TD Jakes - How to Reap a Hundredfold Blessing
The Bible says the same Philistines who gave him land became envious over how God blessed him. You must understand that Isaac sowed a seed and received a hundredfold. Any farmer will tell you that every seed you plant doesn’t normally grow, but God gave him a hundredfold harvest. There’s no way in the world Jesus would tell us that some yield 30, some yield 60, and others yield 100. What I’m trying to say is that God is going to give you an unprecedented harvest on the highest level. It won’t be 30; it won’t be 60. But somebody listening to me, God is up to something. You’re about to step into a hundredfold blessing, and that’s why you must give Him a hundredfold praise. Everything you plant, everything you touch, everywhere your feet tread, everything you pursue—God said, «I’m going to give you a hundredfold return!» Somebody shout if that’s you! If it’s not you, sit down with your cute dress on. But if you believe it’s you, open your mouth and holler at your boy!
So, I’m almost done. Gerald, the Bible says the Philistines envied him— the same people who gave him the land to prosper him. The thing is, it doesn’t tell you that envy never announces itself. I’m trying to tell you that people can start out glad for you, but they can end up envious and never announce when the change occurs. The Bible mentions Judas; he was a disciple handpicked by God, but Satan entered him. It doesn’t say when it happened; he didn’t announce it. He didn’t say, «Excuse me, Jesus, Satan has entered into me.» So, stop expecting your friends to announce that they have become your haters. You have to keep your eyes open because God is getting ready to give you a hundredfold, and not everyone who started out with you will be able to continue. So, stay alert because they will switch without announcement. They’ll switch and still be grinning at you; they’ll switch and still attend your birthday party, and they’ll switch and still break your cake.
And he went out from Gerar and started digging out his father’s wells. This is a moment for you to get your shovel out because you’re going to have to dig for the kind of blessing that has to have water, and you’re going to have to dig for it. He dug out his father’s wells. Now, when you dig where someone has dug before, you still have to dig, but it isn’t as hard because the soil is loose. It won’t be as difficult as it was for your father, but you still have some digging to do. Tell your neighbor, «I have some digging to do.»
So don’t be calling me all the time because I have some digging to do. And don’t bother me with petty stuff, because I have some digging to do. And tell nobody to bring me any bad news because I have some digging to do. I don’t have time for «he said, she said, I heard, I thought,» because I have some digging to do. Is there anybody in here old enough now that you don’t have time for the foolishness you had ten years ago because you have some digging to do? Nudge your other neighbor and say, «I have some digging to do.» If you aren’t going to help me dig, get out of my way! If you don’t have a shovel, move on away from here because I’m at the digging stage in my life. If I don’t dig it now, I’ll never get it done. If I don’t dig it now, I’m going to miss my time. If I don’t dig it now, it’ll never happen for me!
And he dug it out! You have to dig it out. I know you dreamed about it, but you have to dig it out. I know God promised it to you, but you have to dig it out. I know you have faith for it, but you have to dig it out, because faith without works is dead. Look at your neighbor and say, «Get your shovel this week! Get your shovel! Get your shovel and dig it out!» The dirt is tender, but dig it out. You’re too close to your blessing not to dig it the rest of the way out. Donald, dig it out! Push it aside, dig it out! Just faith, dig it out! Put your shovel on it; you’re too close to the breakthrough. Dig it out! You’re too close to what God promised you. Dig it out!
In conclusion, two times he dug it out, and they took it back—and he let them have it. His temperament was such that he let them have it and named the place Strife because he was moving away from strife. I have moved away from drama. I don’t have time for drama. When he got to the third well, young man, he dug it out completely and hit water. He called it Rehoboth because God had brought him into a large place. Whoever I’m preaching to, God told me to tell you: don’t be hurt over who changed, who switched, who got jealous, or who became envious. Keep on digging! If you don’t get it in the first well, dig the second one. If you don’t get it in the second one, dig for the third one. The third well—the waters broke loose, the pain stopped, the door opened, and God put him in a place of increase.
God opened up Rehoboth! Whatever this is about, whoever this is for, it is so big that your old friends can’t handle it. You’re trying to find fellowship with people who used to be with you, but now they’re envious of you. And I’ll tell you something else: they put you out of the circle because you are already blessed. You already have sheep; you already have cattle; you already have a blessing, and they’re tired of you coming in and saying, «Look what the Lord has done!»
Now they act funny when you come around; now they don’t invite you to things they used to invite you to, because success creates loneliness. Who am I talking to? The place is Rehoboth! You have a hundredfold return! You’re going to be put in a large place to accommodate what God has done. You’re going to need a lot of water, and you don’t have time for the strife. You don’t have time for the stress! Lift both hands, prepare your spirit! Prepare your spirit! Get rid of your guilt. Isaac lied, and he still got there. It was wrong—I’m not minimizing it. It was wrong; it was evil; it was selfish; it was narcissistic. But it was also an over-pronounced benediction on your inconsistencies!
You don’t need to lose focus! You don’t have time to fight with yourself! God is bringing you to a place of increase! God is up to something! Everything that didn’t work was too small! Open your mouth wide! Everything that didn’t work was too small! Everything that didn’t work was too small! Everything that didn’t open was too small!
When you get to the large place, it’s going to open wide! And God just told me to tell you He’s up to something! I’m up to something! Don’t be distracted by the Philistines! Don’t be distracted by Abimelech! Don’t be distracted by your haters! God told me to tell you, «I’m up to something! I have a plan for your life! I’ve said the end from the beginning, and I’ve already set it into motion! You’re right on course for your blessing! Continue right down the path—surely, goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life! God is getting ready to blow your mind!