Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

The name ‘Isaac’ means laughter. Often people ask the question, "Are you really happy?" Some people feel drugs, sex or a boyfriend can bring them happiness. But none of that works. Happiness and joy happens only when Jesus Christ is present in your life.

God is not a respecter of age or of gender. If you give your life to Jesus, he can use you in ways you never thought possible. He will use you to influence others and saturate them with the presence of God. You will be vessels that carry the joy of the Holy Spirit, bringing many unto the Lord. God has declared that He will meet with the next generation in this church and reveal His glory to them; and they will know Him for who He is.

In the Bible, the Old Testament is the shadow, and New Testament is the substance. Isaac is a shadow of Christ: Jesus is our heavenly Isaac.

6 blessings from Genesis 26:

1. First blessing: God’s presence

I will be with you and bless you

God said to Isaac, that He will be with him. Another name of Jesus is Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’. One of the biggest blessings in life is the assurance that God is with you.
In John 9, we see a man healed of blindness. When questioned by the priests, he says, “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” (Jn 9. 32,33). You will see miracles when God is with you. If you allow Jesus into your life in your youth, miracles will follow you all the days of your life.

And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. (Mark 16.20) God was with his disciples, and He confirmed His word with signs, miracles and wonders. He does the same today, and can do the same in your school, college or workplace. Is the Lord with you? Do you have his peace within you? When you have the assurance of His presence, you can say like David, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. (Psalm 23.4)

2. Second blessing: Happy family life

Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife.

In a certain Brazilian church, young believers have a band around their wrists that says ‘Committed to Christ.’ If you learn to keep your life holy unto God as a single person, you’ll have greater joy in your family life. The picture of Jesus in this blessing is that we are his bride. He will rejoice in us as our heart responds to his love.

3. Third blessing; Courage to do what God asks you to

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.

Isaac was a shepherd boy who didn’t have a clue about farming. However, he had the courage to do what God asked him to. Similarly, Jesus is the good shepherd. But he came and sowed his Word into dark and distressed souls. God can enable you to do that which you’ve never studied or learned. He will do through you what no one else has done. Pray to God that he turn your heart into fertile ground where there will be a hundred-fold harvest of His Word.

But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8.15) Before reading the Bible, give your heart into God’s hands, and ask Him to remove all that is not from Him. Then when you read the Word, your hearts will burn for Jesus.

4. Fourth blessing: Redemption

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

Isaac redeemed the wells of Abraham which the Philistines had covered up. Adam was created in the image of God. Satan covered that with a lie and claimed Adam was his. But Jesus died on the cross at Calvary and redeemed us for the Father.

Satan will try to cover up the river of the Holy Spirit within you, with doubt, fear or sin. But Jesus has already redeemed you. God expects us to remove that which covers up the well.

5. Fifth blessing: Peace

And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

Isaac was a man of peace. Even when the Philistines were raring for a fight, Isaac walked away from conflict. In the New Testament, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He established our peace with the Father, and also the peace within us.

Do not be quarrelsome: be a peacemaker. There is no need to harbor hate or animosity. We should be spread peace wherever we go. Don’t try to get anything through a fight or a quarrel, instead pray and ask God for it. He will work for you. God is raising up a generation who will claim from God and receive blessings.

6. Sixth blessing: Worship

So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Isaac was a worshipper who built altars unto God. In John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that the time will come when people worship in spirit and in truth. This will be a generation that gives true worship unto the Father: in school, college or wherever you are. If you praise from your heart, God will hear you and reply.

Meditate on this word and ask God to fill you with his joy. Worship the Father with rejoicing.