WISDOM FOR LIVING DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020
TOPIC: WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD
BY T. O. BANSO
âRest 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 passâ (Psalm 37:7 New King James Version).
Waiting is a normal thing every human being does. We have to wait for the traffic light to turn green, wait to cross the road, Â wait to take our turns, and wait for one thing or the other. Waiting is normal.
However, there is a time when waiting becomes abnormal so to speak. When waiting is seen as an unnecessary delay, one becomes impatient. Consequently, one could take some actions, which might not help matters. Such actions could complicate things.
A pregnant woman could wait patiently for nine months for the delivery of her baby. But when it exceeds nine months, getting to ten months or above, she becomes impatient. She becomes desperate. However, her anxiety doesnât help her situation.
Demonic delays must be dealt with in prayer, but we must still wait for the LORD for the manifestation of the answers. Anxiety does not solve any problem. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version).
Anyone who has decided to put his faith in God must learn to wait patiently for Him. Probably, you are currently in a situation where youâre getting impatient over one thing or the other. Probably you have passed the stage of what you consider normal waiting; your waiting has exceeded what is normal. Your waiting is getting prolonged and youâre wondering how long more you must wait.
Many people can relate to the fact that waiting is not easy when you are under pressure. It takes Godâs help to continue to wait for Him and not to take the wrong steps in such a situation. Ask Saul and he would tell you. He waited for Samuel for seven days as he had told him. At the expiration of seven days, Samuel had not come. Unfortunately, he couldnât hold on. He succumbed to pressure and did what he wasnât supposed to do.
As soon as he had finished presenting a burnt offering to the LORD, which he wasnât qualified to offer, Samuel came and he went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel queried him about what he had done. âSaul said, âWhen I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offeringââ(1 Samuel 13:11-12 New King James Version).
Did you see that? He couldnât wait further for Samuel because he was under pressure. He took a wrong step. He should have continued to wait considering the aftermath of his impatience.
âAnd Samuel said to Saul, âYou have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded youâ (verses 13-14 New King James Version).
Wait patiently for the LORD. David says, âI waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, cut of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth â praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to liesâ (Psalm 40:1-4 New King James Version).
The key phrase in that scripture is âI waited patiently for the LORD.â David goes ahead to tell us the benefits of His waiting. Waiting patiently for the LORD is an important discipline every child of God must cultivate and practise to walk effectively with God and become all that God wants him to be.
Anyone who has decided to walk with the LORD must learn to wait for Him and not only wait but wait patiently. This is important because if the LORD tells you He will do something for you or you have a divine revelation of God promising to do something in your life, it doesnât mean it will happen tomorrow or soon. Ask Joseph, and he will confirm this.
It took twenty-two years for Josephâs dream that his brothers bowed before him to come to pass. He had the dream when he was seventeen years (Genesis 37:2, 5-11) and he became prime minister at thirty years of age (Genesis 41:46) â a difference of thirteen years.
There were seven years of prosperity that Pharaoh had dreamt about and the seven-year famine was in its second year (Genesis 45:6) when his brothers came and bowed before him (Genesis 42:6, 43:26, 28, 44:14). He finally revealed his identity to them (Genesis 45). That made the two periods nine years. Therefore, thirteen years plus seven years of prosperity and two years of famine added up to twenty-two years!
You must decide whether you want to wait patiently for the LORD or you want to do things your own way. You can decide to produce your own Ishmael or you wait for the child of promise, Isaac. God wonât stop you from whatever decision you choose to make. He didnât stop Abraham!
As you pray and continue to live in the current phase of your life, wait patiently for the fulfillment of the promises of God. âBut these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayedâ (Habakkuk 2:3Â New Living Translation).
Wait patiently for the LORD. Donât act hastily. Donât succumb to any pressure, including the pressure that comes because of those who seem to be prospering through unrighteous means. âRest 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 passâ (Psalm 37:7 New King James Version).
The devil will lie to you that God doesnât love you, otherwise He wouldnât have allowed you to wait as long as you have. You must silence the devil and tell him that God has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Tell him further that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Wait patiently for the LORD.
Refuse to be impatient. Follow those, who through faith and patience, inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12). Psalm 37:34a says, âDon’t be impatient for the LORD to act!â (New Living Translation). As regards the coming of the LORD, the apostle James tells us to learn from the patience of the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen (James 5:7-8).
David says, âWait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORDâ (Psalm 27:14 New Living Translation). Also, Paul says in Romans 8:25 that if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently. Wait patiently for that thing you donât have yet, which God will do for you.
Donât act hastily. If you wait patiently for the LORD, He will give you what is best for you.
Donât let the pressure of delayed answer or delayed results lead you to make a mistake you will live to regret. âHaste makes mistakesâ (Proverbs 19:2b New Living Translation). Isaiah 28:16 says, âWhoever believes will not act hastilyâ (New King James Version). Wait for the LORD. Don’t resort to self-help. Those who wait for the LORD shall not be ashamed (Isaiah 49:23). Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.
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 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 will wait patiently for you; I shall not be ashamed. Holy Spirit, help me not to succumb to pressure and act hastily. In the name of Jesus, I shall not take the wrong steps, which I shall regret later. I shall be patient for the LORD to act. O LORD, I will rest in You, and wait patiently for You.
(For over 300 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
  
  
  
  
