LOST WELLS
Genesis 26:15,18: For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth (or filled with dirt).
Wells dug by Christians are lost after the death of the founder. The devil closes such platforms so that lives will not be reached for Salvation.
When Abraham died the Philistines stopped all the wells dug by Abraham.
The mission schools and hospitals were lost after the death of the pioneers because those that succeeded them were not faithful men. The prince of this world used his children like the Philistines to stop them. Some were filled with dirty policies and principle against the founding principles.
Christian Wells were lost after the death of the founders.
We have to ensure that the platforms (Information Technology, Agriculture, Health, Radio and Television programmes/stations) and others that God has given us must serve the purpose of Jesus all our days and the coming generation even after we have left this world.
REVIVING LOST WELLS
Abraham used peaceful dialogue with Abimelech to get back his well that was taken away from him violently.
Abimelech restored it back seeing that God is with Abraham in all that he does, Gen 21:22-34.
Abraham “signed a contract” with Abimelech to secure the well through the covenant and named that place Beersheba as a witness that he dug and owns the well. As the presence and glory of the Lord is revealed in our lives, and authorities will begin to dialogue with us, let us ensure we document it and put into agreement our Wells (platforms) for our sakes and our Isaac (future generation).
When Abraham died then the Philistines covered all the wells he dug but his son Isaac revived them and named them as his father did. This means that the policies and governance of our founding fathers must be applied when we revive the wells. We should not make a name for ourselves just as Isaac never made a name for Himself.
Let us arise and start to build again like Isaac did! We are to name them after (lay the same foundational principles in Christ) just as our fathers did. We are to contend for the faith of our fathers.
PRESERVING THESE PLATFORMS
Some Christian mission schools, hospitals Radio and Television programmes/stations and others were taken over by government.
John 4:5-6 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with [his] journey, sat thus on the well: [and] it was about the sixth hour.
Jacob gave Joseph a parcel of ground near Jacob’s well because he knew he was faithful and would preserve this platform till Jesus is revealed.
Genesis 48:22 Moreover, I have given to you [Joseph] one portion [Shechem, one mountain slope] more than any of your brethren, which I took [reclaiming it] out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow. (AMP)
Genesis 48:22 As for me, I’m presenting you, as the first among your brothers, the ridge of land I took from Amorites with my sword and bow. (THE MESSAGE BIBLE).
Joseph was given an extra portion above the portion of his brothers. This portion is a mountain ridge (a ridge is a long area of land that is on top of a mountain or hill) is near Jacob’s well. This is also an additional responsibility.
Part of the vision of God for Joseph was ”sent to preserve life”. He was given the responsibility to provide the basic needs of life to preserve the Church (Jacob’s household) and the world when he was the prime minister.
This mountainous ridge for us could be that position of influence at your organization, institution, business, Church and different sectors that Jesus has allowed you to “occupy till he comes” so that you can bring profit to the kingdom and preserve Jacob’s well, those platforms like schools, hospitals, agricultural sectors and others.
It is a ridge so we can stand as watchmen in the place of prayer and be effective in exerting kingdom influence upon these platforms.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS PLACE: JACOB’S BATTLE
Genesis 33:18-19 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which [is] in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.
Jacob bought this field from the hands of the children of Hamor, then how come he had to fight for it again (Gen 48:22)?
ANSWER: This is the effect of some ‘senior brothers’ (of Joseph) in the faith like (Simeon and Levi, brothers to Dinah) who because of unforgiveness, selfishness, covetousness, anger, hatred, pride posed threat to the kingdom work by killing the people of Shalim a city in Shechem.
They caused the desolation of the altar where the fathers of faith like Jacob, acknowledged God as their God, after over 20 years of denying God as their God at Bethel and confirmed that the presence of God was of safety to them from all forces of Esau; El-eleho-Israel (God, God of Israel, Gen 33:20). It was a threat to our fathers’ stay, investment, Jacob’s well at Shechem (Gen 34).
The Amorite (Gen 34:30) would have joined forces to kill Jacob and his households if the Lord had not told them to leave that land. (Gen 35:1). These senior brothers have made us (the Church) to lose grounds of our inheritance. They made the Church (Jacob and his household) to stink among the inhabitants (unbelievers in those platforms). Our words do not hold weight before them anymore.
These Senior brothers in the faith are the ones ruling the helm of affairs in the nations presently but they have jeopardize this field/land (bought by our fathers of faith) for the preservation of this well. These senior brothers wrecked havoc at various position of influence they occupied at different sectors; school, hospitals, agriculture, engineering and others. Some have compromised the faith at this position. This has made the people of the world draw a false conclusion about Christians, thus we here words like, “that’s how they (Christians) behave, they are pretenders.”
Now this battle must be fought on our kneels in prayer to our heavenly father to regain our lost grounds and stand at our post till the Messiah is revealed.
The Bible never recorded that Jacob fought any battle. In fact Jacob was easy going and his weapon was supplanting others before he encountered God at Peniel, where He changed him.
Then when did he fight this silent Battle with the Amorite?
When and where did he learn to use the bow and sword?
How can Jacob after his youthful age learn to use weapon of war or go into a battle?
THIS BATTLE WAS THE ONLY BATTLE JACOB’S EVER FOUGHT.
ARE WE READY TO FIGHT FOR OUR LOST GROUNDS IN THE PLACE OF PRAYER?
The Amorites had five kings, they were warlike mountaineers and some were giants. How did he defeat them with His bow and sword?
All these helps us to see that this position/space you are is a rare privilege and cost the heavenly father (the mighty warrior) dearly. Make that position count as the Lord begins to restore the ‘Joseph generations’ to those positions in different sectors, don’t be like the unprofitable servant who went to hide the talent given to him by God, it was taken away from him and given to another man.
Genesis 49:22-24 Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well (spring or fountain), whose branches run over the wall. Skilled archers have bitterly attacked and sorely worried him; they have shot at him and persecuted him. But his bow remained strong and steady and rested in the Strength that does not fail him, for the arms of his hands were made strong and active by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, (AMP)
WHY?
Joseph is a fruitful branch. After all the persecution he passed through by the Church (his brothers), Egypt (the world) he remained fruitful. He is a fruitful branch by a well (Jacob’s Well). His branch runs over a wall. His branch exert its influence on the well. He is to stand upon the watch tower (mountain) and be a watchman in the place of prayer. His father gave him a mountainous ridge so that from there he can see, monitor and defend Jacob’s well so that it will not lose its essence and relevance because Jacob’s well must remain till Jesus will be revealed. This is his life assignment, ” sent to preserve life (even ‘life’ of this Jacob’s well).
Prayer
Lord pls help me to be a fruitful Christian and let my fruitful branch preserve the platforms you have posted me. Amen
CHALLENGES
Persecution will arise because of that space or position you are occupying. The archers will shoot at you just as they shot at Joseph. The Ishmaelite were archers, they were the ones that bought Joseph from his brothers and took him to Egypt. They will speak idle and vain words concerning you.
Genesis 49:23 The archers with malice attacked, shooting their hate-tipped arrows;( THE MESSAGE) These persecutions will stop once you don’t use your position to protect Jacob’s well (the mandate of Jesus) but if you do, bear in mind that God will remove His unprofitable servant.
Despite the persecution “…. his bow remained strong and steady and rested in the Strength that does not fail him, for the arms of his hands were made strong and active by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob.” We must not give in to pressure to compromise our faith at our post for the Lord Jesus will defend and strengthen us.
THE COST
Malaria killed many western missionaries in African but yet they kept sending more missionaries so that they can gain the land for the Lord. These Western missionaries died at their post using different platforms like schools, hospitals, infrastructure, portable water system to reveal Jesus.
OUR CONSOLATION
No matter how many years the Church (Israel) is oppressed by the world (Egypt), no matter how many brethren in the Church fall in the wilderness of their making and do not get to the promise land, we know that the Word of God and the Word of His prophecies shall never fail:
Genesis 48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
Genesis 50:24-25 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Joseph (dead bones) and his generations shall get to the promise land. Joseph’s (dead bones) presence at that portion in Shechem made him to be a fruitful bough.
Let us as Christian arise to be a fruitful branch in the hands of God. Any unfruitful branch will be cut off and cast into the fire by God the judge of all.
