Week 23: June 5, 2016
Topic: Wait on the Lord – Part 1
Bible Reading: Isaiah 40: 17-31
Introduction
Christians must learn how to wait on the Lord because it is essential to our life and also a requirement to perfect your faith in the Lord. Anyone that chooses not to wait on the Lord will get an easy ride from the Devil which will certainly end in destruction.
Since the Lord is a merciful God, it is good to wait on Him. No matter how long it takes, wait on the Lord because the outcome of your waiting will be justified. Hence, you will have every cause to glorify His Name.
Requirements For Waiting On the Lord
There are some prerequisites that must be met before the heaven will count one’s waiting on the Lord worthy and acceptable. We will mention some of them during our discussions.
Faith: You cannot say I am waiting on the Lord without putting your trust first in the Lord, you must have confidence that He is able to deliver and He will neither fail nor disappoint you. You must have the conviction that God is able to solve your problems/troubles. This will prompt you to have faith and wait patiently for Him to solve the difficulties of your life. Christians must remember that we walk by faith and not by sight 2 Corinthians 5: 7. It means we believe in something that is not visible to naked eyes but easy/possible to accomplish. So we live in this world by believing the Word of the Lord and not what we see naturally.
Believers through the spirit should eagerly wait on the Lord for the hope of righteousness by our faith Galatians 5: 5. Therefore, those of us who live by spirit should anxiously wait to receive everything the Lord had promised those that are righteous through their faith in Him.
Perseverance: Whenever we hope for what we do not see we have to patiently wait on the Lord for it with perseverance Romans 8: 25. Therefore, we must wait on the Lord at all times for direction and guidance with self-control. Also have confidence for things which are yet to manifest hoping that He will provide them for you.
Hope: Whenever you are waiting on the Lord, you must keep your hope alive and it is for this reason that the Bible stated that “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord”. Lamentations 3: 26. Brethren when you are waiting on the Lord do not be heartbroken or depressed, but increase your degree of expectation and desire for those things you want from the Lord to happen.
Teachings About Waiting on the Lord
Wait even if promises are slow: No matter what you are experiencing presently, I want you to know that if you remain faithful and wait on the Lord all His promises/visions will be fulfilled in your life. Since all the promises of God in Jesus Christ is “Yes”... 2 Corinthians 1: 20. Even if the promises are late, one thing you should realize is that “delay is not denial” so wait on the Lord.
God’s way is not our way, so any promise/vision/and word He has said will come to pass, if you are patient and wait.
Any message that God sent to you through visions/dreams/prophecy know that it is nothing, but the truth. It is for an appointed time, so if it is slow wait for it because it will surely come to pass. It will not tarry Habakkuk 2: 3. The message might not happen right away, but slowly, steadily, and surely as the time approaches, it will be fulfilled and it will not be delayed. Therefore, always wait on the Lord.
Wait on Him that can turn impossibility to possibility: Our God is an awesome God, so Christians must wait on the only God that is powerful enough to cause rain and tell the heavens to give showers. The only God that can kill the body and the soul rather than the idols that have eyes, but they cannot see. They have noses, but cannot smell. They have legs but cannot walk; they have mouths, but cannot talk/speak; they have hands, but cannot use them. He is the only One that’s worth waiting for Psalm 11: 3-8.
Ask yourself, can any of the idols/foreign gods send us rain? Or does rain fall from the sky by itself? No, it comes from our Lord. He is the only Living God who can perform such things, so we must wait on Him Jeremiah 14: 22. Wait on the only God that can bring rain, snow, thunder, sunshine, etc. He is the Lord that provides for the needs of all living things. He is the only One who can help us, so wait on Him.
Wait on the Lord that cannot condone evil: You have to wait on the Lord that hides His face from the disobedient people and put your hope in Him to give you breakthrough. Isaiah 8: 17. If you cannot abstain from sins and iniquities, your waiting upon the Lord is in vain because the eyes of the Lord cannot condone evil. In fact the Bible testify that He always hide His face from the evil doers so that He will not destroy them instantly Micah 3: 4. God will not hear the cry of the wicked/disobedient whenever they cry for help. He will even hide His face from them because of their evil deeds, until they repent.
Wait on the Lord that can avenge you: If people are oppressing or afflicting you, wait upon the Lord to avenge you and do not take matters into your own hands. Remember what the Bible says, “beloved do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord”. Romans 12: 19. Since we have this promise from the Lord, therefore do not pay back evil with evil to anyone.
If you want God to avenge you on all your foes and save you, then wait on Him. Do not say “I will recompense evil”, wait for the Lord and He will save you from those that are terrifying you. Proverbs 20: 22. Do not say “I will get even for the wrong done to me”, but wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
Furthermore, God has vow and He will never renege on His promise to avenge you on your enemies and vindicate you on everywhere, so wait for Him. Zephaniah 3: 8. Wait for that day when the Lord will accuse your adversaries and pour out His anger/fury on them.
Week 24: June 12, 2016
Topic: Wait on the Lord – Part 2
Bible Reading: Isaiah 40: 17-31
Examples From the Bible
There are several examples of people who waited on the Lord in the Bible, but we will take few cases to buttress our discussion. We will learn from the examples to be discussed that everyone who waited on the Lord will never regret, but have eternal joy.
Gift of Womb: It is the promise of God that “We Christians shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among us or among our livestock” Deuteronomy 7: 14. God fulfilled His promise in the lives of the chosen people and there was no woman mentioned in the Bible that was barren except Michal the daughter of Saul 2 Samuel 6: 16, 20-23. Michal remains childless throughout her entire life because she despised David the anointed of the Lord in her heart. You too, do not despise the anointed of the Lord or do things that can make the eyes of God to be bitter towards you which can prevent this promise from coming to pass in your life.
· Sarah: God gave Sarah Isaac (the promised child) after many years of waiting upon the Lord. That God is still alive and He will give you glorious child/children if you can wait for Him Genesis 18: 9-14.
· Rebeccah: Rebeccah waited on the Lord and received twins, among who is Israel the chosen people of God Genesis 25: 21. Her barrenness was removed and she became a proud mother of twins. Wait upon the Lord and receive your twins today.
· Rachel: She waited on the Lord and she was blessed with Joseph who became the prime minister of Egypt. The Lord that answered Rachel will answer your prayers and you will be fruitful throughout your lifetime.
· Manoa’s Wife: She waited on the Lord and gave birth to Samson, the strongest man to ever walk the surface of earth Judges 13: 2-5. God will open your womb today and give you children that will be the pride of Christianity.
· Hannah: She waited on the Lord and brings forth Samuel one of the greatest prophets in the land of Israel. 1 Samuel 1: 19-20. Today, I AM WHO I AM will wipe away your tears permanently and the monthly sadness shall cease in your life.
· Elizabeth: Elizabeth waited on the Lord and she was given John the Baptist, the fore-runner of our Lord Jesus Christ Luke 1: 24-25, 59-66. Jehovah that erased the reproaches of Elizabeth will certainly erase your reproaches everywhere under the sky. The event that will make people to congratulate and jubilate with you shall happen this month in your life.
All the aforementioned people were thought to be barren, but God transformed their lives by giving each of them a child that left lasting impact on mankind.
Healing: When King Hezekiah was sick and near death, He did not seek the assistance of herbalists or turn to contrary gods for help, but waited on the Lord. The Lord healed him and added 15 years to his life span 2 Kings 20: 1-6. Whatever sickness that is making your life unbearable will be cured today and your life will be prolonged, if you can wait on the Lord.
Gifts of Spirit: The apostles did not disobey the command/directive of the Lord, but waited in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. On the day of Pentecost they were baptized with fire. Acts 1: 4, 2: 1-4. If you abstain from sins and wait upon the Lord you also will be baptized by the Holy Spirit and you will have the opportunity to mingle with the heavenly beings Zechariah 3: 3-6.
Eternal Salvation: Simeon waited upon the Lord after it was revealed to him by Holy Spirit that he would not die before he sees the Lord Jesus Christ. He waited on the Lord and witnessed the consolation of Israel. He saw the redeemer of mankind when Jesus Christ was brought into the temple Luke 2: 25-32. If you are deprive of something and time is running out or you think it is getting late, if you are faithful and waited on the Lord, then it means God is doing something behind the scene. He is doing marvelous job in your life secretly and by the time it manifests, every soul shall congratulate and jubilate with you.
Benefits of Waiting on the Lord
I want us to know that all the benefits that will be mentioned during the course of this study shall manifest in your life, if you wait on the Lord.
Since the Bible testified that God is not a man, that He should lie, He is not human that He should repent or be sorry, though He can have change of heart. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not kept His word or not carried it through Numbers 23: 19? Therefore, God can be trusted to keep His word and fulfill the word contain in this study. Since the Bible stated that things which are humanly impossible is possible and easy for God to achieve Luke 1: 37.
Goodness and favour: Wait on the Lord so that He will be nice, kind and good to you. In fact, He will fill your life with goodness and favour, if you can seek Him diligently and wait for Him Lamentations 3: 25. So, wait on the Lord for the goodness and favour which Satan is using as bait to lure many away from the righteous path. Let God know that you depend on Him and that is the reason why you will keep seeking/searching for Him.
God will hear your cry and pacify you: Whatever your situation, do not give up, keep waiting on the Lord so that He will turn to you and hear your cry for assistance. Then He shall bring you out of the hole of danger, set you feet on a rock and establish your life. Also He will put a new song in your mouth, many people will see the positive changes in your life and they shall fear the Lord in ways that will make them to trust Him (the Lord) forever Psalm 40: 1-3. Wait on the Lord, He will hear your cry and pacify you. Then, you will be lifted out of the pit of despair/depression; He will set your feet on solid ground and steady you as you walk along your Christianity journey. He will put a new song in your mouth to glorify Him while putting your foes to shame. People shall witness the great transformation and they will be amazed by the awesome power of God which will make them to put their trust in the Lord eternally.
You will be honoured and inherit the land: Do not wander off from the righteous path while waiting on the Lord so that: He will exalt you and make you to inherit the land. You shall witness the punishment of wicked people, but you will not partake in it, says the Lord Psalm 37: 34. You will be rewarded for waiting on the Lord by honouring you among your people. He will give you the land in which you are dwelling. You shall see the destruction of evil doers that have been oppressing you.
Do not be impatient for the Lord to act concerning your problems, so that He can give you Your native land just as He gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites. Psalm 37:9. You will certainly survive the wicked people you will be famous and inherit the earth, if you wait on the Lord.
Week 25: June 19, 2016
Topic: Wait on the Lord – Part 3
Bible Reading: Isaiah 40: 17-31
Benefits Continued
As we must have realize from the past studies/lessons that the best thing that can happen to anyone is to wait on the Lord till his/her problems are solved. Then we will continue with the benefits of waiting on the Lord.
Lord shall strengthen your heart: Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and be strong; and He will strengthen your heart Psalm 27: 14. Presently, consider how much people spend on health care, but if you can wait on the Lord, He will heal you and give you clean bill of health free of charge. He will also solve all your problems and give you your heart desires, if and only if, you can wait on Him. Furthermore, the Lord shall satisfy your mouth with good things so that your youth will be renewed like eagles, says the Bible Psalm 103: 5. If you wait on the Lord, your desires and years will be satisfied with good things of life, lack and scarcity shall be erased permanently from your journey, while His blessings and goodness will fill your life.
People will serve you: It is the promise of God, if you wait on Him then He will take you to esteem position in the world and you shall become important personality that people will be serving you. The noble shall bow down before you and lick the dust of your feet, and you will not be put to shame throughout your lifetime. Isaiah 49: 23. Every soul that waited upon the Lord:
· Shall climb the spiritual ladder of success.
· They will be successful to the extent that they will wine and dine with the “movers and shakers” of their nations.
· The aristocrats will honour them; they will serve and care for all their needs.
They shall neither be disappointed nor ashamed because they have patiently waited on the Lord.
God will keep your hope alive: Christians, wait for God alone because your expectation is from Him. Let it be visible that He is your rock and salvation, your fortress where you cannot/will not be shaken Psalm 62: 5-6. If you acknowledge/admit that your hope comes from the Lord, then wait for Him, because He will fill your life with His mercy and abundance of redemption, says the Bible Psalm 130: 7. I pray that the sustainable mercy of the Lord will overtake you during your waiting period and His salvation shall be revealed in your life. Since our God is just and faithful, let us keep our hopes without wavering while waiting on Him Hebrews 10: 23. Our God can be trusted to keep His promise, therefore, let us wait for Him and hold tightly without quivering to the hope we affirm.
Wisdom in Waiting For the Lord
God is waiting to bless us: We must know that God did not ask us to wait for Him in vain but to be blessed. In fact, God is waiting for every soul to reconcile with Him and “turn a new leaf” so that they will not perish with the world. He is waiting for us to abstain from sins and iniquities so that He will be merciful and gracious to us. He will also exalt/honour us among our people, if we can wait on Him Isaiah 30: 18. Since God did not have any pleasure in the death of the wicked or sinners, but for them to turn from their evil ways and live Ezekiel 18: 23. Then He is longing to be gracious to us, so that He can bless you, show you compassion and kindness.
Wait for your Saviour: It is the duty of every Christian to wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who delivers us from the wrath to come 1 Thessalonians 1: 10. Therefore, wait for the return of the Saviour of the world who rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
· Jesus Christ advised that believers must be ready and wait for the return of our Redeemer; hence whenever He knocks on the door of our hearts we will open them immediately without delay. Such people will be blessed and He will attend to their needs. Luke 12: 36-37.
· Paul Apostle through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit stated that we must be zealous for the gifts of Spirit, so that Holy Spirit can comfort us and direct our paths while waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 1: 7. Do you have necessary gifts of Holy Spirit for Christianity journey?
Do not envy the wicked: Wait on the Lord to give you your heart’s desire. Do not envy/fret when evildoers prospers in their ways through their wicked schemes Psalm 37: 7. At this point, I have to warn Christians not to compare themselves with anybody, else they will sin against the Lord. Though, it is good to emulate people that are spiritually gifted/better than you, but never do comparative analysis.
Whenever you compare yourself with somebody you are better than financially/educationally/spiritually, then Pride will set in. If it is somebody that is better than you, then you may Envy or Jealous such people which can lead to sins in the presence of God. Therefore, wait on the Lord for your time.
Beware lest you fall: I am warning you ahead of time; watch out lest you also fall from your own steadfastness whereby you will be led away with the error of the wicked 2 Peter 3: 17. You have been forewarned; therefore beloved, beware and be on your guard so that you won’t be carried away by the mistakes of the wicked or the errors of lawlessness in manners that will make you fall from your strong faith or secure position.
People will not be disgraced through us: Brethren we have to be in spirit and do what it takes, lest people who wait on the Lord shall not be disgraced because of us. Pray fervently so that people who rely on the Lord shall not be confounded because of us, but have testimonies that will glorify the name of the Lord Psalm 69: 6. We have to pray, fast and act so that people who trust and wait on the Lord will not be ashamed/dishonored because of us.
Finally be steadfast, immovable, always abound in the work of the Lord and wait for Him; knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Corinthians 15: 58. Let us be strong and steady, always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for we know that nothing we do for the Lord is ever useless/wasted.
The Seal: Isaiah 40: 31
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.