They That Wait Upon The Lord

They that wait on the Lord

Isaiah 40:28-31

Introduction-

Turn to Isaiah 40

This has been one of those weeks where I found myself asking God… how do I get done what I need too because it was a week that was so demanding.

I said to the Lord during the week, Sunday is coming and I don’t have a message yet Lord. He has never let me down but has taken me to the wire several times but I don’t like spending Saturday finalizing my sermon for Sunday.

In a perfect world, the sermon is done by Friday, and I look over it on Saturday some time before digesting it again early Sunday Morning before most get here to church.

What changed my week?

Encouraging note from the new district superintendent.

Lunch with a good friend and I found myself looking at Sunday from a different place.

Lord Sunday is coming! Desperation

To…Sunday is coming! Relief

Which one do you think ministered to me?

Answer-The one from relief. Realizing- that the Lord has to be my strength.

Isaiah 40 begins with the writer of Isaiah comforting the people of God and brings them back to their remembrance of the promises of God

(V1)- “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”

People mad at God

People waiting for God to do something in their situation.

People waiting for healing, confirmation, restoration, encouragement… for God to turn a dark cloud inside out and let the light of Jesus Christ shined bright.

Anyone here this morning waiting on God?

Scripture- Isaiah 40:28-31 read from NIV Bible

Prayer-

Father, this morning, would you do something amazing? Would you be what we need you to be today? Would you encourage, strengthen and speak to us this morning? We will come to you with a heart open and ready to receive what you have for us. We will receive with gladness your anointed presence in a time that we feel so utterly dry and needing the power of the Holy Spirit of God working in our life and abundantly empowering us to live the life that you have called us to live.

In Jesus Name! Amen.

Isaiah 40:31 King James Version (KJV)

31 “ But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

That is the way I memorized this verse.

This to me is a soldier that gets his strength from on hi and does things outside of his own realm of talents, power and wisdom.

Let’s go back to the encouraging note-

We are in spiritual battles and we are just trying to live life and at times, they both are overwhelming us and we just need a shot of adrenalin to help us through. Sometimes, it is the Lord Himself who does it and sometimes, by choice He will use other people that come into our path. Hence why the encouraging note was important

We know that in every situation- there is a time to wait and there is a time of moving forward.

The wisdom needed is what to do and when to do it.

It is at those times that we need the wisdom of God to help and the friendship of others to help us stay on track.

Back up a minute and stay with me- Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah chapter 6 saw the Lord for who He is!

Isaiah 6:1-6:5

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with 6 wings; with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. At the sound of their voices the doorposts and threshold shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Woe to me! I cried, I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the king, the Lord Almighty.”

In our times of trouble… We need God to manifest Himself and give us the needed wisdom, strength, encouragement, provision.

We need to stop running away and run toward Him. It is when we run toward him that we see God for who He is- God Almighty! The one who should be praised and lifted up and when we praise and lift up the name of Jesus and move toward Him- He manifest his power, his anointing, His wisdom and He begins to work on our behalf and we know that we know what we should be doing. Waiting on God or moving forward in His strength and power.