‘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.’
Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
Bottom line: Move at the frequency of God’s spirit.
Teaching
Every child of God needs to be led by God through his spirit. The Bible says;
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 8:14 (KJV)
To be led by God means to follow the guidance that God provides to us by His Spirit. Every believer has a glorious future awaiting them. There is eventually a “promised land” which flows with milk and honey for every believer. But there is no roadmap which tells us how to get there. Therefore, we must be led by God’s Spirit because only He knows the way.
However, to be led by the spirit requires an essential virtue called patience. The Bible teaches us in Galatians 5:22 that patience is a fruit that the Spirit of God produces in us.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
Galatians 5:22(ESV)
Patience is an important virtue we must acquire in order to be led by God into our glorious destinies. God moves at a certain frequency or pace. Following God requires that we move at the pace of God.
Some Christians have found themselves in places where they were not supposed to be, in businesses they were not supposed to be a part of, or in marriages they were not supposed to engage in, all because they moved ahead of God. Many have made choices in life that have had negative consequences which affected not only them but their children also.
The Bible tells us the story of some men who because of the lack of patience, took decisions that affected their generation.
Case 1: Abraham (Genesis 16)
The Bible tells the story of Abraham, a father of faith who walked with the Lord righteously and in holiness. Abraham was a just man before the Lord and God had blessed him greatly with wealth and servants. But this one thing Abraham lacked: a seed. He had no male offspring that would continue his lineage. This one thing did Abraham desire of the Lord. And the Lord told Abraham that he surely shall have a seed through whom the nations of the world shall be blessed.
1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6
Abraham had to wait for God’s words to come to pass. However, the patience of Sarah his wife grew thin and so she requested that Abraham get an heir for himself through another means.
1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Genesis 16:1-2
Hagar bore a son for Abraham, Ismael, and Abraham was glad. However, the Lord finally fulfilled his word to Abraham a couple of years later by giving him a son through his wife Sarah, and he called his name Isaac.
Isaac being the true heir, Ishmael was sent away and God blessed Isaac and established his covenant with him after his father Abraham. Ishmael however was also blessed of God because of his father Abraham and became a great nation.
The Bible teaches us that years later, the great nation of Israel, God’s people came forth from Isaac, and the Lord was with them. Another thing the bible shows us also is this:
5 For they have consulted together with one consent:
Psalms 83:5-6
they are confederate against thee:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites;
of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
Generations after, descendants of Hagar and Ishmael became enemies of Israel. They plotted for Israel’s annihilation. So, David the king at that time had to face a battle that was birth as a consequence of his ancestor’s impatience.
Case 2: King Saul (1Samuel 13:7-14)
The Bible here recounts the story of Saul, the first king of Israel. Two years after his reign, he was faced with war against the Philistines. The Philistines were very great in number, and Israel’s army under Saul’s leadership became afraid. Samuel the prophet of God at that time instructed Saul to wait for him at Gilgal, so that he could come and offer a sacrifice unto the Lord so that the Lord would be with them in battle. But Saul got impatient and offered the sacrifice himself. As a consequence, he lost the kingdom, and someone else was chosen as king to succeed him.
7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
1 Samuel 13:7-14 (KJV)
From the above stories, we understand that the Lord expects that we exercise patience while we follow him.
Numbers 9:15-23 teaches us exactly how the Lord expects us to follow.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Numbers 9:15-23
To be led by God’s Spirit means to move when God moves and to stop when he stops. Never move ahead of his presence because your impatience may birth forth an Ishmael that will live to fight your Isaac when he finally comes.
Further Study
- Psalm 130:5-7
Reflection
- Reflect on your life, have you been patient enough to wait on God’s opinion before engaging in various projects and making major decisions?
- Where is the place of his word and his voice in your decision-making?
- Are you ready to wait on God’s word no matter how long it takes?
Prayer
I thank you Lord because you have instilled in me patience by your spirit. Today, I declare that I am a patient person and I am led by your Spirit daily in Jesus’ name! Amen.
