Let us pray!
Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.
Our message this morning is Waiting on God. Waiting on God.
Are you ready.
I was reading last Saturday, I was reading up on some statistics and I found out something interesting about how impatient we have become as human beings. Did you know that there is such as thing as an impatience tolerance index? It's a measure of time before an individual losses their cool, before they become impatient or irritated. Can you guess how long it takes. Before someone gets impatient?
For those who think its 5 minutes, raise your hands? Alright, 10 minutes? No idea? Great. I also had no idea until I found out that it takes an average of 22 second before someone get impatient. Can you believe that? Just 22 seconds. And you're probably thinking, no not me. I'm patient. But observe. Don't you get impatient when your mobile phone data speed is so slow? Or when you're watching YouTube and it takes forever to load? Or when you'r watching netflix and the bar is stuck at 97%.
We are all guilty of this. Yes? Thank you for being honest. In actuality, as humans, we have been impatient since the fall of Adam and Eve. God himself demonstrated patience when HE created the universe in 6 days. I mean, He is God he could've just called the universe into existence with just the vapor of his breath, with just one word.
A. Why can't we wait?
We don’t like to wait, we don’t like to wait in traffic, waiting room, falling line. Technology has made us impatient. Microwave mentality.
Have you noticed that you often forget more now that ever before? And I'm not only talking about adults but children as well. Pre-teens. They forget faster now that ever before. This constant feeding of information, overload of information is overwhelming the mind and causes some of our synapses to fail. Chey and I did an experiment with our kids. Just asking them to stand up in a corner with no set time. It was just an instruction. And yes, they obey, they do it. BUT in less than thirty seconds. They already ask if they can now leave. Then I ask them to just be still, and be quiet. They go for it, but after a few seconds, they ask, how long dad. How long? Are we done yet? :) They're impatience, make me impatient too!
Three reasons we cant wait:
Microwave Minds
Instant Gratification
Fear of Missing Out.
Our inability to wait, to delay gratification is the cause of mounting personal debt, and marketing psychologist knows this all to well. So they take advantage! FOMO has become the new campaign. To feed on the fear of people of missing out, especially during this pandemic.
But waiting is part of a christian maturity, there are lessons, skills, that we can only learn when we wait and that's what I want to talk about this morning.
• So we’re going to touch on three divisions this morning:
i. Why should we wait? Why it's biblical. We're going to walk through the benefits of waiting as well.
ii. Why waiting is worth it. And we're going to look at some characters in the bible and how the waited on God.
iii. What do we do while waiting? As Christians, what are we supposed to do while waiting on God?
B. Why should we wait? Why it's biblical. We're going to walk through the benefits of waiting as well.
Iii. God is molding you while you're waiting
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NIV)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Waiting is a test of faith, a test of character.
Waiting is a time of listening and learning and growing.
- In all our times of waiting, when God is molding us, it’s a time of listening to His instructions, learning about His attributes, His character. Learning more about you and your predispositions and growing in faith.
One preacher had this to say, that oftentimes when we are in the waiting room of life.
Christians do three things: we wonder, we worry and we whine. Not red whine? No I don't mean we drink, I mean we Whine or complain.
We wonder: Why Lord why? Why me Lord? Why not Pastor Shyan? He's Singaporean.
Then we Worry: How Lord, How? How are we going to do this?
Then we Whine or complain: When Lord, When are you going to answer my prayer?
When you thank God after he answers your prayer, that's called gratitude and honor.
When you thank God before he answers your prayer, that is called FAITH.
For to combat worry, wonder and whine, requires faith.
a. We are enlarged in our waiting - just like a pregnant woman. As she carries her precious child in her womb. Something is happening inside the womb. God is developing the cells, tissues, organs, and the biological functions and that takes time.
Let me ask you this: If you have 100,00 in the bank right now and your 10 year old son. Who you love so dearly. I mean he's your son, asks you to give him 100,000 pesos. Would you give it to him? I think it's the same with God - HE will give you what He knows you can handle. He will answer your prayers when he's done molding you first.
I don’t know what you are waiting on God for but I'm here to tell you to stand firm. Do not let the devil steal the hope that God has instilled in your hearts.
Maybe you were laid off from work due to this pandemic and you have been waiting on God for an open door. Stand firm.
Maybe you have been waiting for healing for a long standing health challenge that you have been praying for many months now. Stand firm, do not lose hope.
Maybe you have been stuck in your job for many years now without any sign of promotion or progress and you feel that you have been left behind. BE STILL, lift up your head, fix your eyes on Jesus, bring all your cares and worries to him and wait for his answer.
Or perhaps you have been waiting for God to help YOUR business break new ground but this pandemic has derailed your plans. Stand firm, Wait on God for his divine instructions, be sensitive to his word by spending more time with him.
Or maybe you have been praying and waiting for a family member to turn from his old ways and turn to Jesus. Push forward, rest in the assurance that it is Jesus who changes hearts and your role is to patiently pray for your loved ones.
Remember our Verse: You are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Do not allow him to inflict doubt, fear and frustration to cloud your decisions, stand firm in faith. Instead scour through the book of life and begin to decree and declare the promises of God.
Do not allow people influence your decisions that is contrary to the word of God. No. Because when you do that, you put yourself in a position of weakness not of strength.
While you are waiting, do not ever ponder upon what you don't have. Instead decree and declare the promises of God!
God is working while your waiting - Second reason why we should wait.
The Devil and his minions does not want us to wait because waiting is contrary to the will of the World. And when we do, he attacks us with FEAR, DOUBT, disappointment, depression, frustration.
He uses all is weapons to disarm you and distract you from hanging on to GOD. From hanging on the promises God.
And leads some of us to think - Does God really know what I am going through? Does God really care? I am a mere sinful mortal, I don’t think he understands my needs. HE KNOWS, GOD KNOWs. Oh no Amar, you you don’t understand but I am going through my case is a special case over haps you’re you’re you’re in a different country and then you’re watching the sermon online and you’ve been wanting to come back and that was your prayer you wanted to have been wanting to come back to the Philippines but you know that the borders have been shut so you might be thinking that God doesn’t know that he know you’re a couple and you have been waiting for a child for so long already pretty unique situation you might be seeking is God really listening this God really know what I’m going through?
Luke 12:6 to 7
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
He knows you by name.
The lyrics of this song one of my favorite songs is this:
If He dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor
How much more will He clothe you?
How much more will He clothe you?
If He watched over every sparrow
How much more does He love you?
How much more does He love you?
Don't ever forget that. While you wait, God is working. We should not forget this. Dont let your guard down. For the devil will take advantage of our ignorance of God‘s character of God‘s attributes. in your time of waiting you might be thinking that nothing is happening. That nothing has been happening for a week, or two weeks. nothing has been happening for a month two months three months you think that nothing is happening. Brothers and sisters - remember this, when your eyes see that nothing is happening, in the spiritual realm, something is happening. a battle is going on.
When our minds cannot perceive what is happening while we are waiting, that is because no man can ever perceive the workings of God. Something is happening but we cannot comprehend it. Our mortal imperfect selves is not programmed to understand, comprehend or even see how God works while we are waiting.
well let me show you a verse to tell you that God is working on your waiting
Daniel 10:11-14 - This is a critical verse for us to understand what is happening behind the curtain of the world. What is happening the in realm of the spiritual while we are waiting:
This is in the book of Daniel, a little background here - Daniel has been faithfully waiting on God for 21 days now to answer his prayer.
11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
GOD hears your prayers. -
He answers them, His answer to your prayer is greater that your imagination, your intention and in between, the time of prayer - the time of waiting - is a spiritual confluence of principalities, activities that sets forth an action that we can never understand or comprehend. In Daniels case, the answer to his prayer was already uttered by God and the angel is to deliver the answer to immediately but it took 21 days to do so, why? Well there was a spiritual battle going on to make it happen.
Gods timing is perfect.
Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
In 2015 My wife and I went through a tough wilderness experience. We were waiting on God in the wilderness. I was involved in a business that closed down and we almost lost everything. We were in debt. Huge debt. I remember, our house rent was due the next day and we didn’t have money to pay for it. Any of you experienced that? Tough right? I had to tell my landlady not to deposit my rent check yet. I remember, I was down on my knees praying to God. Literally crying out to HIM in complete and utter surrender.
Waiting is worth it. - Because everyone who became great waited.
1. ABRAHAM - Waited on God to fulfill His promise
Hebrews 6:13-15
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Abraham was uprooted from his hometown as commanded by God. God told him that he will be the father of all nations. Now think about this. Abraham didn't even have a son, and God was already telling him he will be the father of nations. How can this be? But see Abraham waited on GOD. How long for 25 years before God fulfilled this promise.
I love this story of Abraham as it often reflects what what many Christians go through while waiting on God. In those 25 years of waiting, Abraham had many lapses in judgement. And in those lapses in judgment were the time when God was closest to him. God was molding him to be a better person these were the times when God changed his name from Abram to Abraham these were the times when God encouraged him twice by showing him the stars in the sky and the sands in the sea. God was close to Abraham and his faith was counted him as righteousness there was one major flaw in his judgment when he was pressured by Sarah to sleep with her servant HAGAR inorder to bear a child. And instead of turning to God for instructions, their impatience got the better of them and the consequences of their actions hounded the couple for many years. Despite all of these God remain faithful to his promise to Abraham. I remember in Genesis Abraham ask God Lord will you take care of Ismael how about Ismael and God said don’t worry about Ismael I will bless him to as I have blessed Isaac and so waiting on God is worth it as we see in the life of Abraham.
So was the promise of God fulfilled in the life of Abraham? absolutely.
1. JOB - Waited on God through sufferings.
The story of Job is a classic example of waiting through sufferings job lost his children, his wealth and even his own house yet he never stop trusting in God. he waited through sufferings and we can relate to his suffering story because we know of many people in around us who go through sufferings a lot, maybe you are going through one right now. We know people who have lost a child or may have lost their business. What is God calling you to do? Job was honest with his affliction but he turned to God and waited on God even when his wife told him: in JOB 2:9 - 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
But Job remained faithful to God and waited.
Job waited through sufferings and remained faithful, was it worth it? Absolutely, as we all know what happened after.
3. David - Waited on God to be appointed King
Everyone knows the story of young David and Goliath and it is one of the most popular stories in the Bible in fact it’s one of the most popular stories in the world but the truth is the most significant story of David is when he waited to be crowned king and the reason I say to his more significant is because this is where he showed great patients faith and trust in God. at this time soul was still king of Israel he’s the first king of Israel however he built against God and God rejected him asking and so God spoke to Samuel and Samuel anointed king David so David was in med king for sometime but he became prominent in Israel because he fought for king Saul Saul was very envious of David because every time David wins a battle David is the one celebrated and not Saul anymore and saw Saul sought to kill David and so David had to escape in caves with his 300 brave men and I during this time David showed faith as he waited on God for him for the perfect time.
Twice David had an opportunity to kill Saul in fact his men even told him that the opportunity was right but he was totally against killing Saul he said no one will hurt God‘s anointed so he waited on God, sleeping in caves traveling far and wide in fear of his life because SAUL was actively pursuing him but during all these times that he waited on God. God provided for David God protected David until it was the right time.
What I also want to point out here clearly is that while David was waiting on God as we can see in 50 of the PSALMS that he wrote he wrote almost half of the book of Psalms) is that he had his concerns he had all the worries the doubts the fears he was so vocal about it but the beauty is he was in vocal about it to his peers to his men he was vocal about it towards God he saw God he cried to God he he he he opened his heart out to God as you’ll see in the in in in the book of Psalms and that’s what’s beautiful about king David he knew where to turn to while waiting for his master to act on his behalf and we should be reminded of this as well the well.
That when we are in agony when we are in pain when we are waiting on God we just open our hearts out to him for he listens he is accessible he knows what we’re going through and so when we turn to him he is also our strength he’s also our salvation he comes to us he gives us strength and peace that is beyond understanding comes from him.
Some scholars believe that David waited for 15 years before he eventually became King. Was the wait worth it? Absolutely for David ruled for 40 years.
4. JOSEPH - Waited on God for his purpose.
Genesis 50:20 says this 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Christians love this verse isn’t it I’m sure many Christians have memorized this verse here in genesis 50 verse 20 I think many Christians do not really grasp the context of how this came about or why JOSEPH was led to say this.
This statement of Joseph is so powerful because this is the time that HE finally realized HIS purpose in life after waiting on God for so many years. Remember, the story of Joseph starts in covers 13 chapters in Genesis from 37 to 50
Allow me to give you a brief summary. The brothers of Joseph hated him for he was their Dad, Jacob's favorite. ( teaching point to parents: never pick favorites okay. Come to think of it, Jacob was in turn the favorite of His mom, Rachel while His brother Esau, was Isaac's favorite. ( so again, never pick favorites )
Okay back to our story, so Joseph enjoys being favored and then one day Joseph repeated two of his dreams to his whole family, in which he was portrayed as ruling over his brethren. In the first, the brothers were gathering wheat in the field, and the brothers’ bundles bowed to Joseph’s bundle. In the second, Joseph envisioned the sun, the moon, and eleven stars (symbolizing his parents and brothers) bowing to him. He never understood what this meant at the time. Anyway, His brother initially thought of killing him and then finally decided to sell him instead as a slave. He was 17 years old. How many of you here are 17 years old? What do you think was going through his mind?
He was probably waiting on GOD to do something quickly! The bible is silent about this but I can only imagine him crying, frustrated and completely loosing hope. He is then sold by the slave trader to Potiphar - the minister of Pharoah. During all his time in Potiphars household God was actually molding Joseph, God allowed this time of waiting in Joseph's life for him to learn to serve, to learn the customs, language, traditions of the Egyptians so he became the head of Potiphars estate. But it wouldn’t last long. Potiphars wife makes a move on him and tries to be intimate with Joseph but Joseph refused.
He knew it wasn't the right thing to do. He had integrity. The next day he is accused by Potiphars wife and was immediately sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. This was worst than being sold as a slave. Because now he was a slave in prison.
Waiting on God again. The Jail warden finds favor in Joseph and makes him his right hand man. Amazing isn't it, even in prison Joseph continues to magnify God's grace. God then gives him a vision to interpret the dream of two prisoners that were with him - the Kings Baker and his cupbearer.
He does so successfully and so when his co-prisoners were released he was so hopeful and expectant that the cupbearer will tell Pharoah about Joseph.
But it doesn’t happen. Joseph again waited for 2 years. At God's perfect time, Pharoah envisioned 2 dreams and his cupbearer remembers Joseph!
A coincidence? Absolutely not, this is GODs divine arrangement of circumstances. Joseph was the only one who was able to interpret the dream and JOSEPH credited it all to God. Hallelujah. Pharoah in that very instant, appoints Joseph as his second in command. From prisoner to prince. All in a span of 13 years.
Perhaps some of you here are like Joseph. Except having evil siblings but you're probably from the province. Forced to work in the huge metropolis of Metro Manila. Finally finding a job at a multinational firm, you find your way through the corporate ladder and then perhaps you are imprisoned in your thoughts not knowing if your life will ever change, if your salary will ever increase, or if you can even afford to start a family.
You get imprisoned not in JAIL, but in your thoughts, about your life and where it is headed. You don't know what's your purpose in life right now and you are waiting on God for an answer. God knows your situation wait on him.
Joseph, becomes a highly respecte individual in all of Egypt, next only to Pharaoh. He was powerful, influential and wealthy. Because of the great famine in the land, Josephs brothers go to Egypt for food but they didn’t recognize Joseph, why well, they thought he was already dead! But Joseph was so emotional, he missed his brothers! Especially Benjamin. Anyway I don’t want to spoil the story, you must stop what your watching in netflix right now and ready Genesis 37 to 50. To cut the story short, All his siblings bow down to Joseph. A fulfillment of the vision he saw when he was just 17 years old.
You probably have forgotten a prayer request or a vision that God showed you long ago. But God doesn’t forget! His promises are true and it is will come at the appointed in God divine clock.
C. What do we do while waiting? As Christians, what are we supposed to do while waiting on God?
PRAY:
Very familiar verse in Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-13. It’s the Ask, Seek, Knock.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
The original Greek translation of this verse.
7. “You must regularly ask and it will be given to you, you must continually seek and you will find, you must knock habitually and it will be opened to you: 8. for everyone who asks takes, and the one who seeks finds, and it will be opened for the one who knocks.
What do we do when we are waiting - we humble ourselves before God, we seek his assistance to break the chains of the stronghold of sin in our lives so that we can commune with God and hear him clearly. we approach his throne with praise and thanksgiving. We don’t falter in faith and spend time reading his word. We pray unceasingly.
SERVE:
2 Corinthians 9:12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Let me ask you this, why do you think Waiters in restaurants are also called Servers? I think it’s the heart of the servant - the server, that gives them the ability to wait on customers. If you don’t have a servants heart, a heart of humility, I don’t think you can even wait.
FELLOWSHIP WITH BELIEVERS
Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25
1 John 1:3
That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Fellowship brings about many blessings especially when you share what you are waiting God for. You'll have an army praying with you. Storming the heavens with you.
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
CONTINUE SOWING.
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Have you see farmers sowing seed in the field. Its not a one time thing.. They actually continue sowing. Its none-stop, while their harvesting in one field their sowing in another.
KEEP ON KEEPING ON
New International Version HEBREWS 6:12
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Colossians 3:23
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Galatians 6:4-5
4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
5 for each one should carry their own load.
Stop Comparing your life to other Christians. God has a plan for each. Just keep on Keeping on!
While waiting on God it is not time to be lazy. It's a time to draw close to God, It’s a time to read through the lives of God's generals to learn what they were doing. Waiting is the time to develop habit and skills.
Get involved in service, get involved in ministry, Keep on keeping on. You don't stop, keep on going. Work harder at your job, Be more diligent and efficient, be reliable and dependable, be trustworthy and accountable, be faithful and compassionate.
As God molds your character, you will begin to manifest the fruit of the spirit.
D. God is worth the wait. We are going to end with the sufficiency of God.
As Christians, we often forget the sufficiency of GOD. We have to elevate our thinking of GOD, a higher view of the Almighty Father.
When we understand God is good, we can trust He has good in store for us. When we know Him as the sovereign Lord over our prayers, plans and hopes, we can believe He wants our best.
One writer had this to say: When we act on our own in haste, we receive the fullness of our own actions. When we wait on God, we receive the fullness of His blessings.
“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4).
Isaiah wanted to elevate the Israelites’ view of God so they would learn to trust Him more. No other god can do what God can do. Wait on Him
Psalm 37:
3. Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit[a] your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be [b]cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.
And I will end with this.
2 PETER 3:8-9:
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Here's a thought. As you wait on God, Maybe God is waiting on you too, waiting for you to act.
Jesus is the ultimate example of someone, who lived in heaven. He took on flesh and became one of us. WAITED for 30 long years before He starting a ministry that until this very day affects the very lives of countless individuals around the world.
So if Jesus is knocking in your heart right now, If Jesus is waiting for an answer. This is the time to respond. Its time to let go of all your worries, pains, fear, doubt and shame. Nothing is impossible for HIM who created everything.
I want you to listen to this worship song while we go to prayer. With heads bowed down and eyes closed in complete surrender to God. Let’s pray…
If your ready to give your life to the one who waited all his life for you, lift up those hands and pray this with me…
