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Gen 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. Gen 26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: Gen 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. Gen 26:15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. Gen 26:16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. Gen 26:17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. Gen 26:18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. Gen 26:19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. In the East digging wells was proof of title to surrounding unoccupied lands. Once someone dug a well on a piece of land it was there way of "staking their claim" to that piece of property. Isaac inherited the lands where Abraham had dug wells so that made the land his. For the Philistines to fill the wells with earth was an act of hostility and a declaration of war. In the church today the devil has declared war on the church and has filled in many of the ancient wells. Verse 18 tells us, "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them." We must do what Isaac done in verse 18. We must redig the ancient wells that the enemy has stopped up. When we redig these ancient wells we will find what Isaacs

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servants found in verse 19 which says, "And Isaacs servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water." That word springing in the Hebrew means living. If we will dig again these ancient wells we will find living water flowing out of these wells. Let us now examine the many wells that we must redig so that we can once again have living water flowing out of our lives. III. We must redig the well of RIGHTEOUSNESS! A. Romans 6:18-23 declares, "[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. [19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. [22] But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. [23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 1. [infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness] Because of the weakness of your flesh. As you have yielded your physical members to sin and uncleanness, you must now do likewise to righteousness and holiness. 2. Paul emphasizes the fact that a man cannot serve God and Satan, or be a servant of sin and righteousness at the same time. C. Romans 12:1-2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." 1. [present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God] People are now to bring themselves to God instead of sacrifices to the altar as of old. They are now to be wholly the Lords as were the former sacrifices.

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D. 1 Peter 1:14-16 exclaims, "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." E. Psalm 93:5 says, "Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever." F. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." G. Hebrews 12:14 declares, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." IV. We must redig the well of forgiveness! A. Matthew 6:14-15 declares, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." B. Matthew 18:21-35 says, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? [Until seventy times seven] Until 490 times, or indefinitely. D. Luke 17:3-4 states, "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. [4] And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." V. We must redig the well of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost! A. John 20:22 says, "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." VI.We must redig the well of divine healing! A. Psalm 30:2 declares, "O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me." B. Psalm 107:19-20 declares, "Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. [20] He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." C. Isaiah 53:4-5 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5]

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But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." D. 1 Peter 2:24 declares, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1. [by whose stripes ye were healed] Physical healing is part of the redemptive work of Christ. By His stripes we are healed. E. Matthew 8:16-17 says, "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: [17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." 1. [took] Both Greek: words-lambano, to take in order to carry away; to remove; and bastazo, to bear or lift with the idea of removal--plainly mean the same as the Hebrew nasa, to bear, to take the debt of sin and sickness upon ones self, and carry it as his own. sins were borne, but so were all sicknesses and diseases and all evil which sin brought into the world. Such were not mere types of spiritual diseases as some teach, but actual diseases borne by Christ along with sin. The ultimate redemption by atonement is not only to remove all sins, but also sicknesses with complete redemption of body as well as soul. If God deals with sin now, He also deals with disease as clearly revealed in the whole truth. "With His stripes we are healed." 2. [infirmities] Feebleness of mind and body, malady, frailty, disease, sickness, weakness. All this Christ bore on the cross, fulfilling Isaiah 53. F. James 5:14-16 says, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: [15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. [16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

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1. [the prayer of faith shall save the sick] This is what heals the sick in such cases. When the prayer of faith is prayed and the name of Jesus Christ invoked, the Lord shall raise up the sick and forgive him if he has sinned. This power to heal is promised to every believer, not only the elders of the church. a. Mark 16:15-18 exclaims, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. [17] And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; [18] They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." VII. We must redig the well of giving. A. Malachi 3:8-12 declares, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. [9] Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. [10] Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. [11] And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. [12] And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. 1. [In tithes and offerings.] The tithes and offerings belong to God by virtue of covenant agreements with man; to use them for personal gain is robbery of what rightly belongs to Him. 4. And prove Me now herewith, in or by this thingGod pledges Himself to His creatures, in a way in which they themselves can verify. If you will obey, I will supply all your needs; if not, I will continue your dearth 5. If I will not open the windows of heaveno In the time of the flood, they were, as it were, opened, to mans destruction: now, God would rain abundantly for you, for their sakes.

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VIII. We must redig the well of trust and faith in God! A. Job 13:15 declares, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." 1. [Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him] Job was determined to trust in God and maintain his own ways before Him, regardless of the outcome. B. Psalm 18:2 states, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." C. Psalm 18:30 states, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him." 1. [tried] Gods Word is tried in the fire. It has stood all tests. It has never failed those who have pleaded its promises and met its terms before its author. D. Isaiah 12:2-3 says, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. [3] Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." E. Mark 11:22 exclaims, "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." 1. [Have faith in God] Literally, "Have the faith of God." Such is possible or it would not be a command. Man was created with Gods faith but doubt entered in at the fall. Faith is restored in the new birth and if normally exercised and maintained it will grow to fullness and power. F. Luke 12:28-32 declares to us, "If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [29] And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. [30] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. [31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. [32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

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Conclusion: It is an absolute necessity that all of these ancient wells be "digged again" in our midst. The scripture tells us in Proverbs 22:28, "Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set." Jeremiah 6:16 declares to us, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls" These wells may be old fashioned; but they are not out of order, they are simply out of style. However Gods Word tells us in Malachi 3:6, "For I am the Lord, I change not" Hebrews 13:8 tells us, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." God has not changed with time only man has. If these ancient wells were good enough for the patriarchs of faith of old to drink from; then they are still good enough for you and me. If we will dig again these ancient wells we will find that they contain "living water." This water is eternal it doesnt change either. Will you dig again the ancient wells of our spiritual fathers? Or will you leave the wells stopped up with lies from the enemy? If you will dig these wells again you can drink of water that brings spiritual life. Jesus tells us in John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Isaac realized the wells his father digged were not flowing. Why? Because the enemy had filled them with earth. Those around the wells had stopped the flow that would bring benefit and refreshment to his life. So he began to redig them. The first one he redug he called, Esek. The Hebrew words means contention. Imagine that, he went to the effort to recreate the flow, and even when the flow renewed with its life giving benefit, the result of the effort was contention.

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The second one he redug he called Sitnah. The hebrew word means strife. Again, imagine that... renewed flow and the end result was not positive, but negative. WE have experienced this, when we try to dig in and really make progress in what God has for us, the immediate result is not positive. We meet resistance. The enemy wants you to be discouraged. You better stop this, or things are only going to get worse. Our response? Keep Digging. Finally he digs a third well, he called Rehoboth. The word means, Wide, open spaces. What does that mean? Peace. After this the Bible says he went to Beersheeba. This means, The Well of seven, or the well of an Oath. He returned to a place of prior commitment. What happens when we return to a place of prior commitment? Look what happened to Isaac. And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. When you return to prior commitment, God will renew the Covenant. Many today want the Covenant of the past, but they never return to prior commitment. The actions that produced Revival and Harvest for those that went before.

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Can I tell you using trendy and hip verbiage is not going to produce a work for God. Even using trendy and hipster Logos and Marketing is not going to produce a work for God. What will bring us in alignment with our purpose, is to return to the things that produced Gods promise in the first place. We find that Isaac did two things. He dug another well and built another Altar. Before you can go forward, you must go back. Before your idenity can be confirmed, you must return to your commitment. Let us follow the example of Isaac and Redig the Wells!