Today we continue our series entitled, “Expecting the Word to Work!” This is part 47.
We have been studying the parable of the sower for months. In order for us to become the good ground Jesus teaches about, we must learn to receive a Word from God and then HOLD ON long enough to see that Word come to pas sin our lives. For the past couple of days I have mentioned Hebrews 6:12. Today I am going to teach from this verse and connect it to this parable.
Let’s look at this verse from three translations.
Heb 6:12 NKJV
That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Heb 6:12 NIV
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Heb 6:12 ERV
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.
The key words in this verse are faith and patience. I taught an entire series on this. Here is the link to the series, if you are interested: http://todaysword.org/teaching-series/faith/faith-and-patience/
So what does this mean to you today? Two things.
1. You need BOTH faith and patience to see the manifestation of God’s promises.
a) I have done lots of teaching on faith in the 21 years of Today’s Word. But our text tells us that we need faith and patience. You may not know much about patience. Let’s discuss it.
— 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.
b) 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.
c) You require both faith and patience. If you have faith, but no patience, you will get excited when God speaks to you. But 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!
a) 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.”
b) Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Isaac. David waited 13 years for the throne. Joseph waited 22 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.
c) 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.
d) 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.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. My expectation is tied to Your Word. You have made me great and precious promises. I receive Your promises, I release 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. I will HOLD ON until that time. I will never give up before I see (in my hands) what You revealed to me (in my heart). I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
