In today’s “have it now” culture, we’ve lost the art of waiting. Charging ahead might be what you’re used to, but the Bible places great value on the skill of being patient.

Dr. Stanley takes a close look at the right and wrong ways to wait in this powerful message. Learn how to let peace and confidence rule your heart while you let God work.

[Music]

next on InTouch how should we wait well

what are you making a purchase of

whether you are facing an emergency the

one thing you don’t want to hear is wait

none of us like to wait we’d like to

have it now and we’re living in a time

when now it’s becoming more and more

relevant because most anything you want

today you can have pretty quickly there

was a time when you had to think in

terms of wait a month or something then

it got down to two weeks then it’s a

week and now it’s almost a day and

sometimes you would get it the same day

look what a mess we’re in Marla in this

country because people sexually are not

willing to wait till they get married

everybody wants everything now and you

would think that we we’ve finally come

to the conclusion that it’s okay to have

everything you want when you want it God

didn’t make it that way

he knew that waiting was very very

important if he didn’t he wouldn’t have

had so many times in the description to

me bring it to our mind and so the 27th

psalm for example if you look at this

27th psalm and the 14th verse says wait

for the Lord be strong and let your

heart take courage yes wait for Lord now

what would he say it that way because he

knows sometimes it’s not easy to wait

it’s not easy to wait for example if you

have expected something for a very long

time wait for the Lord be strong and let

your heart take courage be strong

sometimes it takes strength to just wait

and he says take courage yes wait for

the Lord in what area of your life is it

the most difficult for you to have to

wait

well there is it is in a relationship to

somebody else or is it money oh and what

relationship of your life do you have

the most problem just having to wait

well I think about how many times God

talks about waiting waiting is very

important as far as God is concerned

it’s important in our physical life it’s

important enough spiritual life in fact

one of the key lessons in the scripture

is learning to wait upon God how many

times it monitors us to wait and yet we

don’t like to wait we prefer to have

things right now but all of us are wise

enough I think to know that some things

it’s better not to have just when you

want it that sometimes that having

something right now is not wise maybe

we’re not ready for it

for example there’s some things that are

dangerous there’s some things that are

dangerous not only physically but

emotionally so we have to be careful and

we have to be conscious of the fact that

waiting is more than just an idea it is

a principle of the Word of God how many

times he admonishes us to wait and so

when we think about it and he makes it

so simple when he says wait for the Lord

and then notice the next phrase be

strong and let your heart take courage

which is his way of saying sometime it’s

not going to be easy to wait this is

that wait for the Lord be strong and let

your heart take courage yes wait for the

Lord why would God tell us the wait for

anything because he knows that waiting

has great advantages it’s good not to

have everything you want when you want

it it’s good to have to wait for some

things

in fact some things it becomes richer

and richer when you have to wait and

wait for it and we live in a time when

we want it now you can have it now

that’s bet the way it is for most things

you can have it now but there are

consequences and paying those

consequences is usually not worth what

you get waiting upon the Lord is a key

principle of the word of God and so when

I think about that and I think about

some of the scriptures for example turn

if you will to Isaiah chapter 40 for a

moment and I want you to notice

something in this passage Isaiah chapter

40 listen to this do you not know and

have you not heard the everlasting God

the Lord the creator of the ends of the

earth does not become weary or tired

his understanding is inscrutable he

gives strength to the weary and to him

who lacks might he increases power

though youth grow weary and tired and

vigorous young men stumble badly yet

those who wait for the Lord what happens

will gain a new strength they will mount

up with wings like eagles they will run

and not you tired they will walk and not

become weary one of when a follower of

Jesus learns the principle of waiting

upon the Lord you learn one of the most

important principles in the Word of God

you can just go from Genesis to

Revelation waiting upon the Lord is not

a popular idea it’s not an easy

principle but it is absolutely an

essential principle if you’re going to

be the person God wants you to be if

you’re gonna do the things he wants you

to do there’s something about that

simple principle you said daddy

áit that that four-letter word was that

so important ask God you start in

Genesis ask God well if you violate his

caution to you to wait you always pay a

price I want to say it again when you

violate that principle and stepping

ahead of God not waiting for him you

always pay a price that’s why so many

times none of those who wait for the

Lord will be ashamed in some 37 those

who wait for the Lord will inherit the

land that is God will give you what your

heart needs and desires if you wait for

his timing he’s a good God and sometimes

we act like well if I don’t have it now

it’s like God will forget let me ask you

what is the only thing God forgets what

is it forgiven sin he forgets it and his

people will ask you sometimes so why

don’t you do why have you waited so long

why didn’t you do this why don’t you why

what do you wait for this and wait for

that and wait for the other because if

you’re wise you wait till you hear from

God that think about this I think about

people who pray and no doubt let’s just

say that everybody prays at night before

they go to bed do you pray about the

things that you want that God has given

you a caution not now when you pray and

ask God about making a purchase and you

and you say well go ahead and stop me so

it must be all right mm-hmm

sounding like a teenager that’s not

that’s not what that’s about if you ask

God for something watch this carefully

if you ask God about something that you

are obligated to wait until God gives

you permission to do it how many times

does he say wait wait wait wait wait

upon the Lord how wise it is the wait

upon the Lord and think about this how

the most people wait do you wait

impatiently

that means you complain about it you

tell other people about it you tell God

about it

and you fuss at God because he had

already done it

you wait nervously oh oh god am I gonna

get it around my eyes will you do

something Lord you help me help me help

me or do you wake complaining think

about this think about God looking down

on you while you’re praying and asking

him about something and just asking him

and complaining all the time because he

hadn’t given it to you yet

and then people they wait questioning

God Lord why don’t you do it now think

about something that you’ve asked out

about in your life that he didn’t do

immediately what was your response

didn’t you question think about this

didn’t you question his judgment well

why not now knowing in your heart if you

think how unreasonable this is you make

a request before God I’m something

that’s legitimate and he doesn’t give it

to you right then and then you come back

and say well now Lord what are you

waiting for and you can’t come up with

in there good reason why God hadn’t

given it to you now and so what happens

you begin to complain in your heart you

know that God says asking that you be

given you seeking is your fun not can

that you’ll be able to you that is God

is a good wonderful awesome God very

very generous given all of us more than

we deserve and yet we don’t get it when

we want it we come complaining stop and

think

would God withhold something from you

that is good for you know what he

withhold it if now is the right time

know if you stop and think any any time

God would hold something from you it’s

God withholding something out of wisdom

love and for our benefit that he knows

that later is better later we’ll be

ready for it

they know will be equipped when we’re

not always equipped for everything we

asked for and you would say that to your

teenager your grandchildren you’d say to

them there’s some things you’re not

ready for and at the same time you ask

God and he doesn’t give it to you and

you want you question God

so listen to this think about all these

attitudes impatiently nervously

complaining questioning frustrated

irritated and miserable II we wait what

have you been asking God for that he has

not given you I cannot tell you how

important waiting upon Almighty God is

because it is the key to the way God

operates I don’t I can’t think of much

I’ve asked God for that I got

immediately and watch this sometimes

we’re not ready

sometimes what we’re asking for is the

right thing but God knows when you’re

ready for them when you’re not and so we

complain about God because he’s because

he’s not giving us what we want when

it’s not that he’s not giving us what we

he’s waiting til we get ready and

sometimes he’s waiting til we realize

that he’s the source of what we’re

looking for in life and not some what

else and sometimes he wants to teach us

the fact we don’t need that we think we

need that he knows we don’t need that he

knows that would be a stumbling block in

our life he knows that he has something

better than that and so what does God

say he says wait upon the Lord be strong

I’m never good courage when I say on the

Lord and so we think about how we should

wait so I hope you jot these down how

should we wait we should wait patiently

we should wait patiently and when I when

I think about how many times we’re

admonished in the Word of God

I waited patiently for the Lord and he

inclined to me and heard my cry he

brought me out of the pit of destruction

out of America set my feet upon a rock

making my footsteps firm listen to this

he put a new song in my mouth a song of

praise to our God many will see in fear

and we’ll trust in the Lord that is

you’re gonna be blessed if you wait but

whatever you’re looking for and

searching for it and what you need in

life if you wait for God’s timing none

of us would question the fact that

you’re wiser than we are we know that

he’s was that we aren’t so therefore

whatever I’m asking him about surely I

know that he knows the right time the

best time watch this and he knows that

if I hit it ahead of time I won’t enjoy

it he knows if I get at the right time

enjoy the rest of my life there are not

many principles in the Word of God more

important than wait upon the Lord

wait I say upon the Lord so secondly how

should we wait we should wait quietly

listen this Psalm 62 my soul waits in

silence for god only hears what that

means I stop complaining I wait quietly

and stop complaining thank you lord I

know that in your given time and your

good time you will provide exactly what

I’m asking for and then of course we

wait trusting him now where it’s waiting

just doesn’t mean that we don’t say

anything we don’t do anything but

waiting what waiting is actively

trusting God I’m trusting you Lord is

saying I’m trusting you Lord that is I’m

not fretting about it if I’m fretting

I’m not trusting but he wants us to wait

trusting him trusting in the Lord with

all of our heart

leaning not to our own understanding and

all of our ways acknowledging him he’ll

bring it to pass would you say that

you’re a trusting person

think about your prayer life for a

moment first of all do you pray every

day if you don’t you’re gonna get in

trouble all of us need to talk to him

every day do you do you pray patiently

and how many times have I heard this

well I ask God about it

and I prayed several times about it and

I don’t think God was listening to me

well so I would ask the question what

does God have to do think about this

what does God have to do in your life to

assure you that he’s listening without

seeing anything audibly to you what does

he have to do can you trust him to keep

his word shouldn’t that be enough asking

that you be given you seek and you

should find knock and it shall be open

to you

not necessarily today or next week and

next month but am I willing to believe

him because I know that it’s that what

I’m asking for is scriptural that’s

right it’s good it’s a kindness of God I

feel free about that but the timing why

can’t why do I have to wait so remember

this God and his wisdom and love always

has a very specific reason but causing

us the wait for some particular thing

that we were asking about because watch

this all we see is what’s in front of us

God sees not only what’s in front of us

but he sees what’s beyond that and

beyond that and beyond that and he sees

the effect it’ll have in our life

whether we wait or whether we don’t wait

and so winning is a very important

principle in the world of God I’m to

wait expectantly listen to this I would

have despaired unless I had believed I

would see the goodness of the Lord that

times when their situations and

circumstances we think it’s absolutely

essential that I have this of that now

when that’s really not true this is a

principle of Scripture you wait till you

get God’s permission to make serious

decisions and I mean many decisions are

not big decisions as small decisions but

they’re serious because the consequences

if I’m only looking from here to there

I’m not going to see it the Spirit of

God came into your life the moment you

trusted him as your Savior one of his

primary

to come into your life was that seal you

as a child of God but also they give you

direction and guidance that’s one of its

primary purposes they give guidance and

direction in a sinful wicked vile world

we have what we have is we have God

living within our spirit they give us

guidance and the right you doing to say

no when to say yes when they go this way

when they go that way

it is foolish to try to live your life

in this world without God and without

listening which means your prayer life

ought to have a priority in your life

every day the priority of our life ought

to be time we spend alone with him being

quiet and a good time to do that’s when

you start the day out there people who

work in situations and circumstances

every day the opposites they live in

they gonna walk into a den of temptation

walk into a den of a wickedness and

violence and foul language and all the

rest but they work there and they have

to they have to be that this particular

point in their life you cannot go in to

work wherever you work forgetting God

and just doing what you want to do we

have to be sensitive to our surroundings

careful but who sees what what we listen

to what we don’t listen to and who is

trying to influence us in some way wait

upon the Lord we wait trustingly quietly

patiently expectantly I would have

despaired we wait courageously wait for

the Lord be strong and let your heart

take courage watch this God knows that

there’s some things it takes courage the

way for it takes courage to wait you

just have to wait though you don’t want

to wait sometimes yeah sometimes we

can’t we can’t even come up with a

reason why God wouldn’t do it now and if

I’ve heard one thing in the past I’ve

heard that so many times well what what

what is God waiting for well you know I

could give you all kind of answers but

the truth is he’s waiting

he’s waiting from a heart of love they

give you what you’re asking for if it’s

his will if it’s not as well you’re not

gonna have it but he’s waiting til the

time is right so I want you to think for

just a moment I’m gonna give you 15

seconds to think about something you

ready and I want you to think about

something you’ve been asking God for

something maybe for somebody else or

something for yourself and how have you

I’m gonna give you 15 seconds to respond

to this how have you been responding to

your request to God you’ve got 15

seconds to think about it

all right have you been waiting upon him

courageously patiently knowing that he

always wants what’s best for you

in other words are you patiently waiting

for God to answer your petition or you

come into him over and over and over

again saying God why not why not yet

I’ve prayed about this and I’ve thought

about it why not and here’s his answer

because I love you that’s the reason God

is not going to deprive us of anything

that’s good for us that he knows we need

that it’s okay for us to have that we

will enjoy not disobey him not make it a

god in their life some things you’ll

never get because God knows you would

become a God in your life then of course

we’re to wait standing on God’s Word

listen I wait for the Lord my soul is

wait and in his word do I hope so how do

you wait now let me remind you one thing

one of the reasons we have to wait is

because of sin in our life and God knows

how to get our attention

when there’s something in our life

that’s not right we’re asking it for

something else and we’re thinking over

here and they God here’s what I need and

God is saying well over here’s the

reason you can’t have it now when you

deal with this I’ll deal with that as

long as you won’t deal with this I’m not

gonna deal with that sin is a barrier

the blessing and if we want God’s

blessing and if we want to shorten the

time with look at our heart be sure it’s

clean with submissives where we want

what he wants whatever whatever that is

then more than likely we’ll receive

whether we’re asking for but what I want

you to see is this God doesn’t miss a

single opportunity

to teach me to trust him it doesn’t make

a difference whether you’re 21 81 he’s

always in the process of teaching us a

trusting probably every single one of us

seated here would say that there is

something I’m praying about I’m trusting

God for I’m waiting about it are you

waiting patiently as we said quietly

trusting expectantly courageously

with confidence are you AE trusting him

to hear that’s a prayer or has God

brought something to your mind in the

last 25 minutes that he wants you to

deal with more than likely if something

cropped up in your mind that has to do

with what you’ve been asking him about

that’s the thing he has his finger on

that’s the thing you need to deal with

if you want God answer your prayer he’s

a prayer answering God and Jesus made it

so simple when he was teaching Sermon on

the Mount he said ask and it should be

given you seek you shall find knock it

shall be opened unto you in other words

God is so willing this is the confidence

that we have in him that if we ask

anything according to his will he hears

us and if we know that he hears us we

know that we have the petition we

desired of him so we have the promises

so watch this obey God listen to him and

watch him work it’ll work amen

father we think of the simplicity of

your word you didn’t make it difficult

for us on the sand you made it simple

and plain so that we will listen to you

more carefully we listen to discern your

will from our will you want to grow us

up not just in a single answer but Lord

we know that you take great delight

and granting to us the desires of our

heart whoever seated here this morning

is praying about whatever is on their

heart and struggling with because it has

not happened yet would you grant them

the understanding even now that the

answer will come if it’s your will it’ll

come in your timing if we were obeying

you following your word and trusting you

we love you for loving us father in

Jesus name Amen

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