flow of your blessings. We must understand the there is a Journey to our Rehoboth

Thesis:

If you think of the word Rehoboth, it simply refers to a place that has room to grow. Moreover, if we are going to move to a place that has room to grow, we must identify and position ourselves in the place God has for us, uproot the things and people that block the flow to our blessing, and we must be able to move on and dig another well.

Context:

To better understand dour Journey to our Rehoboth, we are looking at Genesis 26:12-22. Here we are studying the life of Isaac. In this passage, we see how Isaac, Abraham’s son, begin to follow the footsteps of his father in positive and some negative ways. Moreover, we specifically see how the blessing of God was on his life. The blessing of God refers to the favor of God being on his life that empowers one to be successful. “The blessing is an empowerment to be successful.”

Moreover, here we see how God would use the practices and professions Isaac had, and cause him to be prosperous until he became very prosperous. For the most part, Isaac was one who would continue his father Abraham’s businesses (Herdsman business, and the well digging buisness). In this passage, we see Isaac practicing the buisness of well digging.

In Isaac’s day, well digging was a big commodity. Why? It is because wells was something that impacted peoples daily life. Wells not only met peoples basic needs, it also brought communities together. Often market places centered around wells etc.

I. We must identify and sow in the place God has destined for us.

Genesis 26:12“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.”

A. If we are going to be successful, we must identify the place God has for us and position ourselves there.

I remember a conversation I had with my father growing up as a kid one day. On this particular day, we were traveling back from a family vacation. I believe we were traveling back from a warm climate during winter break. Moreover, I asked him, “why did you choose to settle in Minnesota?” To me, by the simple fact that it gets cold in Minnesota, should be an indicator that you should go somewhere else where it is warm. Moreover, he then told me that he chose Minnesota, because this was the place God has called him. I then asked… “cant God call you somewhere warm?” Moreover, the thing that stuck out to me out of that conversation was the significance of understanding that God will bless you in the place he has called for you.

When it comes to Understanding Our Journey to our Rehoboth, we must understand our place and where we are called, but also how to position ourselves well. Often our success is tied to how we are positioned. Here are a couple points on Identifying the place and how we can position ourselves well.

POSITIONING OURSELVES

It boosts your confidence: Confidence Boost: Being in a strong position boosts your self-confidence, encouraging you to take necessary risks and pursue new ventures.

It helps increase your communication: It enables you to communicate your value effectively, ensuring that your skills and achievements are recognized appropriately.

Motivation and Focus: A well-defined position helps clarify your goals and objectives, keeping your efforts aligned and focused on achieving success.

Competitive Advantage: Differentiating yourself from others gives you an edge in your industry, attracting more clients and opportunities.

Influence and Impact: It increases your ability to influence others and make a positive impact, further solidifying your role as a leader in your field.

It helps in regards to your time. Time really is the greatest commodity.

IDENTIFYING THE PLACE.

As we read Isaac’s story in Genesis 26:12 “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.” Moreover, sowing in the land that there is a place that God desires to bless you. This place was the same place God instructed his father Abraham to leave his Father’s house, and go to a place he promised him. It was a land flowing with Milk and Honey. In other words it was a place capable for vegetation. It was a place where growth could happen.

When speaking about clarifying the place we are to succeed, this is important because this place should be a place that encourages your growth personally, spiritually, professionally etc.

Qualities of a conducive environment for growth include positivity, support, safety, resources, and opportunities for learning and challenge. A positive atmosphere encourages optimism and motivation; support from peers and mentors provides guidance and encouragement; safety allows for experimentation without fear of judgment; and access to resources and challenges facilitates learning and skill development.

B. Invest ourselves in the place.

In Genesis 26:12 Isaac planted himself in the place. IN other words, he invested in the place. He laid his roots down in that place. He served in that place. In essence, he exercised an principle of sowing and reaping. (Genesis 2)

It is when you are planted in the place God called you to be, that is when you can prosper even in times of famine.

Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

II. We must recognized and uproot the things or people that are meant to stop the flow of our blessing.

As we read Isaacs story, we see how he became prosperous until he became very prosperous. However, because he became so prosperous the Philistines envied him.

It is important to note, that much of Isaac’s prosperity was not only because of his own doing. It was because he was operating under the blessing of his Father Abraham. We know Abraham as the Father of the Faith, and how by Faith Abraham left the Er of the Childreans to leave to a place he did not know, and as a result God blessed him and made his name great. However, Just as Abraham was a man of Faith, he was a buisness man too. We know that Abraham was a Sheep herder, and God blessed Abraham in that business causing him to become rich in sheep, cattle, silver and gold. (See Genesis 13:2)

Moreover, according to Genesis 26, Abraham was also in the well digging business, something Isaac seems to be taking up. Moreover because Isaac has inherently become prosperous and has become even more prosperous in his own right, this is what caused people to be envious of his success.

Definition of Envy:

Envy, a complex emotion, arises when we yearn for the qualities, accomplishments, or possessions of others. It often accompanies feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction, stemming from the disparity between our own circumstances and those of others. When envy consumes an individual, it can manifest in negative emotions and attitudes that hinder personal growth and opportunities. By fixating on others’ successes, we risk neglecting the appreciation and cultivation of our own strengths and blessings. Envy can divert our attention away from gratitude and contentment, potentially blocking avenues for personal development and happiness.

A. We must recognize the things that stop up the flow of the blessing within ourselves.

Some things within us that can hinder the flow of blessings in our lives include negative attitudes such as resentment, jealousy, and unforgiveness. Doubt, lack of faith, and fear can also block blessings, as they may prevent you from taking necessary steps toward opportunities. Furthermore, pride and arrogance can lead to missed blessings if they hinder your ability to learn and grow. It's important to cultivate a positive mindset and embrace gratitude to help facilitate the flow of blessings.

B. We must recognize the people around us that are hindering the blessing from flowing in our lives.

We often say that when God wants to bless you, he will send people. However when the devil wants to curse you, he will send people. These would be known as haters.

The interesting thing is, being blessed does not avoid you from haters and people who are meant to stir quarrels and strife in your life. Being blessed does not avoid you from avoiding conflict, it only empowers you to overcome them.

What these kind of people do, is they will try to throw dirt on your blessings.

This “dirt” can come in the form of gossip or lies. It can come in the form of trying to discredit you.

In this story, we see how the Philistines tried to throw dirt on the wells Abraham built, and the Men from Gerar tried to claim the water Isaac found as theirs. However, this kind of conflict will either cause you to fold, or it will propell you forward so you can move on.

A lot of times is isn't ourselves that is stopping up the blessing in our lives, it is the people that is around us. In Isaac’s case, it was the philistines who became envious of his success.

There are people who will see the blessing on your life, whether it be in your family and the inheritance that is rightfully yours, the potential that you have, and or the skills you have that they lack, and they will try everything in their power to stop up that blessing from flowing in your life, and try to claim it as theirs.

Because of their envy towards Isaac and the blessing that was on his life, they tried to stop the inherited blessing, and tried to cause strife around the wells that he dug himself. In other words, they tried to claim the wells he dug as theirs.

Genesis 26:19–21 “Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah.”

CONCLUSION

III. In order to be able to dig again, we must learn to move on from where we were and dig another well.

As we read this story, the interesting thing is Isaac didn’t try to fight the men from Gerar, he only chose to move on from them. Here is the thing, when you are blessed, you do not have to waste your time arguing with people who are trying to sabotage what you created. You can move on.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:22–23 “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.”

The argument the Men from Gerar were presenting was a foolish one. Why? Because we know that it was the blessing of God that Isaac even found the water. It was through his skill that he was able to dig and build those two wells. Most of all, it was foolish because it would cause him to waste energy and time.

It wasn’t the men from Gerar who had the favor of God on them, it was isaac. It wasn’t the men from Gerar who had the skillset to build the well, it was Isaac. If Isaac had the intangibles to build the well, why should he waste time in arguing?

A. The ability to move on.

Instead of arguing with the men from Gerar, isaac chose to move on. Like Isaac, when it comes to our lives, there are some situations we must move on from if we are going to get to our Rehoboth.

Q. What does it mean to move on? Moving on from something, means that we have acknowledged mentally, and emotionally that the situation isn’t working, reflect and learn from the situation, and we have set new goals.

Three things we must do to move on.

Acknowledge the situation.

It is by recognizing teh situation that we can align our emotions about the situation. It is here that we can accept that the situation is not working.

2. Reflect and Learn.

What have you learned from this situation? Examine the decisions you have made. Do an inventory on the people that are in your life? Are they people who cause strife in your life? Are they people who add value to your life?

3. Set New Goals.

Get a new vision. See yourself building another well in your life.

B. Dig another well.

What do I mean by “dig another well?” I mean don’t settle. Do not let the temporary setback become permanent. Get back to work and pursue that vision and that dream that is in your heart.

Finally, If you think of the word Rehoboth, it simply refers to a place that has room to grow. Moreover, if we are going to move to a place that has room to grow, we must identify and position ourselves in the place God has for us, uproot the things and people that block the flow to our blessing, and we must be able to move on and dig another well.