Thriving in the Midst of Famine
- Genesis 26:1 (KJV) And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
There Was a Famine in the Land
1. Famine
a. Severe shortage
b. Extreme scarcity
c. Serious economic downturn
2. Dark time for those who...
a. Don't know God
b. Don't know their covenant with God
c. Fear, panic, uncertainty, hopelessness
3. What the Word tells us about famine
a. Job 5:20, 22 (NLT): "He will save you from death in time of famine.... You
will laugh at destruction and famine."
b. Psalm 33:18-19: "The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them
that hope in His mercy [NLT-rely on His unfailing love]; to deliver their
soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine."
c. Psalm 37:18-19: Even in famine they will have more than enough.
i. HEB: "...He will supply until no more is needed."
4. In famine, we don't just survive-WE THRIVE!
a. Prosper, flourish, succeed, advance
b. Grow vigorously
c. Increase in goods and estate
5. Proverbs 10:22: "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow
with it."
B. Genesis 26-Isaac Thrived in Famine
1. Verses 1-6: Stay where you are-obedience.
a. God needed him there
b. God needs us right here, right now
c. Zechariah 8:13 (NLT): "Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became
symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now, I will rescue you and make
you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don't be afraid. Be strong, and
get on with rebuilding the temple!"
d. We are a symbol of THE BLESSING
e. We are a source of THE BLESSING
i. Genesis 12:2-3 (AMP): "I will make of you a great nation, and I will
bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name
famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good
to others].... In you will all the families and kindred of the earth be
blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]."
ii. Psalm 21:6 (AMP): "...You make him to be blessed and a blessing
forever."
2. Verse 12: He sowed and received in the same year one hundredfold-and the Lord
blessed him
a. Unusual yield-even in fertile regions, not greater than twenty-five
to fiftyfold
b. Psalm 65:11-13 (NLT): "You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even
the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness
become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are
clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all
shout and sing for joy!"
c. In the same year
3. Verse 13: Isaac waxed great, went forward and became very great
a. (NLT): He became a rich man and his wealth only continued to grow.
b. He was thriving-flourishing, succeeding, advancing, growing vigorously,
increasing in goods, estates, bulk and stature
c. He became stronger and more powerful in wealth and influence.
4. Verse 14: He had possessions of flocks of sheep, herds of cattle and a great store
of servants
a. Philistines were jealous
b. They wanted to stop him
5. Verses 22-24: He didn't give up-he wouldn't quit
a. Rehobeth (HEB) = room, streets, a broad and spacious place, an enlargement.
b. (NLT): "...At last the Lord has created enough space for us prosper [thrive,
flourish, succeed, advance and grow vigorously] in this land."
C. In Order to Thrive in Times of Famine, We Must Keep Doing What Isaac Did
1. Keep obeying God
a. Obedience is where THE BLESSING is
b. Isaiah 1:19: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."
2. Keep sowing seed
a. It is always a good time to sow into the kingdom of God
b. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (AMP): "He who observes the wind [and waits for all
conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will
not reap."
3. Keep tithing
a. Isaac tithed-how do we know?
b. Genesis 14:20: Abraham gave tithes of all
c. Genesis 18:19: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his
household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord...."
4. Keep on walking by faith
a. Isaac didn't quit standing in faith
b. Hebrews 10:35 (AMP): "Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless
confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward."
c. Galatians 6:9 (AMP): "Let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in
acting nobly and doing right, for in due and at the appointed season we shall
reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint."
5. Psalm 92:12-14: Keep attending church
a. Verse 12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a
cedar in Lebanon."
b. Verse 13: "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the
courts of our God."
c. Verse 14: "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and
flourishing."
- Our future is secure in Him
D. Thriving In a Time of Famine-Confession
I am not moved by what I see.
I am not moved by what I hear.
I am going up higher.
I am going to keep obeying.
I am going to keep sowing.
I am going to keep believing.
I am going to keep receiving.
I am going to keep on walking by faith.
In a time of famine, we are thriving.
We are prospering.
We are flourishing.
We are succeeding.
We are advancing.
We are growing vigorously.
We are increasing.
