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Wide Open Spaces
Jon BurgessIsaac started out be re-digging his father Abraham's wells. The Philistines had filled them up and changed their names. This was a return to the promise of God that this land, though currently inhabited by enemies would belong to the sons of Abraham. He started by restoring what had been lost- the God-given identity represented by those family wells and names. Then, following his father's example, he began to dig new ones. Every generation must learn from those that have gone before and then forge ahead in new ways. The Philistines were not happy to hear that Isaac was doing something new so they fought him at every well. The first well was named contention and the second well was named enmity. The enemy claimed those new wells as theirs only after he had put in all the work of digging them. Wisely, he did not try to fight or give up, but moved on. His third well was named "wide open spaces" and is about 40 miles away from the first well he dug. All that land was his and proved it. He wasn't retreating he was re-entrenching. The enemies strategy was to distract and discourage. Isaac chose to dig deeper and do something new! He had passed the test. He didn't get caught up in petty battles to prove this was his land because he knew this was his land whether the enemy agreed with him or not. The Lord confirmed this with a renewal of the promise that God had given his father Abraham. Why hadn't God told him this before all the digging and fighting? Sometimes we have to walk out and work out the word we've already received before we can receive the new one.
Will contention and enmity keep us from our wide open spaces in 2018? Will we fight the battle and lose the war. Will we let discouragement distract us from our divine directive for this year? The Philistines only started fighting when Isaac started digging something new. The enemy of our souls won't bother us as long as we are living off of last years wells instead of digging in some new places God has called us to this year! Where are you contending for a wide open space? Your marriage? Your children? Your job? Your home? Your schooling? Your finances? God has given you that ground already. When you try to dig deep in some new ways the enemy will push and pull. Don't get distracted or discouraged. Keep moving and keep digging. Choose your battles or your battles will choose you. Walk out what God has already told you and then you will receive the fresh revelation and confirmation that you are on the right track!
Lord, I believe 2018 will be the year of Wide Open Spaces! Where the enemy has worked to hem us in on every side this year we will see a breakthrough! Where the enmity and contention in our relationships seekto define our divine directive and keep us from digging deeper we say no way and no more in the Name of Jesus! May Your fresh revelation and confirmation meet us before our sweat has even cooled on our brow from the new well we are digging in the Spirit. We dig into Your Word! We dig deeper into worship and prayer! We dig through in our relationships until we see the fresh water come!
