When it seems like nothing is happening….
There will be times in your Christian Experience that IT SEEMS like NOTHING IS HAPPENING. There are times of WAITING. The Bible calls this PATIENCE!! We live in a Quick-Fix, Fast Lane, Instant and Immediate world. Everything is keyed to a Drive-Up syndrome. Drive up fast food. (Sudden Food in Liberia!) Drive up Dry Cleaners. Drive up Banking. Drive up pawn shops. Drive up Funeral Parlors. Most of American life (and Christian life) is tied to the NOW. In reality, the RIGHT NOW! Perhaps this is one reason it is so hard to WAIT when we are dealing with Spiritual Things.
Jesus said in Mark 11 that if we “shall not doubt in our heart, but shall believe that those things which we say shall come to pass, we shall HAVE WHATSOEVER we SAY…” He added: “Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them…” He also said: “If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it…” (John 14:14). How can we explain the FACT that some have asked and some have believed and some have agreed and some have not doubted, but YET the answer has not manifested. They are still WAITING. Some are not only waiting, they are WONDERING. Many have turned to WISHING and HOPING and LONGING. But IT SEEMS that NOTHING HAS HAPPENED and NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
Waiting is not bad. Not if you understand what is taking place in the realm of the Spirit. When we PRAY and BELIEVE, powerful spiritual forces are released. These forces are invisible but they are REAL. They work and they produce. While we wait, we can win. We do not have to get discouraged, or depressed or frustrated. We can discover facets of God’s Grace and Tender Mercies that we never knew existed if we WAIT IN FAITH. “You will reap in due season (there is an APPOINTED TIME set BY GOD for your answer!), if you faint (to relax or become exhausted) not…” (Gal 6:9) While we wait, there are some things we can do to strengthen our Faith Position. Waiting does not mean “doing nothing”. “Resting” in God does not mean idleness or laziness. While we wait, we intensify our Spiritual Warfare. (Spiritual Warfare is the theme for the 90’s. The Church is coming into a powerful AGRESSIVE POSTURE. In the 90’s this Offensive will do great damage to the powers of darkness. Forces that have long held multitudes in captivity will be BROKEN and there shall be GREAT LIGHT in the place of darkness).
(1) God is Working
(2) satan is warring
(3) I am Waiting (Developing patience: hupomone “cheerfulness, endurance, constancy”) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this that the trying (proving) of your faith worketh (accomplishes, finishes) patience…” (James 1:2-3)
- BE ASSURED OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS. (Trustworthy)
God is faithful (trustworthy). God will honor His Word. God will always Perform what He Promises. “God is faithful…” the Magna Charta of the NT Church. He will not fail you. He will not forsake you. He will SHOW UP and Deliver you… IN TIME!! The Bible is a RECORD of God’s Faithfulness. “In the fullness of time…” There is a “time” set aside for every purpose and every answer. Do not frustrate God’s Grace by getting impatient. Impatience has birthed many Ishmaels. Taking over before God gets through can be disastrous. Let “patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect (teleos: complete, full grown) and entire (complete in every part, perfectly sound, whole), wanting nothing…” (James 1:4)
There is a WAY of ESCAPE. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted more than you can stand. But with every temptation, He will also make a Way of escape. (I Cor 10:13) Nothing shall by any means hurt you. No evil shall come near the place you dwell… BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL.
2. REHEARSE THE WORD (“It is written…”)
Exercise it like you would exercise your muscles. Use it. Let it RISE up out of your Spirit. Temper the Word with aggressiveness. Be offensive and attack your hard situation with the Revelation God gives you in His Word. “It is written…” “God says…” “The Word declares…”
3. QUIT WORRYING (Follow after peace)
99% of the things you worry about NEVER HAPPEN. Settle in your heart that EVERYTHING IS REALLY OK. satan exaggerates and intensifies and magnifies the negative. God is in Control.
4. WORSHIP JESUS
Seek Jesus… not your answer!! The more you worship Him the less you think about your problem. Sing. Pray. Bow before Him. Speak in Tongues. Prophesy to yourself. Worship God!!
dickbraswell 
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