Scriptures:
Genesis 26:18-23
Deuteronomy 33:13
John 7:38
The Big Idea: What if the well was within you?
The Well Within:
Have you ever felt like you’re running on empty, desperately praying for a breakthrough from above? What if the very thing you’re seeking is already within you, waiting to be unleashed? This profound truth is beautifully illustrated in the story of Isaac from Genesis 26.
In a time of famine, Isaac faced a choice: flee or stay and trust God’s promise. Despite making mistakes along the way, God’s blessing flowed through Isaac’s life. He reaped a hundredfold harvest in a time of scarcity, demonstrating that God’s promises are not dependent on our perfection, but on His faithfulness.
As Isaac’s prosperity grew, so did opposition. The Philistines, driven by jealousy, filled up the wells Abraham had dug. This act wasn’t just about water; it was an attempt to erase the legacy and blessing that flowed through Abraham’s lineage. Yet Isaac persevered, reopening these wells and digging new ones.
This story speaks volumes about the wells of blessing and potential within each of us. Often, we look outward for solutions, praying for the “dew from heaven” to solve our problems. But what if, like Isaac, we need to dig deeper into the wells already within us?
Deuteronomy 33 offers a powerful blessing: “May the Lord bless His land with the precious dew of heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below.” This imagery of light dew from above and weighty waters from below paints a beautiful picture of God’s provision. While we often focus on the “dew” – the immediate, visible blessings – there’s something far more substantial waiting to be tapped within us.
Jesus himself spoke of this internal wellspring in John 7:38: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” This isn’t just a trickle or a small stream – it’s rivers of living water! The potential within us is far greater than we often realize.
So what’s blocking these wells? Sometimes it’s shame from past mistakes, generational cycles we haven’t broken, or simply a lack of belief in what God has placed within us. Like Isaac, we may need to “unblock” these wells by confronting these issues and stepping into the fullness of God’s promise for our lives.
Here’s a challenging thought: what if you’re only operating at 40% of your true capacity? The Navy SEALs have a concept called the “40% rule,” suggesting that when we think we’ve hit our limits, we’ve actually only tapped into 40% of our potential. In our spiritual lives, this principle takes on even greater significance. When we feel we can’t go on, that’s precisely the moment to dig deeper and tap into the 60% of untapped potential God has placed within us.
This isn’t just about personal growth; it’s about creating the future God has called us to build. Humans are unique among creation – while other creatures build homes to survive, we are called to build the future. The well within you contains solutions, innovations, and creations that could transform your family, community, and even nations.
Consider the nation of Israel, a small strip of land that has produced countless world-changing innovations. If a physical promised land can yield such fruit, imagine the potential within the church – the spiritual promised land – empowered by the Holy Spirit!
So how do we tap into this well? It starts with belief – not just casual acknowledgment, but wholehearted trust in God. It means giving Him everything – your marriage, your children, your resources, your time, your very self. As you do, those rivers of living water begin to flow, not just changing your life but impacting the world around you.
Remember, throughout Scripture, God gave His people futures they had to step into:
- Noah didn’t wait for rain; he built an ark with the wood he had.
- Joseph didn’t panic in famine; he designed a food system that saved nations.
- David wasn’t handed a palace; he was given a sling to defeat giants.
God is calling you to step into the future He has for you, armed with the well of potential He’s already placed within you.
As you reflect on this truth, ask yourself:
- What “wells” in my life need to be unblocked?
- Am I settling for 40% when God has 100% available?
- What future is God calling me to create with the potential He’s placed in me?
It’s time to let go of shame, break generational cycles, and believe in the fullness of what God has for you. Your 40% can become 50%, then 60%, 70%, and beyond. As you tap into this well, you’ll find not just enough for yourself, but rivers of living water that can bring life and transformation to the world around you.
The future is waiting, and you have everything you need to build it. Let it flow!
Discussion Questions
- How might the concept of ‘hidden capacity’ apply to your spiritual life, and in what areas do you feel God may be calling you to tap into that 40-60% potential?
- In what ways have you experienced ‘wells being blocked’ in your life, and how can you actively work with God to unblock them?
- How does the story of Isaac reopening his father Abraham’s wells speak to the importance of honoring spiritual legacy while also creating new opportunities for blessing?
- What does it mean to you personally to be a ‘creator of the future’ as a follower of Christ, and how might this perspective change your approach to challenges?
- How can we balance the desire for ‘dew from heaven’ (external blessings) with cultivating the ‘deep waters that lie below’ (internal spiritual resources)?
- In what ways might shame or generational cycles be hindering the flow of God’s blessing in your life, and how can you address these obstacles?
- How does the imagery of water and wells throughout scripture (e.g. John 7:38) deepen your understanding of God’s provision and our role in accessing it?
- What might it look like to move from a ‘40% faith’ to allowing the full ‘river of life’ to flow through you, as described in the sermon?
- How can the church collectively tap into its ‘hidden capacity’ to bring about transformation in society, as illustrated by the example of Israel’s innovations?
- In what areas of your life do you need to shift from merely surviving to thriving, and how might a deeper connection to God’s ‘well within’ facilitate this change?
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