When You Receive The Promise

The Word of God is full of promises, promises God gives to His children and a full inheritance that we can claim. Promises are ingrained in principles such as receiving peace when we choose not to be anxious and decide to commune with God ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4: 6-7). We also receive specific promises for our journeys God has us to walk in. Isaac for example received a specific promise based on God’s covenant with Abraham. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father "(Gen 26:2-3). Isaac was to stay in the land and receive the blessing from God. Later in Genesis 26 we see the promise being fulfilled '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' (Gen 26: 12-14).

But once you receive the promise, what next? We see that Isaac began to get some haters. Don’t be surprised if you have some people envying you when you are walking in the blessings of God! Gen 26: 14-16 '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.” Isaac therefore left peaceably, dug wells elsewhere and prospered where he went (Gen 26: 17-19). But guess what, Isaac got opposition there too. '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' (Gen 26: 20-21).

My question to you is, did you think that Isaac would not face opposition, even though the Lord maintained His promise and blessed him? Do you think that you will not face opposition once the Lord has blessed you? Whether He has blessed you with a marriage, with children, employment and finances? To think that you will not receive opposition is not a correct perspective; keeping the God given covenant of marriage is not without trial and raising a child in the fear of the Lord will not be without testing. Isaac however continued to hold his peace and dug until he eventually found a well in which there was no contention (Gen 26: 22). Continue to be steadfast in what the Lord has given you. Know that the Lord is able to sustain you in the “land of promise”. God is able to give you peace, wisdom and direction in the midst of challenging circumstances, whether it be your marriage, parenting or workplace. Be sustained in what the Lord has given you. He will not lead you to a place and then forsake you. God is with you!

Prayer

Lord I thank you for your faithfulness, that You fulfill Your promises. Not only do you fulfill Your promises but You lead me in good paths where You also will be. You will not leave me nor forsake me, I can fully rest and trust in Your goodness. Thank you for the wisdom, discernment and endurance needed to navigate every new place that you bring me to. In Jesus name Amen.