Isaac Grew Rich in a Famine: Why Men Don't Envy Poverty

Sermon outline

Like Isaac, who kept increasing in a famine because the blessing of God was on him, you can grow in an economic downturn if you trust God, refuse strife and boldly claim what is yours in Jesus' name.

1. Increase in the time of famine

   Isaac waxed great, went forward and grew until he became very great. The Hebrew means to prosper, increase, advance, enlarge and expand, speedily and rapidly, and he did it during an economic downturn simply because the blessing of God was on him. As the world faces an economic downturn now, don't fix your eyes on it, but on the Word and the Spirit of God to meet your needs and more.

   Illustration: He reads the verse in the New King James, New Living, Amplified and Message Bibles: 'the man got richer and richer by the day'.

   “Don't let your eyes focus on the economic downturn, but let our eyes rather focus on the Word of God and on the Spirit of God.”

   • Genesis 26:12-14

2. The blessing draws envy

   The Philistines envied Isaac because they could literally see the blessing on him. Jealousy comes from wanting what someone else has: people are not jealous of another's lack but of their increase and success. They filled up his wells, and Abimelech asked him to leave because he had become too big for them.

   “Men don't envy poverty. They envy someone who has more than them.”

   • Genesis 26:14-16

3. You cannot stop another man's blessing

   Every time Isaac dug a well, the Philistines filled it, yet he kept expanding in spite of the persecution until he named a well Rehoboth: room, broad places, enlargement. When God has blessed a person or a ministry, you cannot fight God, so instead of trying to stop the blessing, celebrate it and become a partaker of it.

   “You cannot stop another man's blessing.”

   • Genesis 26:18-22

4. Walk by faith and in love, and refuse strife

   The Lord appeared to Isaac and said 'Fear not, I am with you', and Isaac partook of the generational blessing of his father Abraham. Your faith only works if you walk in love, so don't throw away your confidence or grow weary in doing right, because you will reap in due season. It is an honour to cease from strife, because strife blocks the blessings of God.

   “Strife is a blessing blocker.”

   • Genesis 26:24
   • Galatians 5:6
   • Hebrews 10:35
   • Galatians 6:9
   • Proverbs 20:3
   • Proverbs 4:23

5. Kingdom increase

   It is God alone who gives the power to get wealth, to establish His covenant. He will love you, bless you and increase you, and the Hebrew of 'increase you more and more' means He will keep adding to you over and above, giving rain in its season so the land yields its increase.

   “It is God that gives us the power to get wealth.”

   • Deuteronomy 8:18
   • Deuteronomy 7:13
   • Psalm 115:14
   • Leviticus 26:4

6. Symbols of kingdom prosperity

   Even Isaac's enemies said, 'We can plainly see that the Lord is with you.' God told Judah and Israel that they had been a symbol of the curse, but He would make them a symbol and a source of blessing, and that His people would sparkle like jewels in a crown, lifted up like a banner. The Hebrew means to be made conspicuous, to gleam from afar like a flag in the wind.

   “It's wonderful to have God on your side.”

   • Genesis 26:28-29
   • Zechariah 8:13
   • Zechariah 9:16-17

7. Claim what is yours

   To claim means to take as the rightful owner and to assert a right even in the face of contradiction, so don't keep waiting to take the land. Jesus' promise to do whatever we ask in His name gives us the power of attorney to use His name. He shares a word of the Lord through a man of God: use your authority, command Satan to take his hand off your money, and release the ministering spirits to bring your bounty.

   “This statement gives you the power of attorney to use the name of Jesus to ask your Heavenly Father for anything that you want.”

   • Joshua 18:3
   • John 14:13
   • Hebrews 1:14