The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. Genesis 26:2-3a
When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. Genesis 26:12
Happy New Year! As with every new year, I took some time out to reflect on my walk with God in 2023 and the past years. With so much gratitude in my heart, I could see how far He’s brought me. One main focus of my reflection was seeing how God has led me to live out most of the verses in Psalm 23. Each verse defined a season and I lived through each one. Towards the end of 2023, I sensed I had come to the 5th verse of Psalm 23: “thou anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over”. It was exciting to know that it was finally time for the overflow. Then I attended our cross-over service and the Word for the year was given: Great Abundance! It was a perfect confirmation that I had truly come into overflow.
While I rejoiced at the confirmation that indeed God has brought me into a season of abundance, I was reminded that I had a part to play for this abundance to be made manifest. To help me understand how to partner with God in this season, the Holy Spirit led me to Genesis 26 and gave me an instruction. This instruction I believe is not just for me but for everyone who has come into a season of abundance.
In Genesis 26, there was a famine in the land where Isaac lived. While He was planning on moving to Egypt in the face of the famine, God came to him and gave him an instruction. And I believe, this is God’s instruction to us in this season.
The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.” Genesis 26:2
Instructions:
1. Do not go down to Egypt
What does Egypt represent? Egypt could mean many thing things, one would be Isaac’s plan. Isaac was planning on relocating to Egypt, then God comes to him saying- paraphrase; Let go of your plans, don’t go in the direction you are thinking, do not go down to Egypt. I have a different direction for you.
Egypt represents your plans for 2024. Don’t get me wrong it is good and important to plan, however, there are times when God intercepts our plans. 2024 is one of such seasons. God is saying, I have an abundance for you and you get to it by following my plans, not yours. Do not go down to Egypt, do not live this year according to your plans. I have a path I would like you to take.
If you will step into the abundance God has for you this year, you must surrender your ways, your plans, and your all, and seek to know His.
2. Do as I tell you.
God has an instruction specific for you in this year and He is determined to speak to you if you will listen. Your instruction will be specific to you and you must seek and listen to God to get this instruction. Embedded in this instruction is your path to abundance. Hearing and obeying the instruction God gives you in 2024 is what brings about the manifestation of the abundance He has prepared for you. Remember you cannot obey an instruction you are not aware of, that’s why you must press in to hear what He wants you to tell you.
Decode God’s instruction: “Live here as a foreigner in this land” Gen. 26:3 God’s instruction to Isaac was for him to stay back in Gerar, the place of famine. How do you live in a place of famine and expect to be blessed? God’s ways are higher than ours. His instruction most of the time would not align with our logical thoughts and reasoning. But you must commit to obeying even when you do not understand. God does not work the way we do:
“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. (Isaiah 55:8-11 MSG)
3 . Sow in the place of your instruction:
When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. Genesis 26:12
Isaac sowed in Gerar, the place God instructed him to remain in. He reaped a hundred times more in harvest and became very great, so much that he was envied.
It is important to note that Isaac did not get a 100-fold harvest just because he sowed. If Isaac had gone to Egypt and sowed there, he would have had a measure of result, because the principle of seedtime and harvest would work regardless of location. However, Isaac would never have received a 100-fold harvest or become very great in Egypt. Why? Because that was not what God prepared for Him, it was not where God instructed him to be. It matters where you sow.
Egypt also represents the place of labor, self-dependence, and self-effort. When you sow in Egypt, your results will equal the effort and energy invested. Nothing more than that. This is why we should never follow the crowd. Don’t go into a career or business path because people say it pays. If that’s not where you should be, you will only access results by self-effort and labor. You will never get into the abundance God has for you.
Deuteronomy 11:10 says – For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.
When you sow in the land God has for you, your results will always be more than the effort you invested. The abundance God has for you is not a product of self-effort or toil. Your plans will not lead you there, popular opinion will not lead you there, the system of this world will not lead you there, your intellect, logic & reasoning will not lead you there, your effort will not lead you there, you only get there by hearing and following His voice.
Regardless of the type of abundance you seek, the instruction remains the same – Do not go down to Egypt, Do as I tell you!
What is God requiring of you this year?
“When you sow in the land God has for you, your results will always be more than the effort you invested.”
There is provision in God’s direction.
My takeaway is to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit to experience the abundance God has in store for me. Thank you for this word.
“There is provision God’s direction” – this is correct. Yes that is the key take away. Thank God for sending us His word.
This is absolutely true. Instructions would come, but following it is the key to abundance. We need to note also that God’s instructions only come to His own. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:27. Are you God’s own? Is God the Lord over your life and are you willing to follow His instructions?
So true Sir, Only God’s own would hear His instructions. May God grant us us the grace to follow. Thank you for always bringing us God’s word in season each year! God bless you abundantly.