Prospering in times of crisis and famine is God’s intention and agenda for his children. I say this statement boldly and confidently because we have numerous scriptures in the Bible that testify to this statement. We also have many accounts in the Bible of how God supernaturally provided for his chosen nation Israel in Egypt (Exodus 12), in the wilderness (Exodus 16), and various accounts of God making provision for his servants in times of need, scarcity, and famine.
Genesis 26: 1-6,12-13 [AMP].
“Now there was a famine in the land [of Canaan], besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I will tell you. 3 Live temporarily [as a resident] in this land and I will be with you and will bless and favor you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will establish and carry out the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of the heavens, and will give to your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, 5 because Abraham listened to and obeyed My voice and [consistently] kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar…
12 Then Isaac planted [seed] in that land [as a farmer] and reaped in the same year a hundred times [as much as he had planted], and the Lord blessed and favored him. 13 And the man [Isaac] became great and gained more and more until he became very wealthy and extremely distinguished;”
Just as we read in the key scripture above Genesis 26, we see God intervene in the life of Isaac in the time of famine by giving him clear and specific instructions of what to do which eventually led to him prospering even in the time of scarcity.
Did you notice that God gave him a new business idea ( farming) that brought about expansion of his family business – as we know the family business he had inherited from his father was well-digging, tent-making and tending livestock.
God’s instruction to him and his obedience to God’s voice led him to diversify into a new industry – Agriculture. This is one of the benefit of seeking God for direction in times of crisis because He is the Omnipotent God, the one who created the heavens and the earth and knows all things. The great God who spoke in the beginning on the third day in Genesis 1:11- 12 [AMP] for all types of plants to grow.
“ 11 So God said, “Let the earth sprout [tender] vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit according to (limited to, consistent with) their kind, whose seed is in them upon the earth”; and it was so. 12 The earth sprouted and abundantly produced vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, according to their kind; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.”
In the case of Isaac, God knew exactly what seed he needed to plant in that time of famine that would produce a great harvest within a very short period of time. So, that he and his household could be sustained in the time of famine as he promises in ( Psalm 37:19).
The beauty of God’s inspired idea to us is not only for us to blessed. No, it’s that we are blessed to be a blessing to others. When God blesses us, He blesses us so that we can be a channel of blessing to many other people. And the key is in obedience to his voice and instruction – this is why the blessing was on Abraham –
Genesis 22:18 “And through your offspring (seed) all nations of the earth will be blessed because you have obeyed My voice.” And that blessing is upon as many who also belong to Christ – Galatians 3:29 [NLT] “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
So, the business idea God gave Isaac was not only for his family to be sustained but also that he will become a blessing to others by creating a business around God’s instruction to Him. The instruction to stay in Gerar temporarily and not to go down to Egypt. His obedience to God’s voice resulted in him planting a seed that had the capacity to produce a harvest within a short period of time. Here’s what the Bible says in verse 12 that “Isaac planted [seed] in that land [as a farmer] and reaped in the same year a hundred times [as much as he had planted], and the Lord blessed and favored him. The same year he planted the seed and within the same year, he reaped.
God wants to do the same in our lives too especially in this season where we face the current global economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. God wants to give us breakthrough ideas that will yield in the short term and long term too ( like he gave to Joseph in Genesis 41). God wants us to prosper exceedingly (Ephesians 3:20) in famine as the scriptures remind us in –
Psalm 37:19 [MSG] “In hard times, they’ll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they’ll be full.
Psalm 37:18 [NIV]
“In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.”
Psalm 37:18 [NLT] “They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.”
All through the scriptures in both the old and the new testament, we see God step into various crisis situation to give his chosen nation Israel, his servants, and prophets from Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Moses, Noah, Elijah, Elisha, Esther, Deborah, Joseph (Jesus earthly father) Mary the mother of Jesus, etc. instructions and directions that made them overcome the crisis.
It is important to know that it was not just hearing the instruction that brought about the miracles and blessings they experienced. But it was in their quickness to obey God without giving it a second thought or trying to make sense of the instruction God was giving to them. They simply obeyed the voice of God immediately and they experienced the blessings of their obedience.
Note* we create for ourselves an atmosphere for a blessing when we wholeheartedly obey God down to every instruction He gives us.
My good news to you today is this – That even in times of crisis and famine, like the world is currently experiencing, God has an Exemption plan for you and me as he reminds us in –
Romans 8:28 [AMP] “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.].”
My reminder to you today is this – that God still speaks and as our beloved Heavenly Father He wants to speak to us, He wants to provide us with instructions and directions that will navigate us out victoriously. He wants to give us business ideas that will cause us to flourish beyond our wildest imagination.
So, today’s post is just to let you dear reader know that God is speaking and He is earnestly looking forward to his children come into his presence for a time of fellowship with Him. The heavens are saturated with witty ideas for global transformation in this seemingly “crisis and uncertain times” but only those who are intentional and chose to pause and be still that are guaranteed to capture this heavenly Downloads.
God wants to download strategies, reveal answers to enigmas and give us patterns to build global businesses that will cause us to prosper, become wealthy, and extremely distinguished (Genesis 26:12) as we add value to other too even in this time of crisis. All it takes is to make His presence priority. To choose to be still, listen, write down what He saying to you and run with it.
Finally, let’s be careful not to tune in, listen and hear everyone else but don’t make hearing, listening, and being still in His presence our number one priority. We are at an advantage when we intentionally spend time in his presence. When we choose to turn down the noise and tune in to listen to our Heavenly Father’s voice to hear what He will say to us.
And whilst we are in his presence let us take time to pour out love to him through our worship. Worship is his food (Psalm 67) and He inhabitants our praises (Psalm 22:3). Let us, therefore, give our Heavenly Father what is due to Him alone, our worship in spirit and in truth [John 4:23].
… Remember, God is speaking – be still, listen, write it down, and run with it.
