Are you experiencing transition or change? When there is uncertainty around you, it is time to look up. God invites you to see with the eyes of faith His unshakable Kingdom. There, above all, is your covenant-keeping God, who never changes.
The story of Isaac sheds light on what it means to walk in covenant with God in times of transition. Here are five insights from his journey:
1. God Will Use Transition to Reposition You
A transition may start with a growing feeling of discontent, and you start to think and dream outside of the box of your current situation. But there may also be times when change is thrust upon you. This happened to Isaac when King Abimelech evicted him, and he had to relocate his huge household and flocks (Genesis 26). As a result, Isaac went on a journey through the land, encountering much opposition and uncertainty.
Finally, Isaac arrived at Beersheba, his future home. Here, the Lord appeared to him in the night and affirmed His covenant: "...I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham" (Genesis 26:24).
During painful times of transition, be assured that God has a plan for you, and you will discover that the pathway of change has led you to a place of greater fruitfulness.
2. "Dispute" Does not Have to Be a Permanent Address
As Isaac moved his household to a new location, he needed to keep his flocks and people supplied with water. Along the way, Isaac's servants worked hard to reopen the wells previously used by his father, Abraham. However, the locals quarreled with them and contended that the water belonged to them. Isaac named those wells Esek (meaning "quarreling") and Sitnah (meaning "enmity"), and continued onward. (Photo via Pexels)
Here we notice something remarkable about Isaac. When conflict arose, he was willing to let go and move on. He would name the problem for what it was, but he wouldn't camp there. Isaac's story reminds us that contention will come our way, but "dispute" does not have to be our permanent address. There are times to contend, but other times, God moves us on.
Hear the Lord saying, "I have more for you!"
Freedom and provision are up ahead!
3. During Transition, You Can Trust in God's Unlimited Supply
Isaac was rich in the blessings of God upon his life. And because he knew the source of his favor was God, he had nothing to prove to others. This was because Isaac had inherited the same covenant with God that his father Abraham had. Because his confidence was in God, who had made the promise, Isaac could release his claim. He was free to move on when there was competition for resources.
So long as we have a limited mindset, we will try to hold on to what we have possessed and lost. But when the Holy Spirit tells us to release and move on, we are free to go, because we know that more is on its way.
This is the mindset of abundance—the covenant mindset: You can trust in God's unlimited supply and know that more is always on its way.
4. Don't Settle for Less than God's Best in the Transition
"He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, 'Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.'" (Genesis 26:19-22)
Finally, Isaac was free of dispute! The season of contention was over. Isaac could stay in Rehoboth, where there was "room." But his divine appointment was still ahead of him. So, he kept moving until he reached Beersheba.
Sometimes we want to settle for "enough," but God has more for us. He says, "I have enlargement and encounter for you." There is more up ahead!
Beersheba was significant, and not just because it had access to water. It was a place of divine encounter and God's appointed home for him.
5. See Yourself at Home in God's Covenant and Promises
Understanding God's covenant brings us to rest and faith.
Finally, at Beersheba, Isaac had found a place to live. And here, King Abimelech approached him with a treaty to live in peace. (Photo via Unsplash)
Just as Isaac named the other locations according to their wells, he named this one Beersheba, meaning "well of the oath." But Isaac was not the first to name it so; a generation earlier, Abraham made a treaty and first named it Beersheba. So, the location was characterized by agreement, and the covenant of God.
Like Isaac at Beersheba, the covenant of God is where we live. It is our permanent address—the Father's house. And like Isaac, we too can walk in covenant and live from covenant. And when times of transition come, we can trust God to take care of us. For no one can hold us back—neither the plans of others nor the strategies of our enemy. And He will safely bring us to our destination.
Your Divine Appointment at the Well of Covenant
Whereas Isaac lived from the Abrahamic covenant, we have a better one! Jesus "...is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6; see also Luke 22:20).
Today, Beersheba ("well of the oath") reminds us of God's covenant supply. A well may look small from the outside, but the underground supply of water it is connected to can be huge. And all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ. So within this covenant is the ultimate security; it covers every part of your life.
Today, see Jesus is waiting for you at the "well of covenant." He is your Wellspring of supply, and this transition will bring you to your place of divine appointment.
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Helen Calder
Enliven Ministries
Email:Â helen@enlivenpublishing.com
Website:Â www.enlivenpublishing.com
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries, in the David McCracken Ministries family. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in the areas of prophetic ministry, discernment and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog, an online prophetic training and mentoring resource that reaches thousands of people globally. Helen and Malcolm have been married for 37 years and are at home in Planetshakers Church, Melbourne, Australia.
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