WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
TOPIC: THE WORD OF GOD SHALL BE FULFILLED AT THE PROPER TIME
 BY T. O. BANSO
âAnd now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper timeâ (Luke 1:20 New Living Translation).
Luke 1:24 says, âSoon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five monthsâ (New Living Translation). Elizabeth was the wife of Zachariah, and they had been barren for many years.
But that scripture says, âsoon afterwardâ she became pregnant. Soon after the angel of the LORD had told Zachariah his wife would be pregnant, she conceived.
I pray that this shall be the experience and testimony of someone reading this; soon after this message, you or your wife shall conceive. I pray it will happen soon, and youâll testify to the power of God.
It is always sweet when the Word of God is fulfilled “soon afterward.” It is not always easy when one has to wait for long for its fulfilment. It could be sometimes wearisome when you keep waiting for the fulfilment of the promise of God. Nevertheless, donât worry. It shall come to pass, as the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
However, some promises of God take time to be fulfilled. For instance, the prophecies about the birth of Jesus didnât happen soon after they were made. The prophets had long died before they were fulfilled. You wonât have to wait as long as that for Godâs Word to be fulfilled in your life!
God is watching over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). Till heaven and earth shall pass away, not one jot will pass from the Word of God till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:18). You must believe the Word of God. Hold on to it, no matter what. Donât let go of it even when the circumstances appear or are really contrary. Donât drop the Word even if there is no evidence that it will come to pass.
Psalm 18:30b says the Word of the LORD is proven. 2 Samuel 22:31b says the same thing. âThe words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven timesâ (Psalm 12:6 New King James Version).
Cooperate with the Word of God by studying it, meditating upon it, confessing it, and doing whatever it asks you to do. What the LORD told Joshua, He is telling you, too. âThis Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good successâ (Joshua 1:8-9 New King James Version).
Refrain from speaking contrary words; avoid uttering words of doubts or unbelief. That was why God made Zachariah, Elizabethâs husband, mute after the angel he encountered in the Temple had told him his wife, who had been barren for long, would conceive and bear him a son whom he would call John (Luke 1:13).
The angel said other things about the child, but Zachariah, a priest of God, responded in unbelief. âAnd Zacharias said to the angel, âHow shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in yearsââ (Luke 1:18 New King James Version).
The LORD saw that he had started disbelieving His Word and if he was left with the ability to speak, he would continue speaking words of unbelief after leaving the Temple. Thus, he would render ineffective the Word of the LORD; he would cancel his miracle.
Therefore, the angel said, âAnd now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper timeâ (Luke 1:20 New Living Translation). The action taken by God was in the best interest of the family because soon afterward, Zechariahâs wife became pregnant. An end came to their long years of barrenness. The Word of the LORD was fulfilled at the proper time.
Mary, a virgin, and the wife of Joseph, also found strange the words of the angel to her that she would conceive and bring forth a Son, and she shall call His name JESUS. The angel also told her other things about the child (Luke 1:31-34).
But when she asked the angel how this could happen, since she was a virgin, the angel told her that the Holy Spirit would accomplish it. Mary believed. âThen Mary said, âBehold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your wordââ (verse 38 New King James Version). There was no need for the angel to make her mute and deaf like Zechariah (verse 62). Mary gave birth to Jesus according to the Word of the LORD. His Word was fulfilled at the proper time.
Agree with the Word of God. Donât speak unhelpful words. It is not enough to believe in your heart. You must confess with your mouth.
Confession of the Word of God is the open, bold, and unwavering declaration of the Word. With the heart, one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made to salvation (Romans 10:10). Guard jealously the promises or the Word of God to you; donât let the enemy steal your promises.
The Bible says Abraham believed God; he didnât consider the impotence of his body, being about 100 years old, or the deadness of Sarahâs womb. âAnd not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore âit was accounted to him for righteousnessââ (Romans 4:19-22 New King James Version).
Though Abraham stumbled in the journey of faith when he listened to his wife, Sarah, and they got a child, which God didn’t promise them; yet, Abraham remains the father of faith. His name is recorded in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11.
Learn from his life. Avoid making a mistake that will later laugh at your miracle (Genesis 21:9). The world has not recovered from Abrahamâs mistake till today. Perhaps you have stumbled as Abraham did, all hope is not lost. Return to God and reestablish your faith in Him and His Word. He is a merciful God.
The Word of God will be fulfilled at the proper time. Behold, God is coming to fulfil His Word in your life! In due season, you will receive what He has promised you if you don’t lose heart (Galatians 6:9). âWhen the right time comes, I will make this happen quickly. I am the Lord!â (Isaiah 60:22b Good News Translation).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I believe in You and Your Word. I hold on to Your promises. Let Your Word come to pass in my life at the proper time. I shall not be impatient, become weary, or be discouraged.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org