They say,” Good things come to those who wait.” There is some Biblical truth to that. But are we waiting in faith or waiting in hope? There is a difference when it comes to receiving from God. Our pastor talked about this concept of waiting one Sunday morning. A great sermon by the way. It reminded me of a study I did not long ago. So I thought I would expand and write about what I learned.
We can call waiting to mean being patient. A better word might be endurance. We are all waiting for God to answer our prayers at different times. The waiting period can be challenging. We are so time-orientated in our culture. There were times in my life when I gave up on the waiting game. Oh if I just waited a little more and not given up! How many know life is not a game though? We face times when we need to see God come through for us in a big way. it’s serious! It says in Proverbs 13:12 (KJV) -12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. Some other translations- Proverbs 13:12 (MSG) -12 Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around. Proverbs 13:12 (PassionNTPsa) -12 When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul. The Bible has a lot to say about endurance. In Genesis 8:22 (NKJV) -22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” It states that while the earth remains there is seed time and harvest. This is a law that God put into effect on the earth and it shall not cease. There is a time element between seed time and harvest. We see this in the parable of the sower. Mark 4:28-29 (KJV) -8 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
There are times when answered prayer comes quickly and other times we need to endure until the answer or harvest comes. It depends on the situation. I believe we don’t need to wait to be saved, to have our sins forgiven once we hear the Good News of the Gospel. The Bible says “Today is the day of salvation.”I don’t think we need to wait or tarry for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I also don’t believe we have to wait for healing. It may be a process, a recovery time until healing is manifested. But we have to believe we have already received healing by faith. It would be incorrect to say I’m waiting to be healed. This would put it off in the future. Faith is believing you have already received. Whether it’s salvation or healing. Jesus has already forgiven us and healed us two thousand years ago. Now if we are believing God for a new job, the necessities of life, a direction in life, circumstances to change, or the salvation of others whose will is involved, or believing God for the right mate. These things may take time. We need to keep our eyes off the time frame or the manifestation and focus on Jesus! Hebrews 12:1-2 (KJV) 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus is our example of endurance. We are to run the race before with patience or endurance despite persecution, trials, and tribulations. In Hebrews,12:3, says (Hebrews 12:3 (KJV) -3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Here is the issue with waiting. Being wearied and fainting in our minds. The answer to being weary and fainting is patience. We all face pressures, adversity, hindrances, delays, and even the demonic at times. The temptation to give up is knocking at the door. But we must not become weary and faint in our minds- ( 1Peter 1:13 )
Here is a great promise in God’s Word: Galatians 6:9 (KJV) -9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Faint in Greek means to relax. We could say that we should not relax our hold on God’s promises. If God has spoken to you about something He will bring it to pass in your life. Keep doing the right thing morally and spiritually. Keep seeking the Kingdom of God-( Matt 6:33 ). In due season you will reap if you faint not. There is a season for everything when it comes to certain things we are waiting for. I’ve heard sometimes people say,” I’m waiting on God.” But could it also be He is waiting on us to believe and act upon what he has promised? This is why we need the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and give us discernment in life.
Here is another promise: Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV) 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. The word is sluggish in Greek and it means lazy, dull, disinterested, or slothful. In other words, let us not lose our grip on what God has promised. Let us not become less passionate but even more passionate in our endurance as we run our race before God. Seeing it in our heart and imagination as already done is powerful as we wait in faith. In God’s mind, it’s already done. God is not bound by a time frame when it comes to spiritual things. 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV) -8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Isaiah 46:10 (KJV) -10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
One thing that is needed in the waiting game is confidence in God. Look at 1 John 5:14-15 (KJV) 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Remember God’s Word is His will. If God has promised us something He is faithful to bring it to pass. Faith will bring it from the spiritual realm into the physical realm. ( Eph 1:3, 2 Peter 1:1-3 ) Faith is now, not yesterday or tomorrow. – ( Hebrews 11:1 ). We know that hope is the confident expectation of good things to come. Hope gives faith something to attach to. Hope shows us something possible that God has promised. Faith makes it personal and says,” In my heart, it is mine now!”
Faith is not hoping so, or maybe so, or off in the future. It’s through faith, not hope (alone) and endurance that we receive the promises of God. We just don’t stop believing! Yes, we may get frustrated, discouraged, and in despair in waiting. That’s when we need to start worshiping and praising God for the answer. That is what our pastor told us on that Sunday. He said, “We need to continue to go to Church, to continue to be full of the Holy Spirit, and we need to worship God!”He was using the character in the Bible called Simeon as He waited for the Messiah.-( Luke 2-25-32 ).
Another thing in the waiting game is realizing that we have an enemy that wants to hinder our prayers. We see this in the life of Daniel. Daniel 10:12-14 (KJV) -12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes (Angel), came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. Here we see that God heard Daniels’s prayer and came at once with the answer but an evil entity withstood the answer. Remember in Ephesians six we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and demonic powers- ( Ephesians 6:10-12 ). Satan and his demons are defeated because of what Jesus did through His death, burial and resurrection, and ascension. Yet they still contend with us and try to hinder our prayers. We need to persevere and be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might not in our strength. Especially in times of waiting. Let us stay in an attitude of worship, praise, and thanksgiving-(Psalm 8:2, Matthew 21:16 ). There can be joy in waiting. Worship and praise are faith in action and it is powerful! Stay in God’s Word. Keep planting and sowing. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Stay on course. Harvest is coming! Our due season is upon us! As our pastor said, “While we are waiting God is working“He is working on your behalf!
Luke 21:19 (PassionNTPsa) -19 And by standing firm with patient endurance you will find your souls’ deliverance.”
Romans 15:4 (KJV) -4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Colossians 1:11 (AMP)-11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
Brent and Linda
Love in Christ
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