I thank God for 2017. I am excited about 2018. Before we shift our focus to next year, I am led to share some things about maintaining our faith for every promise God has given us to come to pass. We will look at two scriptures today that have blessed me richly over the years. These two scriptures, along with other like them, have helped me to maintain my faith until I have seen the manifestation of God’s promises. The scriptures are Heb 6:12 and Gal 6:9. Let’s get to it.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. We need faith and patience in order to see the promises of God manifested in our lives. The writer of Hebrews said, “We don’t want you to be lazy. We want you to be like those who, because of their faith and patience, will get what God has promised.” (Heb 6:12 ERV). I taught an entire series based on Heb 6:12. I called the series: “Faith and Patience – The Power Twins!” Here is the link to the series, if you are interested: http://todaysword.org/teaching-series/faith/faith-and-patience/
a) I have done an enormous amount of teaching on “faith” over the 20 years of Today’s Word. But our text tells us that we need both faith and patience.
b) What is Biblical patience?
— Patience is more than simply waiting on something to happen. It is more than just a quiet and passive adherence to terrible conditions.
— Patience is an inner force that empowers the believer to remain constant and steadfast inwardly, regardless of the conditions outwardly.
— Patience is ability to remain the same (steadfast, unmovable, unwavering) in the space between God’s promise and the performance of the promise.
— Patience empowers the believer to successfully resist thoughts of fear, doubt, and unbelief; making it possible for you to remain in-faith while you are waiting on the manifestation of what God promised you.
c) Patience is not a gift. I would love to tell you that patience is a gift from God and that you can simply ask God for it and receive it by His grace. But it’s not a gift to be given. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a quality. Patience is part of your character. Therefore, patience cannot be GIVEN, it must be PRODUCED. Patience is produced as a result of the testing of your faith.
d) You require both faith and patience. If you have faith, but no patience, you will get excited when God speaks to you. However, you won’t have the resilience required to maintain your faith long enough to see the manifestation of the promise. If you have patience, but no faith, you will have the endurance required to wait on the Lord, but you won’t have the faith required to engage Him properly. So you will be waiting a long time. But if you have both faith and patience, you will release your faith for God to move, and you will not allow yourself to be moved until He does!
2. There is a season when your harvest is DUE! Paul said, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9 NIV). The King James Version calls “the proper time” a “due season”.
a) Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Isaac. David waited 13 years for the throne. Joseph waited over 20 years for his dream to come to pass. Joshua waited 40 years to take possession of Canaan. Caleb waited 45 years for his mountain. Most believers today won’t even wait 45 days. If something does not happen in a month, they move on and say things, like, “Well, I guess it was not God’s will”. No, it was God’s will, but you did not hold on long enough to see it come to pass.
b) You will reap your harvest if you do not give up. I am convinced that many believers quit before their season is due. Now, in most cases, they still reap the harvest, but they wind up reaping it much later, because unbelief and a lack of faith do cause a delay. You may not be denied, but you will surely be delayed if you give up before your time. That’s why I keep telling you to never give up, cave in or quit. Sooner or later your season of harvest will be due and if your faith switch is in the “ON” position when it is, you will walk into your blessing.
c) God will make it worth your wait! You may have an idea of the “what” you are believing God for, while you are waiting for it. But when it finally comes, God’s “what” is often way better than the “what” you imagined. Paul said it this way, “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask, think or imagine” (Eph 3:20). God has a way of ‘blessings your socks off’. So keep believing and never give up. When you finally get it, it will more-than-likely be much better than you ever imagined.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. You made me great and precious promises for this season. I received those promises, I released my faith for them to come to pass, and I have the patience required to endure until they do. There is a season when my harvest will come DUE. When it does, I will be ready. Because I walk and live by faith every day. I close out 2017 strong. I believe THIS IS my season! THIS IS my time! THIS IS my turn! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
