RE-DIGGING THE OLD WELLS
SERMON STARTER
Friday night I joined Tim and Vickie DeTal for prayers. We prayed together for two hours. Tim played soft instrumental music in the background while we prayed and sought the Lord. Vickie brought some devotional literature and began to read it aloud. On one piece she read "digging the old wells." At that point I saw a vision. . .
When Lois myself and the family came here in 1976 there were wells everywhere. Some of the wells were "Dug wells," organized and lined carefully with brick. Other wells were spontaneous wells, Artesian Wells that flowed freely with cold refreshing water. Dug wells last about as long as their founder. A well's productivity may be thirty to forty years. When the founder, discoverer and digger retires or dies, the well too often becomes clogged and dries up.
Please understand, I speak in mysteries and allegories. To be specific in 1976 when I arrived in this region, there were 52 churches and ministries in this valley. There were 250 clergy persons serving these churches. The refreshing water of the Holy Spirit flowed freely in the Shenango Valley region. There was a well in New Wilmington, Living Word. There was a well flowing at Pleasant Valley Evangelical Church in Niles, Ohio. I knew the men that dug these spiritual wells.
I also found wells of refreshing in the Jesus' Events held at Agape Farm and also in Mercer under the supervision of Pastor Jim Erb. In the late 70's we were refreshed by the annual week-long conferences at Duquesne University. The wells of refreshing were many and flowing.
My Friday Night vision revealed the need for re-digging these ancient wells of the Holy Spirit's refreshing. The arduous task of re-digging ancient wells will probably fall to much younger men than myself. Each of us, however, must re-dig our own wells. Pastor Phil <><<
The Duquesne Weekend Revival occurred on the university campus at a 3 day weekend retreat in mid-February 1967. More than 120 to 180 million Catholics have been affected by the impact of Duquesne and the Charismatic Movement.
August 19, 2018 - Sheepfold Ministries
Pastor Phil Roland <><<
RE-DIGGING THE OLD WELLS
Genesis 26:15-18
"The old wells of refreshing we dug in our youth aren't refreshing us in our old age. Our enemies have deceived us and plugged them with junk. It's up to us to re-dig the refreshing wells of spiritual renewal. Real revival is not an experience. Revival is a person: the Lord Jesus Christ."Pastor Phil <><<
14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14
BACKGROUND:
Wells of Ancient Israel
Buckets, Bottles and Pitchers in ancient Israel were made of sheepskin or goatskins. In today's text Isaac inherited his father Abraham's flocks and headaches w/ancient foes, the Philistines. What does it take to reopen the wells of our forefathers? The Philistines plugged the wells with rocks, old wood, dead carcasses and garbage to ruin the well for future use when Abraham died. Isaac and his men had to remove all the garbage to make the well fresh once again. Once the well was cleared the water would start flowing again, the well would once again become clean and be useful for drinking and watering the flocks and the land.
There are several requirements when Re-Digging Ancient Wells
Each Generation Must. . .
I. RE-DIG THEIR OWN WELLS - Jeremiah 2:13
13 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13
A. Ancient Israeli cisterns were dug in their front yard
1. Runoff from rooftops was funneled into the cistern
2. There was available water in the dry season
B. Wilderness Deep Wells were dug at underground water locations
1. The porous underground strata held precious water
2. The water seeped into the well, cold and refreshing
C. Spiritually, God has no grandsons, only sons and daughters
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
1. John 1:12-13 tells us only initial sons and daughters inherit the Kingdom
2. I borrowed the Faith of my Mother and my Father until 29
RE-DIGGING OLD WELLS, cont., p.2
3. Chronic pain hounded me until I sought the Lord
4. Borrowed faith will plug your own well
D. What plugs your well today?
1. Substance abuse, or it's obsessions: legal or illegal
2. Worldly Materialism, Electronic Gadgetry
3. Political Activism / Obsessions
4. People / Sexual Obsessions
5. These are false gods that take but do not give
6. They plug your well
Each Generation Must. . .
II. RE-DIG THEIR OWN WELLS OF SALVATION - Phil. 2:12
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
A. Re-Dig the Well of John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1. Unworthy, unclean despondent we come to Him
2. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us
B. Re-Dig the Well of Romans 10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with
the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.
C. Re-Dig the Well of Joy in Your Own Personal Salvation - Isa. 12:3
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.
Each Generation Must. . .
III. RE-DIG THE WELL OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD - Luke 6:46
46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
A. Real Heartfelt Revival is the beginning of a new Obedience to God
1. Re-Establishing Basic Christian Disciplines
2. Regular Bible Reading
3. Personal and Intercessory Prayer
4. Regular Worship and Fellowship with God's Saints
B. Hearing once again the Still, Small Voice of God
1. Withdraw and be alone with Him
2. Re-learn His Distinctive Voice to you
C. Jesus learned Obedience through Suffering - Hebrews 5:8,9
8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He
suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal
salvation to all who obey Him,
RE-DIGGING OLD WELLS, cont., p.3
Each Generation Must. . .
IV. RE-DIG THE WELL OF FAITH - Luke 17:5
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
A. The Well of Faith is too easily clogged
1. Doubt is a big Faith Clogger
2. World, Flesh and Devil say you'll suffer "Lack"
3. All Lies: The worst deceived are the self-deceived
B. God has promised we'll never be Alone - Exodus 33:14
14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
C. We seek Him not for things, but Himself - Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him.
1. We seeks Him for Himself and His Approval
2. His Guidance and Direction is Priceless
3. Stay in His Word and allow His Faith to Leave You
Each Generation Must. . .
V. RE-DIG THE WELL OF REVIVAL - Psalm 85:6
6 Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?
Revive - Hebrew = חָיָה = ḥāyâ = To Live, To Save, To Quicken
A. Tarry until God's Spirit moves you - Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts
of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will
call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you
will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
1. He's not far from your Clogged Well
2. You'll find him as you clean out what obstructs
B. Discover what you left behind as your Well Plugged - Rev. 2:4,5
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first
works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from
its place--unless you repent.
C. Find how the Holy Spirit can give you a new heart and spirit -
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the
heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
D. Drink once again from the Fountain of Living Waters - Rev. 7:16,17
16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not
strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne
will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God
will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
RE-DIGGING OLD WELLS
Genesis 26:15-18 (NKJV)
15 Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we."
17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.
