HOLD ON; DON’T QUIT!
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” {Mark 13:13; Matt. 24:13}
An average mind would wonder immensely, reading the words of Christ to His confirmed and firm disciples in John 16:33, and comparatively in 2Tim.3:12, asserting that in the world, they were going to suffer tribulation.Friends, Life is full of bumps down the lane. There are many thorns, thistles and broken bottles on the walk-way of life. Indeed, there are challenges to every man journeying through life. God never guaranteed us life without it. He never promised us crown without prior cross, success without prior setback, open doors without obstructions, honour without prior hindrances, and prosperity without prior pains.
But one thing is important to note: your challenges become a ready instrument in the hands of the enemy to stop your walk with God, and your flow with your career and pursuit in life. So, no matter how pressing and overwhelming your challenges, HOLD ON; DON’T QUIT! A discussion broke out between Jesus and his disciples, which led to the examination of the events that will happen close to the end of the age. Thus Jesus told them they were going to be hated by all men for His name’s sake. However, He encouraged them, “He that shall ENDURE unto the end, shall be saved.” The message is abundantly clear, HOLD ON; DON’T QUIT! If you anticipate victory at the end of life, you must ENDURE and keep digging. Isaac in Gen.26:1-22 would be our case study.
I. HIS MATCHLESS BIOGRAPHY
A. His Name Means amusement {Gen.17:17; 18:9-15}.
It was amusing how 100year old father and 90year
old mother could still give birth to Isaac
B. The Only Son of Abraham by Sarah {Gen.21:1-3}
C. The Child of Covenant & Promise {Gen. 17:1621}
D. The Heir of Abraham’s Wealth {Gen.15:2-4}.
To me, every Abraham’s child, talk more his son, who came under the circumstance Isaac came should not
suffer. As a child promised by God and living on divine
covenant; the only son staying with his amiable parents,
and more so as the heir of his very wealthy father, life challenges was not humanly thinkable and feasible for Isaac. However, life does not work that way. Everyone his cross.
II. THE UGLY, THE BAD, AND THE GOOD
A. Like His Father {Gen. 12:10}, He Was Struck With
Famine, And He Relocates to Gerar {Gen.20:2}.
{Gen.26:1}. Who would have believed that?
B. God Quickly Intervened to Stop His Possible
Move to Egypt - {v.2}. Egypt was not holding
Isaac’s fortune. God had always warned His people against making it an optional place to live in. It represents retrogress, failure, discouragement, stumbling block. Egypt is like a stop sign; if you see it, don’t stop!
C. Isaac Was to Stay Put In Gerar. He Was to Wait in
Obedience to God in Gerar; yet sojourning, For
Therein Was His Fortune Hidden {v.3}.
D. Isaac Prospered in Gerar, and Was Favoured.
However, He Saw Both the Good, the Bad and the
Ugly -{vv. 6-17}. He was favoured by the king but
was dangerously opposed by the people of the land.
III. ENDURANCE PAYS
A. Isaac’s Servants Sought to Reopen the Wells Which
Abraham Dug, but Was Stopped by the Philistines
-{vv.15}. He was asked by the king to leave the
land on the account of getting mightier than the
citizens -{vv.16,17}.
B. Isaac Dug the Well He Called Esek, because the
herdsmen of Gerar strove with him and took it from him - {v. 20}.
C. Isaac Dug the Well He Called Sitnah, for they strove again against him and took it from him -{v.21}.
D. Isaac Refused to Stop and be Stopped. He Dug Yet the Third Well He Called Rehoboth, for nobody at this time strove with him again. Isaac observed that God had made a room for them, and they shall be fruitful -{v.22}.
Friends, famine did not stop Isaac. Even in the face of overwhelming opposition, he remained firm. Isaac ENDURED even harder, dug wells twice that were taken away from him. Thank God for the third attempt. Endurance pays off! Don’t Stop digging; winners don’t quit, and quitters don’t win “...But he that endures unto the end shall be saved.”
GOD BLESS YOU!
