Wait on the Lord

Many of us are not good at waiting.

• Wait – to stay in a place of expectation (Webster)
• Wait (#3176 – yachal) – be patient, stay, trust, have hope
• Wait – to look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial, often with a focus of anticipation in a future event – (James Swanson – Dictionary of Biblical Languages, Hebrew OT)

Case Study – King Saul

• Samuel told Saul to wait seven days – 1 Samuel 10:8
• The Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel – 1 Samuel 13:5
• The people trembling and hiding – 1 Samuel 13:6-7

“Samuel was the voice of God to a nation.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

1 Samuel 13:8-14 (NKJV)
⁸Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
⁹ So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering.
¹⁰Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
¹¹And Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When 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,
¹²then 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 offering.”
¹³And Samuel said to Saul, “You 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.
¹⁴But 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 you.”

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TWO LESSONS

 

Pressure can cause Impatience – vv11-12

Pressure comes from:

• What you SEE – I saw my men scattering from me – v11
• What you SEE affects what you SAY – I said, The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal – v12
• What you SAY AFFECTS HOW YOU FEEL – I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering before you came – v12

Impatience Costs – vv13-14

• It cost Saul the Kingdom

 

WHAT TO DO WHEN WAITING?

 

WAR

• War Against Irritating Thoughts
  Every thought must be taken captive
• War Against Idle Talk

“Put pressure on your mouth.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

• War Against Irrational Conclusions

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WORSHIP

• Worship – draw near
  Do what God says to do and leave the consequences to Him.

“Are you going to obey [God] no matter what?” – Pastor Billy Johnson

• Adoration – praise
• Intimacy
• Time – spend time in reading the word

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STAY IN THE WORD

• Read it
• Remember it
• Ponder it
• Practice it

“Scripture will get in you when you get in the scripture.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

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WAIT

• Be patient
• Stay
• Trust
• Have hope

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WHAT PROMISES DID GOD MAKE FOR THOSE WHO WAIT ON HIM?

• Renew your strength

Wait (qavah {kaw-vaw}) – to bind together by twisting, stretch, expect, hope

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

³¹But 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.

• Restoration – Renew their strength
• Elevation – Mount up like eagles
• Acceleration – Run and not get weary
• Duration – Walk and not faint

YOUR PROMISE IS WORTH THE WAIT!

 

WAR ~ WORSHIP ~ STAY IN THE WORD ~ WAIT