There are times when waiting is required to receive from the Lord
Mark 4:26-32
Two separate times, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to planting seeds
This is how God’s kingdom functions – sowing and reaping; seed time and harvest.
Some seeds take longer than others to grow.
How much time elapsed between Genesis 3 and Matthew 1?
He never compared the kingdom to a microwave
How we go about the waiting will determine whether it destroys us or helps us to grow
Isaiah 40:30-31
Youths and young men represent those with physical strength and endurance.
If we try to endure the time of waiting and testing in our own strength, we will faint
The Hebrew word for wait means to wait for and hope.
Wait with an expectation that the Lord will do what He promised to do.
Mount up with wings like eagles
Eagles are often found flying around mountains. The terrain of the mountains provides updrafts that they can use to soar.
The mountains in our own lives can become opportunities for us to soar.
The eagle depends upon the wind and the currents to get himself airborne.
We depend upon the Lord to get ourselves airborne. The mountains in our lives are where some of the best spiritual updrafts can be found.
Don’t be passive about waiting
Imagine you plant a garden
You never weed it
You never water it
You don’t fertilize it
What happens?
Just passively waiting will cause the storms and circumstances to destroy you.
Actively waiting on the Lord is not trying to fix everything yourself either.
We are not capable of resolving our problems in our own strength.
Ephesians 6:13-18
Put on the armor of God
“Having done all…” – do the things that you know to do
The things that you know to do should line up with the Word of God.
Don’t do anything out of fear or worry – do everything in faith.
James 1:5 – ask the Lord for wisdom in these situations. Ask Him to reveal to you if there’s anything else you should be doing in addition to what you already knew to do!
Stand – once you have done the things that you know to do, stand firm with hope and with expectation
The Sword of the Spirit
Find and speak the Word of God as it pertains to your situation
Seek out God’s promises for whatever your need is.
Meditate on the Word day and night (Joshua 1:8)
Raise the Shield of Faith
During the times of waiting is when the enemy will launch his darts at you.
Put on the Helmet of Salvation
Guard your eyes and ears with the Word
1 Peter 5:8-10
The enemy is going to roar at you.
He is going to try to get you to move & stop waiting on the Lord. He will do his best to convince you that it is imperative to move on your own and try to fix it.
See Abraham in Genesis 16
“Resist him, steadfast in the faith”
Submit to God – James 4:8
Continue to seek the voice of the Lord during the wait, no matter the pressure.
Remember, His voice is a still small voice – putting away distractions is key to hearing it (1 Kings 19:11-12)
This is the battle during the wait. Being passive here will result in the enemy destroying you!
You’re not unique or alone – everyone who is part of the body is going to have to wait on God at some point in their lives; we all feel the pressure at some time or another.
When a brother or sister realizes their victory in the natural, rejoice with them.
When a brother or sister is continuing through the waiting period, encourage them with the Word and in the Spirit
When you’re going through the waiting period, find someone to encourage you with the Word if you need it!
Don’t dig up the seed
If you’ve planted a seed and are waiting for it to come to fruition don’t dig it up.
You have to fertilize it, water it and then just give it time to grow.
Avoid speculating on how and when God is going to work through a situation.
Needing to know and understand all of the details is a sign of lack of trust on our part.
Leaving the details up to Him shows our faith, trust and reliance upon Him.
Waiting is a skill.
It’s not just sitting around letting the winds and circumstances of life beat on you saying things like “in God’s timing”
It’s actively applying the Word of God to your life and your circumstances while the seed of God’s promise grows and comes to fruition.
