Scripture:
Isaiah 40:31
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.
Theme:
Waiting on God
Introduction:
1. Isaiah writes this second letter within the context of a struggling people. The people of Israel are in their second exile in the land of Babylonia and even this setting is being threatened by the looming power of Persia. Judah has been destroyed. The temple lay in ruins. Now the people are beginning to believe that the gods of Babylonia are more powerful than God, Himself. The people were in need of a Word from the Lord. God was there but they could not see Him. God was speaking but they could not hear Him. God was moving but they could not feel Him. God was feeding them with the experience of His Word but their spirit could not taste Him.
2. The verse is criteria to show us that we don’t know how to wait on God
3. We wait on God to overtake His position – Acts 25:3 “And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.”
Against people
–backbiting
–killing
–discourage/don’t encourage
Against God
–hurting His children:
Matthew 25:45 “Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”
–don’t spread the Gospel
Body:
Four Characteristics of Waiting on God:
ONE–
It is our SOUL that waits:
Psalm 33:20 “Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.”
Support for the understanding of the soul waiting independently of the flesh is found in Job:
Job 17:13 “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.”—this is the FLESH
But,
Job 14:14 “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” –this is the SOUL
Also, David lays it out plainly when he says in Psalm 69:
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in UNTO MY SOUL. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail WHILE I WAIT FOR MY GOD.
TWO–
Wait on a REALIZED PROMISE:
Numbers 3:10 “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”
THREE–
The HOLY SPIRIT KEEPS us during our waiting:
Psalm 25:21 “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.”
Galatians 5:5 “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
The Fruits of the Spirit empower the one who waits!
FOUR–
Waiting is being ON THE VERGE:
Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.”
Conclusion:
Three Traits of Christians Waiting on God:
ONE–
They are FOCUSSED and ALERT while anticipating His response:
Lamentations 3:26 “It is good that a man should both hope and QUIETLY wait for the salvation of the Lord.”
TWO—
They are PATIENT:
• Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we WITH PATIENCE WAIT for it.”
• Romans 2:6-7 “Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.”
THREE—
They are ACTIVE…NOT IDLE:
James 5:7 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the HUSBANDMAN WAITETH for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it….”
We are to wait as the husbandman does for his crop:
1. Select good fertile soil to plant – PREPARE OUR SELVES TO GO BEFORE GOD…NOT JUST ANY KIND OF WAY
2. Order neatly the rows for planting – ORDER OUR STEPS BEFORE GOD
3. Place seeds equidistant from each other – SEPARATE BETWEEN WHAT IS OF GOD AND WHAT IS OF THE WORLD
4. Water the seeds in the soil – ALLOW GOD’S SPIRIT TO WATER YOUR LIFE FOR GROWTH
5. Loosen soil around plant – DON’T GET TOO RIGID…BE AVAILABLE FOR GOD’S GROWTH
6. Take away weeds – HATE SIN AND SHUN EVIL!
7. Prune plant when needed – ALLOW GOD TO PRUNE OUR LIFE FOR UNNECESSARY THINGS
8. Watch out for insects and animals invading crop – BE WATCHFUL AND PRAY…SATAN IS BUSY
9. Harvest when time is right –
• GOD WILL SEPARATE the crop form remaining weeds and insects
• GOD WILL REAP the fruit from the contaminated life
• GOD WILL DESTROY what remains after the harvest is gathered.
• The waiting soul lives
• The impatient flesh is destroyed
We are WORKING on a building…that building not made my hands!!
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