We have been talking about waiting on the Lord – have you done some waiting this week, just being quiet and listening for the voice of God to guide and lead you? Keep going. I was going to preach this, but because of time, I have copied and pasted this part of my message for you to print out and have for yourself. I want to give you some practical steps to take to make your waiting more effective, and you can discuss these with me or one of our leaders more in depth.
How do I wait on the Lord:
1) Confess sin and repent – Psalm 52
2) Focus on God.
a. His goodness - what He has already given me. There is a reason we should do this first. When you come before God, let your thoughts focus on the great things He has done for you – what has He done for you? The cross, His blood being shed, sins completely forgiven – and then on top of that, as we learned in Ephesians, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Focusing on God’s goodness helps me pray in gratefulness, and it helps me hear God clearly. Have you ever had a clogged pipe or toilet or drain? You needed some Liquid Draino or a plunger, right? Prayer is our pipeline to God – both us talking and Him talking. If I don’t thank God and I become ungrateful or angry or bitter, then that pipeline is clogged. Some of you, your prayer life is clogged because you are angry and bitter and upset - being thankful and focusing on God’s goodness in your life can be a "plunger."
When I wait, and I start with confession and then focus on God’s goodness, it frees me to listen. You can read Psalm 40 for how David begins waiting on the Lord by expressing gratitude for what God had done – he says, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair…He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3He has given me a new song to sing…”
b. His greatness – focus on God Himself – Psalm 29 is a magnificent Psalm of David focusing on God’s greatness “1Give honor to the LORD, you angels; give honor to the LORD for his glory and strength. 2Give honor to the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.”
- Allow God to strengthen me as I do this – Psalm 42:5 “Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!
3) Listen to what God reveals – through His word, Spirit to your heart.
a. Direction/instruction/encouragement.
b. A few words of caution:
i. Pray over it and ponder it.
ii. Make sure that it is not contrary to the Bible – Psalm 119:105
iii. Consult with trusted leadership – Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6
Too many people are quick to say that God has spoken to them ("laid it on my heart," "I KNOW the Lord spoke to me," etc.), but they have never tested what they heard, nor have they ever asked for counsel or checked the Bible. “God told me to leave my spouse!” – no, He didn’t. "God told me to not go to church" - again, no, He didn't. But if you act that way, don’t blame God for the results that happen because you didn’t test what you say you received. The Devil can plant thoughts in your mind (read John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress), and these can be damaging if we don't exercise discernment.
Some people claim to get something from God almost every day, but all too often, these things are just self-inspiration. But when you receive something from the Lord, it will have power and authority to it – it will change your life when you encounter God in this way. Over and over, David demonstrated that he was a man after God’s own heart because he waited on the Lord.
4) Praise God when I receive from Him – Psalm 68:35 “God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!”
2 comments:
"May this word become a way of life for me Lord". They that wait upon the Lord will gain NEW strength.They will mount up with wings like eagles.
Good questions, Christopher - was David completely acting out of sheer nobility and desire to bring honor to the name of God, or was he doing it for the benefits? I would answer, "Yes. It's both."
I don't know David's thoughts, but if he is "a man after God's own heart," he would have killed Goliath just because he knew that's what needed to be done.
But flipside, I also believe that the reward was a great byproduct/motivator - "you mean, I get rewarded for doing what is right? Great!" - and so yes, I think the answer is that he looked for both the right thing and the reward...and don't we who vocationally work for churches and Christian schools and Christian organizations do the same? We love serving the Lord like we do, and isn't it a great thing to be paid for it as well? :)
Good stuff, bro. Talk to you soon.
-Pastor
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