Result of waiting on the Lord
While we are waiting what do we do?As the author of Colossians said, we need to live like people made alive in Christ, remembering there is joy and wonders ahead. Colossians 3: 1-4, 10-17, 23-24
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
1. We need to set our minds on things above and to know Jesus deeply
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
2. Our character and values are transformed through Holy Spirit ‘s guidance as hearts overflow with love and our lives are changed. There is a supernatural transformation. We need to put off the old fleshly man with all its negative values and put on the new man who is made in the image of Christ. [Vs 10-17]
3. We receive God’s strength as we allow God to work in us and develop a dependence on Him and Him alone
Psalm 118:14
14 The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Acts 1:4
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
4. As the disciples waited in Jerusalem, praying, the Holy Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire rested on each of them. The disciples received courage and boldness to step out and speak to the crowds, causing 3000 to be saved.
There was renewed strength and an inner endurance through God’s Word. The trials, circumstances and challenges seem to fade away as we keep our eyes on the Lord
2 Corinthians 4:17
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
Isaiah 49:31
31 But 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.
James 5:17-18
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
5. We like Elijah grow strong and confident. He was like us but he commanded the rain. It said he prayed earnestly. When we depend on God and know His authority, we too can command our circumstances to change. Our waiting builds up our prayer life.
Psalm 33:20-21
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Lets look at some people in the Bible who waited on the Lord because they knew the God they served and trusted
Joshua
Joshua 6
1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
God said He has given Jericho into Joshua’s hands even before He gave instructions and even before it happened. Then chapter 6 tells us what the instructions were and the final results of their obedience. Of all the people in Jericho, God saved Rahab and her family. What she did was against the world around her but she trusted God . She and her family hung the scarlet rope, waited on the Wall and were delivered. The wall with her home was the only part of Jericho that did not fall. Rahab is mentioned several times in the New Testament-
Matthew 1:5
5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse
Rahab is part of the genealogy of the Messiah.
Hebrews 11:31
31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
God rewarded her with an inheritance (Colossians 3:24)
A simple act of peace and obedience brought deliverance into the life of a harlot. Praise the Lord!
David-
Our prayer while we wait- Psalm 25:1-5
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 27:11-14
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 62
David says wait silently and uses the word’only’ at least 3 times. This is our posture in time of waiting:- silent to listen and eyes, ears, heart only to Him.
Joseph:
105 Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
4 Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
6 O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
12 When they were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it.
13 When they went from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people,
14 He permitted no one to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
15 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”
16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land;
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters,
[a]He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
20 The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.
Joseph was the beloved child of his father and God gave him dreams of his future at age 17. It took 13 years for him to go from slave to prime minister (Genesis 37,39-41). His journey was not easy but all through the account of Joseph , the Bible says God was with Joseph and He made everything he did prosper. Others also said God’s hand is on Joseph. The Bible does not say Joseph grew bitter or Joseph gave in to temptation or he grumbled to the fellow slaves and prisoners. He worked as if he was serving God not man and he found favor with all. God elevated him to the position of the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt.
So friends, waiting on the Lord brings refreshing, joy and wonders. God is good. Be blessed.
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