Don't Stay Away From The Place of Covenant

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. Father, thank you for the opportunity to hear your word. Thank you again for giving us another chance to be blessed, another chance to encounter you, another chance to connect to covenant, another chance for your presence and your power to be revealed of our lives.

[0:34] I pray that as I teach your word, grant me clarity of thought and righteous of words and utterance that somebody's life will definitely have encounters with you through your word and through my speaking.

[0:46] I pray let the sick be healed. Let the sinner be convicted. Let, oh God, the power of the Holy Spirit be manifested.

[0:57] Let your kingdom come. Let the platform be created for the manifestation of your purpose, your purpose and your program and plan in the lives of your people in our church, in the churches represented on this platform, Lord, in our communities, in our cities, in our nations, and in this generation.

[1:16] I bless your name, oh Lord. Thank you for your goodness and this privilege. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Don't stay away from the place of covenant.

[1:29] Don't stay away from the place of covenant. Times will change. Situations will happen. But please, never stay away from the place of covenant.

[1:39] Because the place of covenant is your place of refuge. The place of covenant is your place of advantage. The place of covenant is your place of an upper hand and lifting and rising.

[1:54] The place of covenant is the only place that through which God can properly execute and bring to bear, bring to fruition his plan, his promises, and his intentions concerning our life.

[2:06] Don't stay away from the place of covenant. Hallelujah. Let's look at the text in Genesis chapter 26 from verse 1. And there was a famine in the land beside the famine, the first famine that was in the days of Abraham.

[2:21] And Isaac went unto Abimelech, king of Philistines, unto Gerah. Where did Isaac go? He went to Gerah. And the Lord appeared to him and said, Go not down into Egypt.

[2:36] Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Where I will tell you. God is always interested in specific places. Where I will tell you of.

[2:47] Sojourn in the land and I will be with thee and I will bless thee. For unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father.

[3:01] And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of the heaven and will give unto thy seed all these countries. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

[3:16] Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Hallelujah. Watch this.

[3:27] And Isaac dwelt in Gerah. That's the land of the Philistines. But he dwelt there. His intention, his purpose was to go down to Egypt. Egypt represents the world.

[3:39] Backsliding. Doing things like you don't know God. Living based and building your life based purely only on the systems of the world. That is dangerous.

[3:50] God said, don't go down to Egypt. Isaac stayed in Gerah. Now, initially, that's not where he used to be. In Genesis, after Abraham died, a chapter behind.

[4:02] Genesis chapter 25 verse 11. Bible says that, and it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son. He hasn't done anything. The father dying brought blessings on him.

[4:14] And we are not talking about the will. Because as for the will, it appears in verse 5. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. So Isaac had already been given every possession of Abraham.

[4:28] Abraham gave it to Isaac. But, you know, he had it, but the blessing of God had not manifested. And so Bible says that after Abraham died, God blessed Isaac.

[4:39] Hallelujah. And let me read it again. And it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac. And Isaac dwelt in, Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai Roy.

[4:52] By the well. These are such important and significant things to notice. Now, let me talk about well. They used to dwell in desert land. And you only always need to settle.

[5:04] In anthropology, humans have always settled around water bodies. Those who have settled on top mountains and higher grounds is because of battle and defense.

[5:16] All right. But many, many people, many communities, many cities are always built around the river or around the water bodies. They have settled. People have always settled around water bodies.

[5:29] In those days, they didn't have huge rivers. But you have to find a place where you can find a well. And Abraham was a well digger. And Isaac comes. And the Bible says that God blessed Isaac.

[5:41] And he dwelt in Lahai Roy. And Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai Roy. Why well? Well is the source of water.

[5:53] Water is very important. Do you remember the discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman? Where did it happen? It all happened around the well. The Bible says that Jesus went to the well.

[6:05] I believe Jesus is coming to somebody's well. Before you say the amen, let me finish it. Jesus is coming to somebody's well. Jesus met the woman at the well because her life was not fulfilled.

[6:16] But she had a sense of support, a sense of living. So she was okay. I don't need anything. At least I'm fine. The system is working for me. But the system is not fulfilling.

[6:28] The system is not all-encompassing. The system doesn't meet the actual needs of your destiny. Yeah, I know you have education. I know you have your qualification. I know you have the good job.

[6:39] But in spite of the good job, look at the state of your family. In spite of the good job, look at the state of your marriage. In spite of the good job, look at the state of your health. In spite of your citizenship.

[6:52] In spite of your nationality. Look at the condition of your life. So there are some systems, well systems, okay, well, worldly systems, well, okay, well, there are some wells, W-E-L-L, which we can equal to worldly system that can meet your need, that can quench your test, but it's not fulfilling.

[7:13] It's not destiny fulfilling. It's not bringing fulfillment of life. Something is always missing and there's always a big question mark on your life.

[7:23] The well, Isaac dwell by well. What well are you dwelling by? Maybe it's just Lahai Roy. Lahai Roy is just a well to supply your water, but the real well, let me show you something.

[7:36] Jesus came to the woman and Jesus said in John chapter four, verse 10, he said, if you knew who he was and who is asking you for water, you would have rather turned around to ask me.

[7:49] Let me read from there. I'm making James version. Jesus said to the woman in John chapter four, verse 10, and Jesus answered to her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is, who says to you, give me to drink.

[8:04] You would have asked him and he would have given you living waters. He will give you. I have waters to give better than this one. You are talking, you are boasting about. Say, sister, what is it that you are boasting about in your life, which is not fulfilling?

[8:20] There is something better in Christ. Hallelujah. So he said, I have a better one. Look at verse 14. Verse 14 says that, but whoever drinks of the water, the water that I shall give.

[8:33] All right. Let me read from his death. Jesus answered and said, whoever drinks of this water will test again. This is not fulfilling. But he said, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never test.

[8:47] But that the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. This thing I'm going to give you, it takes care of the major questions in life.

[9:00] Hallelujah. He said, I got it. I got the answers of life. Just money. Good job. Relationships are not the answers for life. Christ is the answer.

[9:11] He said, the water I will give. You are running around different wells thinking that, look at the number of wells you have dug. The number of wells you have bought.

[9:21] The number of wells you have taken over. And yet, life is still empty because the real water is not from the worldly well. It comes from Jesus. Jesus said, let me show you something. Jesus is the water.

[9:32] 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13. I'm still reading from the New King James Version. 1 Corinthians 12 verse 20. He said, for by one spirit. Talking about the believers.

[9:43] For by one spirit, we were all baptized into one body. By one spirit. Whether Jews or Greeks. Whether slaves or free. Slaves or free.

[9:54] Whether you are married or married or married. Okay. You have a job. You are employed or unemployed. That's status. Slaves is status.

[10:05] Whether slaves or free. Watch this. Whether slaves or free. and we have all been baptized and have all been made to drink into one spirit.

[10:19] When you come to Christ, the thing that happens to you, you are made to drink. Who is this drink we are talking about? You are made to drink. You remember in John chapter 7, verse 37, on the last day, the great day of the feast, he stood out with a loud voice and cried.

[10:33] He said, if any man thirsts, if any man thirsts, let him come to me and drink. And he says that for us, the scripture says, he who believes in me, out of his belly shall flow reverse of living waters, everlasting waters.

[10:43] Is it not what Jesus said in John chapter 4, verse 14, that if you come and drink, the water I'll bring, it will be springing to everlasting life. He said, living waters is with Jesus. He is the water of life.

[10:54] Look at Corinthians again, 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 4. I like this, I like the scripture. And all, talking about the Jews, all right. Verse 12 said, all ate the same spiritual food.

[11:04] And look at verse 4, he said, all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. Hallelujah. They drank from the spiritual rock and it was Christ.

[11:15] In those days, what they even drank, Christ was their supply. Watch this. That is why they didn't run out of water when he was coming. It was gushing out of the rock. Christ is our water.

[11:26] In Revelation chapter 21, verse 6. Revelation chapter 22, verse 17. Look at Revelation chapter 21. That's towards the end of the Bible. Chapter 21, verse 6.

[11:36] The Bible says that, and he, and this is Jesus speaking. And he said to me, it is done. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him that thirst.

[11:50] Hallelujah. I said, I've got the water. Look at chapter 22, verse 17. Revelation 22, verse 17. And the spirit and the bride says, come. And let him that he has says, come. And let him that thirst come.

[12:01] Whoever desires, let him take of the water of life freely. Jesus. So, Isaac was living by Lahai Roy. But it's likely you are living by the well Lahai Roy.

[12:14] It's good. It's doing some things. It's keeping you going. But come on. It's not fulfilling. You need to be in the place of covenant. Hallelujah. You need to be in the place of covenant. Don't detach yourself from the place of covenant.

[12:26] So, Isaac dwelt by the, after Abraham died. He was blessed. Okay. He was blessed. And dwelt by the well Lahai Roy. He was blessed.

[12:37] But in Lahai Roy. The blessing was not conditional on what he was doing. The blessing was unconditional. Because he was the seed of Abraham. And Abraham had died. And Abraham physically had given him everything.

[12:48] But God said, let me add the blessing. And we have added the blessing. So, he had a source. The blessing was working on. And water was flowing. But that is not a water of covenant. Water in the place of covenant.

[12:59] Now, watch this. So, then Isaac moved from Lahai Roy. And moved towards Gerah. In the land of the Philistines. To Abimelech's territory. Abimelech was the king.

[13:11] And there was severe famine in the land. Like in the days of Abraham. And Isaac wanted to move to Egypt. But God told him, don't move. Stay here. And I will bless you. So, verse 6 of Genesis chapter 26.

[13:23] The Bible says, and Isaac dwelt in Gerah. Genesis chapter 26 verse 6. It says, and Isaac dwelt in Gerah. Now, he had moved from Lahai Roy. He is in Gerah.

[13:34] And the man, God told him, don't move. So, he dwelt in Gerah. God didn't want him to go down to Egypt. Don't look to the world for your supply. Look to God. Depend on God. The blessing is already on you.

[13:45] With time, it shall manifest. And so, verse 12. And Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him. A hundredfold means hundred percent yield.

[13:57] He didn't lose. Not even ninety-nine. He didn't have losses. A hundred percent. He sowed. Because God told him, stay there. Listen, when God tells you something. When you obey God, he's responsible for the consequences.

[14:09] Obey God and you will see the manifestation of his goodness. Isaac dwelt. God said, don't move. Isaac dwelt in the land and guess what? He didn't stay and slept. He dwelt and sowed in the land. Bible says, and Isaac sowed in that land and received the same year.

[14:23] Not next year. 2020. Somebody is about to receive this same year. Hallelujah. And receive the same year a hundredfold. I prophesy. We shall receive this same year a hundredfold.

[14:34] I prophesy to everybody listening to me who is connecting your heart. This year, as you stay with God, you shall receive a hundredfold. Within one year, within the same year of your life. Maybe you have just 10, 13 years.

[14:46] 10, 25. 10, 35. 10, 20. 10, 30. 10, 19. 10, 40. 10, 50. This same year. I'm talking about this same year.

[14:57] Cardabosh. This same year. You shall, as you obey God, you shall see results. Hundredfold returns. And the man, talking about Isaac 13. 13.

[15:07] And the man worked great and went forward and grew until he became very great. This shall be your testimony in Jesus' name. You are going forward. You shall work great, go forward, grow great, grow great, and become very great.

[15:22] And he had possessions of flocks and possessions of heads and great stores of servants. He had so many servants. And the Philistines envied him. If you have those days, if you have possessions of head, a flock and heads, that's prosperity.

[15:40] Because all they did, their main business was livestock. Livestock. And he had it. He had it. He was big. Isaac became big. Isaac was, I believe I'm prophesying to somebody now.

[15:53] Isaac was big. Galatians chapter 4 verse 28. He, as sons of promise, as Isaac. Brethren, we, as Isaac, are sons of promise. Big! Isaac didn't have to do too much.

[16:05] God started to bless him after Abraham died. Why? Because he was a son of promise. I'm talking to you. That shall be your testimony in the name of Jesus. But quickly, I want to draw your attention to something. And the Philistines envied him.

[16:17] For all the, watch this, watch this, verse 15. For all the wells which his father, which his father served. That's Abraham 7, had digged. In the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with water.

[16:32] You know, I told you, well is important, essential for their living. Okay? You might have everything, but if you don't have a source of water, it's going to be a problem. And so, in those days, that's why Isaac dwelt by the well.

[16:45] And then now he's prospering. And the Philistines envied him so much, they are beginning to shut doors against him. Sometimes when you begin to prosper, when God begins to bless you and his blessing begins to get physical, get ready for envy.

[16:57] Sometimes in your own family, get ready for envy. Sometimes with your own friends, people you thought have been your friends. Or you have always thought they were your friends until you began to prosper, until you began to do well above them.

[17:10] Then you begin to realize that envy. They envy you and they are not real friends. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So, sometimes abundance, prosperity help you to know your true friends.

[17:21] And luck to help you to know your true friends. So, those who, sometimes those who can stand you or not having anything. Sometimes, who are your friends when you don't have anything? Some of them can't stand it when you have everything.

[17:32] All right? And there are times when you have so much. People who come into your life because of what you have are not your genuine friends. So, Bible says that they envied him. They stopped the wells. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, he was deported.

[17:46] They revoked his indefinite leave to remain. They revoked it. They said, go from us, for thou art much mightier than we.

[17:57] Go, go. You are too strong for us. Go. They sacked him. He was deported from the place. And what happened? And Isaac departed then and pitched his tent in the valley. Now, he went into a valley of Gerah.

[18:09] Because he was in the Bible. They stayed and dwelt in this land, the land. I'll bless you. So, he was still in Gerah. But they didn't want him in the main cities. They drove him away. So, he went and settled somewhere in the valley.

[18:19] In the valley of Gerah and dwelt there. So, from Lahairoi came to the main cities of Gerah. From Gerah, they drove him out because he was prospering too much.

[18:31] And he ended up in a place in the valleys of Lahairoi. But valley is not a good place to be in. And Isaac, watch this. Isaac digged again the wells of water which they had digged in the days of Abraham, his father.

[18:48] And the Philistines stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called the names after the names by which his father Abraham had called them. And Isaac's servant, watch this.

[19:00] They kept digging. Digging well. Digging for source of water. That's why I have to tell you our source of water is Christ. And we have to dig into God's word. Dig into God's word. Dig into church life.

[19:11] Dive yourself into it. That's when you begin to enjoy the water of Christ. And Isaac 7 verse 90. Isaac 7 digged in the valley and found there a well of spring waters.

[19:25] And the herdsmen of Gerah did strive with Isaac's head men. Why? Saying, the water is ours. They didn't say the well is ours. They said the water. Where is the water?

[19:36] Is it not in the well? They said we are not fighting for the well because you dug it. But the water in the well is ours. When sometimes people want to take advantage of you, it's unbelievable the kind of laws or the kind of things they can come up with to try and take care of you.

[19:50] But you know what? When you are blessed, you are blessed. When you are blessed, you are blessed. No one can curse one who God has blessed. If God blesses you, you are blessed. That's why if I were you, I would focus on securing the blessing of God.

[20:02] So focus. The Bible says that if you are hacking to do diligently my works, these blessings shall come upon you, overtake you. Blessings come based on our obedience to God.

[20:13] Focus on blessing. It doesn't matter who tries to curse you. They are contending with you over something that belongs to you. You are so blessed. That guy wants to marry you. Suddenly, they want to undermine you. And then that lady is now trying to.

[20:25] Don't compete with anybody on trivial things like that. Dig, dig. Still dig into the blessing. Stay focused on the blessing. Stay focused on God's word. Stay focused on obeying God's word.

[20:36] He said, if you shall obey me. Deuteronomy chapter 28. That's why if you shall harken diligently the voice of my angel and obey me, these blessings shall come upon you. Blessings will come when you obey.

[20:47] Blessings come when you walk with God. God came to Isaac and said, I am blessing you. Genesis chapter 26 from verse 2. God said, I will stay here and I will bless you. And he told him that I am doing all these blessings because of Abraham.

[21:00] Abraham obeyed my words. Watch this. Let me show you it again. Genesis chapter 26 verse 5. I think it's in verse 5. Verse 4 says, I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven.

[21:16] And I will give unto thy seed all the countries. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Watch this. Why would they be blessed? Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

[21:32] That is what the blessing. Working with God in obedience to his word. Do it God's way, please. Do it God's way. Do it in line with his word. Not in line with your emotions and feelings.

[21:43] Your emotions and feelings are not reliable because they are unstable like the British weather. Your emotions and feelings are not, you can't depend on your feelings. Today you can feel good.

[21:54] Tomorrow, within few minutes, not even tomorrow. One minute you can be feeling good. Another minute you can feel bad because of something that you just heard. Maybe you even heard it wrongly. But guess what? It's messed you up. But stay your focus on God's word.

[22:07] Stay your mind on God's word. Bible says he will keep in perfect peace. Whose mind is stayed on you? Stay your mind on God's word. Meditate upon his word.

[22:17] Stay your mind on what you know God has said to you. And practice his word. Stay out of sin. Work in faithfulness. Commit to his house. Give to his work. Give your offerings.

[22:28] Give your tithes. Give your services. Humble yourself. Connect to covenant. Stay that way. And see if God will not show you his goodness. Hallelujah. It doesn't matter what the Philistines are doing.

[22:39] Let them do what they are doing. Let them do whatever they will do. Why? Because you carry the blessing. Esau can envy you. But sorry, Esau, me. It's too late, me. Esau, I carry the blessing.

[22:50] You carry the blessing. The blessing of the Lord is upon you. The blessing of the Lord is upon you. I'm talking to somebody. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of the things you are seeing.

[23:02] Why? Because the blessing of the Lord is upon you. Glory to Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. If you are blessed, then say so.

[23:12] If you are redeemed, then say so. If you are saved, then say so. Let the redeemed. In the book of Psalms, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. So if you are blessed, why? If you are blessed, why don't you say I'm blessed?

[23:23] I am blessed. Hallelujah. Carice, we are blessed. If you are listening to me, whatever church you are, where they focus mainly on Christ and the word of God, I'm telling you are blessed because the Christ you see and the Christ you obey is what determines the blessing in you.

[23:37] He's our water of life. Hallelujah. And watch this. So they stopped. They said the water is ours. And that is verse 20. And the husband of Gerard said the water is, and he called the name of the well Essek because they strove with him.

[23:55] And they digged another well and strove for that also. And strove for that also. And he called the name of the place Sitna. So Essek Sitna.

[24:06] And they digged another well, verse 22, sorry, 22. And he removed from thence. Sometimes when there is so much contention, move away from that place. Sometimes move away from, Bible says in 1 Timothy.

[24:20] Is it 1 Timothy? Yeah, chapter 5, I think towards the end. It said, the servant of the Lord must not strive. The servant of the Lord must not strive. Man of God, stay away from strife.

[24:32] Stay away from strife and contentions, okay? Stay away from strife. The servant, we those who belong to God, we don't strive. Don't strive. Stay away from strife, contentions.

[24:44] There's so much contention in the house. Strife with your husband, strife with your husband. Sometimes leave him alone. Don't, don't, sister, don't, don't fuel it. Leave it. Brother, don't fuel it.

[24:54] Leave her. Are you not the man? Why are you behaving like you are the woman in the relationship? Why are you everything? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You are the man. You are not a woman. Okay? The Bible says that, and he removed from thence, verse 22 of Genesis chapter 26, he removed from thence and digged another well.

[25:12] And for that they strove not. And he called the name of the place Rehoboth. And he said, for now the Lord has made room for us and we shall be fruitful in the land.

[25:22] Hallelujah. God will make room for you. But as I've always studied this, I've been in church, pastors have preached with this scripture severally because it's such a powerful scripture. But I realized that that shouldn't be the end.

[25:35] Rehoboth shouldn't be an end. Rehoboth is not where God wants you to be. But Rehoboth happens because you are blessed. Rehoboth happens because when God said don't go to Egypt, you didn't go to Egypt.

[25:47] And they are frustrating you. But God will take care of you. So Rehoboth is a sign of divine provision. Rehoboth is the sign of God's faithfulness to his word. Rehoboth is the statement from above that God is faithful.

[25:59] But it's not meant to be the destination. It's meant to be a statement of God's faithfulness. But God is calling you to a place of covenant. In spite of the fact that it's a Rehoboth, Rehoboth is not good enough.

[26:13] You need to be in the place of covenant. Don't stay away from the place of covenant. You need to be in the place of covenant. I know Rehoboth is there.

[26:24] Rehoboth has got the well. And you are taking things at going okay. If Lahai Roy was not good enough, then Rehoboth cannot be good enough. The goodness of Rehoboth is just a statement that if you obey God, if you do what he says he will do, he will not disappoint you.

[26:39] He will help you. He will stay on with you. But God's target is not Rehoboth. God's target. Genesis chapter 21. In Genesis chapter 21, I'm reading from verse 25.

[26:55] Look at this. Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech seven had violently taken away. It was always happening.

[27:05] And Abimelech said, I did not know that they took it away from you. I'm paraphrasing it because of my time. And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them unto Abimelech. And both men made a covenant.

[27:18] Watch this. They made a covenant. And Abraham, verse 28. And Abraham set seven ill lambs of the flock by themselves. Now, anytime you see lamb, you are talking about the lamb of God.

[27:32] Okay. These lambs stood for the lamb of God because you can't actually have good covenant without the lamb. So, Abraham, I will show you later something.

[27:42] Maybe not today. So, Abraham set seven ill lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, what mean these seven ill lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

[27:58] And Abraham said, and he said, for these seven ill lambs shall thou take of my hand that they may be a witness unto me and that I have digged this well.

[28:13] So, he said, this is a covenant. This is a sign. It's like a contract that this, I'm sending these lambs to, this lambs for you to know that as you receive it, it's a sign, it's a witness that we have actually come into a covenant.

[28:28] And this, this well I have dug, this well I have dug, I have dug, sorry, this well I have dug is mine. And then, and he said, all right, verse 31 says that, watch this.

[28:40] Therefore, wherefore, he called the name of the place Beersheba because there they swore both of them. Did you see that? He called the name of the place Beersheba.

[28:52] There they swore. Where they made the agreement, he designated the place Beersheba. So, Beersheba is a place of covenant. Hallelujah. He called the name of the place. Abraham called the name of the place Beersheba because he made the covenant and the lambs, lambs were exchanged.

[29:07] The lambs was one way anyway. Like God's lamp, one way. Lambs was exchanged. And he, he, he called the name of the place Beersheba. Beersheba means, the actual meaning of Beersheba in the Hebrew means the place of oath.

[29:22] Beersheba is a place of oath, a place of covenant, a place of agreement. Okay. Between, watch this, between who? Between man and man. So, he made a place of covenant. But God values covenant.

[29:34] Watch this. Watch this. I want to show you something. I believe this will be a blessing. Thus, they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech rose up and Pichol, the chief of his hosts, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.

[29:49] And Abraham planted a groove in Beersheba, a tree, a tree of, it signifies tree of life. Beersheba, and called on the name of the Lord, called on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God, Jehovah El Olam.

[30:05] He called on the name of Jehovah El Olam. Why? Because this is a place of covenant. God remembered this place. And when you call on the name of the God of covenant, watch this. And Abraham sojourned in the land many days.

[30:19] He stayed there many days because there is a place of covenant. Watch this. When Abraham started talking covenant, God said, oh, okay, good, good. You understand covenant. That is why, watch this.

[30:29] God respects covenant. That's why marriage is a covenant. Boyfriend, girlfriend is not a covenant. Partner is not covenant. Marriage is a covenant before God. It's a covenant. That's why they exchange vows.

[30:41] It's a covenant. I vow to you. It's a covenant. It's a covenant. God respects. That's why if you break marriage covenant, God doesn't take it lightly. Because marriage is a covenant. The Bible says, I am the Lord in Malachi.

[30:53] It said, I hate divorce. Why? Because marriage is a covenant. And I don't like when you break, when you put break covenant. Now, there are direct covenants like marriage, okay, physical, tangible covenants like marriage, and indirect or intangible covenants like family.

[31:08] So, when your relationship between a person and their mother and their parents, a person and their church, a person and their pastor, all these things signify certain dimensions of covenant relationships.

[31:20] These are covenant relationships. That's why if you are a serious covenant, if you value covenant, you don't just join a church or leave a church anyhow because you didn't like the music, because it's far from your house.

[31:31] You don't, it's covenant. It's covenant. It's covenant. You don't just abandon, you don't just fall out with your parents and you start maltreating your parents. That's why it said, honor your mother and father, for this is the first commandment with a promise attached to it.

[31:47] A vision chapter six. So, it's a covenant. God values covenant. Church covenant. Don't just leave a church. That church, that'll help you know Christ. And they are teaching you God's word.

[31:57] Unless there's compromise of doctrine or there's sin, sin in leadership, that has been, that's not being addressed. There's sin in leadership, compromise in doctrine or love view of God and hypocrisy that really you can tell compromise doctrine and sin.

[32:11] All right. Those are the reasons why a person should comfortably, but you leave a church because of music. You leave a church because you don't like the other person. You are not serious. You are not serious. You are not serious.

[32:22] Get serious and stay in the place of covenant. Don't move away from the place of covenant. Hallelujah. Because Abraham entered the covenant with Abimele, see what happened. The next verse, Bible says that, chapter 22, verse one.

[32:34] And it came to pass, the Lord God came to Abraham and did tell Abraham and said to Abraham that, behold, and Abraham said, behold, here I am. And the Lord said, take now thy son, thy only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee to the land of Moriah and offer him there.

[32:49] Offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee. Now God said, I'm going to go into personal covenant between God and man.

[33:03] That first one was man and man. But God values covenant. As soon as he realized that Abraham has started moving in the dimensions of covenant, he said, let me move you into the real covenant.

[33:14] When it comes to covenant and when it comes to covenant, as I said earlier, places and people matter. When it comes to covenant, it's always about places and it's always about people.

[33:25] Let me repeat it. When it comes to covenant, it is about people and it's about places. So God values the covenant you have with the place and the covenant you have with people. That is why I mentioned church, church relationship.

[33:38] Being in a certain church can have a covenant, spiritual covenant connotation. Sometimes I have a covenant with my spiritual father. I have a covenant with the people through whom God has impacted and delivered ministry to my hand.

[33:52] Because God always remains the God of your father, Abraham. God will always remain the God of your father. Abraham might be dead, but the covenant you are working in is procured by Abraham's obedience and personal relationship with God.

[34:05] Do not take it for granted. Don't take it for granted. Your association with this person, your association with this anointed man has brought you this far. Do not take it for granted and say, well, it doesn't matter.

[34:16] Now I have my wells. I have my wells. So let me settle in Lahai Roy. No, no. Don't settle in Lahai Roy. Don't settle in Rehoboth. Sitna, they took it from you. That's why you didn't settle there.

[34:27] There is a sec, they took it from you. But Rehoboth, they have been taking it. That's why you are settling there. No, God's plan is not for you to settle in Rehoboth. God wants you to be in a place of covenant. He wants you to be in a place of covenant.

[34:38] Because God is a God of covenant. God is a God of covenant. In these difficult days we are in, I want you to know, if you can stay in the place of covenant, you'll be taken care of. Because God is a God of covenant.

[34:50] He told Abraham, now I want to get involved with you. Not Abimelech. You, I want to make a covenant with you. Because now you are talking covenant language. Because God understands covenant language. That's why I told Isaac, I'm the God of your father Abraham.

[35:03] I'm blessing you simply because of Abraham and your connectivity to Abraham. Who are you connected to? Who is your father? Who is your father? Who is your teacher? Who is your prophet?

[35:13] Who is your apostle? Who? Who is your pastor? Sister, you will say you are a Christian. Who is your pastor? Roaming around spiritually without proper pastoral covenant.

[35:24] Who is your pastor? Who is your father? Who is your father? God is the God of the fathers. Read the Bible. He said, when he appeared to Moses, he said, I am the God of your fathers.

[35:36] He told Solomon, because of your father David. God is the God of fathers. Who is your father? Who is your teacher? Who is your prophet? And who is your pastor?

[35:48] Walking around like a spiritual guru without a pastor. Who is your pastor? Walking around like a spiritual authority without a spiritual father. Who is your father? God is my father.

[35:59] When you read Deuteronomy chapter 12 verse 13, God told them, be careful. It's not everywhere you take your sacrifice. Don't go, don't send it to where you will choose.

[36:11] I think I see it. Deuteronomy. Let me quickly. I'll come back to Genesis. I pray somebody is receiving something. Deuteronomy chapter 12 verse 13 says, take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou choose.

[36:25] You can't get up and this morning I'm going to church here. This time I'm going to here. I'm going to here. When your church is online and that is where you know your faith, connect first before when you finish you can go into other places. Because that's your primary place of provision.

[36:37] Your primary place of assignment. Connect. Connect. Connect. Connect. Connect. When your church is putting out posters, you have all kinds of things on your status. Posters on your social media which you are promoting of other churches.

[36:51] Where is your church home? You are not a genuine son. You are not a loyal son. You are not a loyal bona fide member and it will bite you because God works with covenant. The covenant you operate under, I'm telling you some deep stuff, man.

[37:04] The covenant you operate under will determine how much safe you can be in certain circumstances. And so he says that don't just take any offering anyway.

[37:15] Verse 14, but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of the tribes, there thou shall offer your burnt offerings and thou shall do all that I command thee.

[37:28] I want to command you. It's connected to a place. What does that happen for me? Anywhere is good. Not everywhere is good, bro. Your house cannot be everywhere. What is your house? You must have one house address. Maybe you have other shallots in other places, but you must have your main address.

[37:42] No, you can't be part of every family, please. Every family have their own blessings and covenant. Which family do you belong to? Spiritually speaking, I'm talking about. Spiritually speaking, which family, which Christian family do you belong to?

[37:54] You are accountable and they oversee you. They look at you. They look out for your interest and you look out for the interest. You are committed to the well-being and the interest of your house. A Christian brother sharing everything on social media, but nothing of your church.

[38:08] It tells a lot about you, Christian sister. It tells a lot about your covenant and understanding of covenant relationship. Stay in the place of covenant. Please stay. Don't stay away from the place of covenant.

[38:21] Don't stay away from the place of covenant. And then look at this. Verse 12, chapter 12, Deuteronomy, verse 5 said, But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all the tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and dither thou shall come.

[38:40] And dither thou shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifice, and all that. He said, that's a place God. God is a God of a place on a people. Don't never forget that. Never forget that.

[38:51] But let's quickly finish by going to Isaac again. I want to show you something. And so God understands covenant. Let me read 22 again. Okay. He dragged a place and called it Rehoboth. Rehoboth. And he said, for now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

[39:08] So that's good news. Now watch this. And he went up from thence to Beersheba. Well, he went up. You can't stay in that valley. Even though God has made you fruitful in his Rehoboth, don't stay there.

[39:21] Beersheba. Because Rehoboth is not a place of covenant. Beersheba. Remember Beersheba between Abraham and Abimelech? Beersheba. They made a covenant there. Beersheba. And he called, Abraham called on the name of Jehovah El Olam.

[39:35] The Lord, the Lord God, eternal God. He called on his name. There, because that was a place of covenant. It's a place of covenant. And Isaac, thank God for people like Isaac.

[39:45] Even though he was flourishing in other places, he moved away and went to Beersheba. And verse 23, and Isaac went up from there to Beersheba. And the Lord, did you see? And the Lord appeared unto him that same night.

[39:58] God didn't waste. Now you have come into a place of covenant. He said, the Lord appeared. The first time when God appeared to him, he was warning him not to go to Egypt. Okay? And he told him this, what I will do because of Abraham. But this time, watch.

[40:09] When he got to Beersheba, God appeared unto him that same night and said unto him, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Did you see that? Who is your father? I am the God of Abraham thy father.

[40:21] Fear not, for I am with thee. I will bless thee and multiply thy seed for my watches, for my servant Abraham's sake. He came to him with a promise that I am with thee.

[40:32] I am the God of your father Abraham, and I am with thee, and I will bless you. So God with you, I will bless you, and I will multiply your seed. These are promises. God, that night, when he got to the place, as soon as he arrived in the place of covenant, that same night, God came with promises.

[40:48] God came to reinforce the promise that I am with you. The Philistines, they didn't know that because they thought he had just relocated, but they didn't realize he has plunked, plunked, plunked into covenant.

[40:58] Hallelujah. Don't stay away from the place of covenant. Don't stay. Sister, I know situations, somebody has offended you, and you feel funny about church. Don't stay away from the place of covenant. Because of the lockdown, you are used to not going to church.

[41:11] Don't stay away from the place of covenant. Don't be deceived to think that the Philistines are now your friends. They are not your friends. The Philistines are not your friends, and they are not there, though.

[41:22] Your Philistines are still at large, but it looks like everything is okay, so it doesn't look like they are there. They are there. They are there. Yeah, sometimes someone, I heard a certain medical officer saying that it takes eight years for cancer to be, it starts developing, it can take eight years for it to be diagnosed.

[41:41] So people will be walking, and they are a cancer patient, but it has not been diagnosed, and they think they are fine, they are fine. No, you will not be a cancer patient in Jesus' name. But what I'm trying to say, there are things that are building up against you, but you don't know.

[41:53] You don't know. Don't wait for the day of crisis before you start running to Beersheba. Don't run to Beersheba because of crisis. Stay in Beersheba. Don't stay away from the place of covenant. You have got a job, and it's because of that.

[42:05] Why do you want to marry? So you want to leave church? Go and marry somebody of another religion? How hungry are you? How desperate are you? You abandoned what has sustained you and brought you this far, and Egypt cannot sustain you.

[42:18] Why do you abandon your place of covenant? Don't abandon your quality worship that you have always been engaged. I know your spiritual life is low, but in your mind, you must make sure that you are covered.

[42:29] See, covenant is a decision. Sometimes you feel spiritually low, but you know, after this, I will not compromise on it. I'm just committed. It's just like sometimes you're upset with maybe your wife or your husband, but it doesn't matter because that's your commitment to her.

[42:42] You're committed to her. Maybe you're not happy with your mom, and your mom needs some money or needs some help. You're not happy with her, but you see, it's not conditional. You're staying, feeling faithful to your mother is not conditional based on how you're feeling.

[42:53] The same way, your commitment to covenant places like a church is not conditional. I feel fire. I feel low. No, no. Even if you fall into sin, go back to the place of covenant. Go back.

[43:04] Stay in the place of covenant. Stay and that night, God will always easily, you can always easily have encounters in the place of covenant. Hallelujah. Oh boy. And watch this, watch this, watch this.

[43:15] I'm happy I'm in a place of covenant. And my spiritual fathers and father, I don't joke with them. I don't joke with him. When they call, yes, papa. Yes, daddy. Yes. Those people who don't have a daddy, they think, oh, what?

[43:28] Why do you call a human being daddy? Go ahead and be reckless like a headless chicken. Spiritually, things are dangerous. Daddy, daddy. Why do you call somebody daddy? It's because of the fatherlessness of a certain generation.

[43:40] They don't place value on fathers. Fathers. They don't place value. That's what Satan is doing. Now, when he disengage the picture of a natural father and the role of a natural father, you come into Christ and you still don't even know how to relate with your father.

[43:58] You can't even accept fatherly relationship because you are not like that. You are not related like that. Satan did it on purpose to disadvantage you, to hurt your future.

[44:08] Because your future is not secure outside of certain types of inheritance. And the Lord appeared to Isaac that night and said, I'm the father of God of heaven and promised him. Look at verse 25.

[44:20] And Isaac built an altar there. He called on the name of the Lord. He pitched his tents and dug the well. Four things he did. Built an altar. Call on. Build an altar around your encounters with God.

[44:32] Build an altar. There must be something physical, tangible. So it's like in your church, there's a commitment of service. You are committed. You're already committed to be part of follow-up or committed to be an asher, committed to be a sound man, committed.

[44:44] So sometimes you may not even feel like it, but it's your commitment and you stay humble and faithful. You're already committed to your man of God and you have chosen that this is my man of God. I will honor him. Even if he says something I didn't, it wasn't pleasant to me.

[44:57] I felt physically or emotionally not happy about it. I still, this is, this is, see my father can say something to me and I will not be happy, but it doesn't change the fact that it's my father and I'm going to honor him.

[45:08] Commitment, commitment. And so Bible says, Isaac built an altar, build physical, make your commitment tangible, not ethereal or intangible or cerebral or abstract.

[45:24] The days of abstract commitments are over boy. The days of abstract, abstract, ethereal, cerebral, intangible commitments are, building an altar, doing something tangible.

[45:38] He built an altar and what's this? And he called on the name of the Lord. So based on the tangibility of what he has done, he now began to, on the platform of tangibility, started exercise, doing exercises that look, seem intangible, intangible exercises.

[45:54] He started calling on the name of the Lord, praying. Why? He has built an altar. What altar do you build? And please don't wait for crisis before you start calling on the name of the Lord. You might not have an altar to call on the name of the Lord.

[46:06] Don't wait for crisis. Build your altar now. Move out of Rehoboth. I know it looks fruitful there, but please move out of Rehoboth.

[46:17] Move into Sheba. Move into Beersheba. Build an, oh, don't just call, I mean Beersheba. Build an altar there. Call on the name of the Lord there. And guess what?

[46:27] Now pitch your tent. He pitched his tent there. He's not, I'm not going far. I'm pitching my tent here. This is where I belong. I pitched my tent here. He pitched his tent there. And then his servants duck wells.

[46:40] Dig wells. Dig. Don't say God is blessing me so I won't do anything. I'll go to sleep. No. Start doing something. Write some new applications for new jobs. Apply for some units. Better units.

[46:50] Re-write. Research that course again. And study for it. You see? Steady. That's your digging of well. Steady and see if God will not manifest. But many people, they won't do what they have to do. And their faith has made God responsible for everything.

[47:03] No. That is an irresponsible belief. Okay? You must act. Act. Students, why are you failing your exam? Sit down and steady. Give yourself to steady. Be diligent. Give yourself to steady.

[47:13] God is with you. You will pass. Listen. If you're a Christian and you steady, you will pass. Because God is with you. If you fail, it's because you didn't dig the well. And look at the way I feel the results I've got. Who wrote the exam for you?

[47:24] Was it God or yourself? God doesn't write exams. So, he doesn't write exams. You have to write your own exam. So, write and pass. Give it a go again. Dig another well. I know the Philistines have seized the other well.

[47:35] But now that you are in Beersheba, dig another well and see. Let me show you something. And then Abimelech went, verse 26. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerah and Ahuzath, one of his friends, and Pichol, the chief captain of his army.

[47:53] And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore have you come to me, seeing you hated me, or you hate me, and have sent me away? Why are you coming now? And this is what he said. And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord is with thee.

[48:07] And we said, Let there be now an oath between us and let us make a covenant with thee.

[48:19] Now he said, God with you. We don't want to sack you. We want to come and make peace with you. The Bible says in Proverbs 16, verse 7, that if a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

[48:33] Proverbs 16, verse 7. If a man's ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies, even his enemies, to be at peace with him. That is what happened. They came. Initially, they didn't see that God was with him. But when God said, I'm with you, they didn't know that.

[48:45] It was after they saw the results. Your results will begin to attract people to give you the level of support, the respect you need. Let them fight you. Keep focusing on God. Keep staying in the place of covenant.

[48:57] And you will see your marriage will be glorious. Your family will be glorious. Your health will be taken care of. Your career will do well. Your business will do well. Hallelujah. I'm talking about somebody who dwells in, not Rehoboth, but in Beersheba.

[49:09] Stay in Beersheba. Do not live. Don't go away from, don't stay away from the place of covenant. Don't stay away. They came to him and God. And what I found interesting.

[49:21] Let me just read it from the other Bible still. What I found interesting is that Isaac, look at what Isaac did. I'm ending now. Look at what Isaac did. And thou, and then, so thou will not hurt us.

[49:33] Then, verse 30 says that, and he made them a feast. And they did it and drank. And they arose up betimes in the morning and swore one to another.

[49:44] And Isaac sent them away. And they departed from him in peace. They came. Say, Isaac, please don't destroy us. Isaac, we need your help. Do you know, his enemies, he made them food, feast.

[49:57] Please, don't take vengeance in your hands. I know they didn't treat you well. But don't hold it against them. Don't hold it. A person who is vengeful will not see the goodness of God.

[50:08] Watch this. Proverbs chapter 25, verse 21. It says that, If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat. And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink. For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

[50:21] See, God himself will reward you. If you treat your enemies with fairness, and you don't choose your position to fight them. Treat them with fairness. Look at this. Romans, you will like this.

[50:32] Romans chapter 12, verse 19 and 20. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. He said, don't avenge yourself. Don't try.

[50:42] I'll fight. I'll prove to you. You'll see. You did it to me. No, he said, leave it. God said, leave it. Sister, leave it. Brother, leave it. Because of him, I'm not going to be in that church again.

[50:52] No. Stay in the place of covenant. And leave it. God will compensate you if you do it this way. Oh, my time, my time, my time. I have to end up. I have to end up. Watch this. Romans chapter 12, verse 19.

[51:06] Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine. God said, vengeance. If you take it, you have taken what belongs to God. Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord.

[51:16] God said it. Therefore, if your enemy hunger, feed him. If he hurts, if he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing, you shall. The same thing, Proverbs chapter 21, verse 28, chapter 25, verse 21, 22 said.

[51:30] Take care of your enemies when you get a chance. Don't use it against them. Your sister, I know. Your cousins, they hated you. That your father or your stepfather, your stepmother, the way they treated, this is not the time. Now that you are in Beersheba, this is not the time to prove.

[51:42] God has blessed you not to prove that you will pay them back. No. Don't pay anybody back. Isaac said, you meant it for evil. Genesis chapter 20, 50, verse 19, I think so. You meant it for evil, or verse 20, somewhere there.

[51:54] You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. I know you wanted to destroy me, but God has used that to bless me. So he said, I won't hold it against you. He said, am I in the place of God? That's what Isaac said.

[52:06] Joseph said. He said, am I in the place of God? Am I in the place of God to punish you for the things you do? No. Don't take the place of God. The Bible said, vengeance is mine. That's what Isaac did.

[52:16] He gave them to eat. They sucked him by saying, you are my enemy. Why are you coming to me? You're hurting me. He said, no worry. He gave them faith. And then he gave them a place to sleep. They left the next day in peace.

[52:27] And as I finished, watch what happened. And they left in peace. Verse 32. And it came to pass that, that passed the same day, Isaac's, the same day, that same day that Isaac's servant came and told him concerning a well which they have digged.

[52:42] And said to him, we have found water. And he called the place Sheba, the well. See, Sheba is coming. Let Sitna go. Let Lahai Roy go. Let Rehoboth go.

[52:53] Rehoboth is not a place because Sheba is the place. Sheba. And he called the name of the place Sheba. Therefore, the name of the city is called Beersheba unto this day. Hallelujah. Beersheba.

[53:04] After he treated his enemies who block his well, treated them fairly, you know, his servant, that same day, not the next day, that same day, his servant said, sir, we have found water.

[53:16] You will find water. You will find water. Stay in the place of covenant. Do not stay away from the place of covenant. It will only aggravate your future condition.

[53:27] It will only jeopardize all the beautiful things that God is doing. Because you are not undercover. You are not under protection. Stay in the place of covenant. Stay in the place of covenant relationship. It makes a big difference.

[53:38] We thank God for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at caris.org.

[53:53] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Caris Ministries. Stay blessed. Stay blessed.