Digging Wells & Trenches

2 Kings 3:16-17 AMP - He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley (the Arabah) full of trenches.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink.

There will be seasons in your life when God calls you to move somewhere, take a particular job, join a ministry, or start a business only to run into opposition from these very relationships. When your provision is blocked for no apparent reason by people who were once very friendly, who become threatened by you. A person you have never quarreled with will suddenly begin to act like your enemy. They'll become jealous, start arguments, and make accusations against you.

This very thing happen to Isaac when God called him to move into new territory and he begin searching for water, digging up his father's old wells that had been filled with dirt by Abraham's enemies. As soon as Isaac and his team would hit water, have success, people who were previously very friendly with him became envious and jealous of Isaac's success as a wealthy agricultural and farming entrepreneur, who was blessed by God.

When you become successful because of God, haters will rise up against you. Guaranteed!

Instead of reacting to these attacks, Isaac just moved on to dig new wells in other places. This happened several times to him and I'm sure he was getting tired of digging new wells and having the same thing happen to him over and over again. But Isaac just kept on digging knowing eventually God would bless his efforts.

By the time he dug his fourth well, he outlasted his critics, opponents and accusers. Because Isaac kept digging by faith, God blessed his digging and he became even more prosperous and abundant. Sometime later his enemies actually came to Isaac and asked him for forgiveness and for his blessing. Isaac forgave them and actually threw a feast for them.

That day God blessed Isaac with a fifth well. (Genesis 26)

I can't count the times I've had friends who turned into enemies ask for forgiveness following a betrayal. At some point they see that you are blessed by God and they want in on the blessing. When you love your enemies it's easy to forgive them.

Another time in the Bible a group of kings joined together to fight against a fourth king. They got some bad advice from some consultants and ended up in the middle of the desert without any water after a seven day journey. They were exhausted, thirsty and realized they needed advice from a true man of God, the prophet Elisha. Elisha was a tough-love kind of prophet. A Clint Eastwood type. A "Make My Day" type. One time some some boys were making fun of him calling him baldy. Elisha called out two bears who mauled 42 of the boys. He was a bad-ass! (donkey for you religious types)

Scenes like this play out in modern life all the time. Someone moves somewhere, takes a particular job, joins a ministry, or starts a business only to end up in a desert season.

Elisha instructed them to dig trenches throughout the desert. Why? Because He had a word from God. Don't quit. Start digging. The last thing you FEEL like doing when the going gets tough is to start digging. What you feel like doing is to quit and give up.

2 Kings 3:16-17 AMP - He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley (the Arabah) full of trenches.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink.

I see this happen to new entrepreneurs on a regular basis. They follow some bad advice, sometimes their own, and they end up in a dry place and give up. This happens to all of us at some point, when we find ourselves in a dry place. But here's the thing I've learned over the past 37 years as a serial entrepreneur, never quit a God assignment. Get a fresh Word from God and start digging. Digging is the diligence and perseverance of action by faith, even when water or provision is no place in sight.

After the armies dug the trenches, God sent a miraculous storm that filled the trenches with water, and then the three kings conquered the fourth king.

Whether God has you digging wells or ditches, keep digging and never quit. God is allowing you to be tested, this is a place where you learn obedience to the Word of God. Even Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)

When life becomes uncomfortable, seek out the comforter for advice. If God sends you an Elisha, listen to them and do what they say. Whatever you do, never quit, start digging.

-Gerald