Embracing Growth in the Waiting Season

When you have asked God for something and it hasn't come yet and you're in that delay period where you haven't seen the answer to your prayer, what do you do? You remember five things. Number one, remember there's a natural delay between planting and harvesting. And we talked about this in the message on the laws of sowing and reaping. There's a natural delay between planting and harvesting. When I, I have a garden and when I plant seeds, I plant a seed, I don't go out the next day to expect to see full grown tomatoes. When I plant carrot seeds, I don't expect to go out the next day to see carrots. There's always a delay between planting and harvesting. There's always a delay between sowing and reaping. [00:04:33]

Many of you have planted seeds in daring faith, financial seeds, seeds of service, seeds of sacrifice. You're not going to have the harvest immediately. You just need to understand that. It comes but it comes in another season. Write this down. I reap in a different season than I sow. During that season of waiting, you wait quietly, you wait expectantly, you wait patiently in faith. I remember that there's a natural delay between planting and harvest. When I put in a request, it's not going to be instantly fulfilled. There is always a delay. [00:05:50]

But in the cosmic heavenlies there is a spiritual war in other dimensions between good and evil, between God and Satan, between angels and demons and the fact is you're caught right in the middle. And if you're a child of God, Satan hates you. And he wants to mess you up. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6 verse 12, we're not struggling and fighting against human beings, but against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. The rulers and the authorities and the powers of darkness. Now what happens, what this verse is saying is that when you send up a prayer there is often a battle on how that is going to be answered. And Satan starts throwing, while you are waiting, while you are in the waiting room, he starts throwing darts at you. The dart of doubt. The dart of discouragement. The dart of disappointment. The dart of delay. The dart of depression. And he starts throwing these darts at you. And he says we should be aware that he is going to try to get you down. Now the truth is we don't really know this much. And the Bible doesn't even tell us that much about the spiritual warfare that's going on behind your prayers. [00:06:44]

But the Bible tells us that Daniel had a prayer, it wasn't answered, it wasn't answered, he wasn't answered and he's starting to get discouraged and the angel shows up and says I'm here to get the answer. We heard it from day one but we've been in a battle over this and it was such an intense battle that Michael and the archangel had to come down and help me with this battle so I could come and tell you the answer is on its way. I don't know any more about it than that. I just know that this is not as simple as you think it is. So I want you to write this on your outline. A delay is not a denial. A delay is not a denial. When an answer to prayer is delayed it doesn't mean it's not going to be answered. There may be some kind of spiritual warfare going on behind it and you got to keep praying. A delay is not a denial. [00:09:30]

God is preparing me for his blessing. When you have an idea and you ask God to do something in your life, God usually has a bigger idea and usually has a better idea and he's going to have to prepare you to get you ready for a bigger and better answer to your prayer. And he usually has to take some time getting you ready, preparing you. And the first thing God wants to do before he answers your prayer for a job, for a mate, for a child, to get married, whatever your prayer request is. First he wants to get you ready because God is more interested in changing your character than he is in answering your prayer. Because your character is what you're going to take to heaven. [00:10:35]

The troubles you're going through right now, this is a test. They test your faith. So that it is strong and pure, just as fire tests and purifies gold, and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. Some of you are going through the fire right now. Keep going. What do you do when you're going through hell? You keep going. You don't want to stay there. You keep walking. When you're going through the fire, you keep going. He says these troubles are there to test your faith. You might write this down. Waiting is always a test. [00:11:38]

Waiting is always a test. It tests your character. It tests your trust. It tests your faith. It tests your endurance. It tests all kinds of things in your life. Waiting is a test. In fact, Paul compares waiting in life, waiting on God, when you really want something and it hasn't happened yet, Paul compares it to being pregnant. In Romans chapter eight. I've got a great analogy here. I love it in the message paraphrase. Romans 8, 24 to 28, Paul says this. Waiting does not diminish us. It doesn't diminish us any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. What we don't see is what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become. Just like a pregnant woman. The longer we wait, the larger we become. And the more joyful our expectancy. [00:12:27]

Meanwhile, when we get tired in the waiting, God's spirit is right alongside helping us. And if we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. Because he, the Holy Spirit, prays in us and for us. And he knows us far better than we know ourselves. And he knows our pregnant condition. And that's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is working into something good. That's a powerful passage. Now he's saying here that it's just like being pregnant. It's just like being expectant. Now in an expectancy, they don't call it expecting for nothing, do they? [00:13:37]

I'm in good company while I'm waiting. Millions of saints before you have sat in God's waiting room. You're not alone, in fact if you're in the waiting room right now you're waiting on a job, you're waiting on an answer, you're waiting on a prayer. There are a lot of other people sitting around you right now who are in that same situation. Millions of saints have sat in God's waiting room. You're in good company. Hebrews 11 verse 2 says this, people who lived in the past became famous because of their faith. And every one of those people had to wait. Think about Hannah who had to wait years to have the baby that she was praying that God would give her. Think about Joseph who God gave him a dream of being a ruler and he had that vision from a very young childhood age. [00:14:44]

And he ends up being put in prison for 14 years for a crime he did not commit. Falsely accrued of rape. And he spends 14 years in a prison and dungeon in Egypt waiting. God knew exactly where he was. He was preparing. Moses waits 40 years in the wilderness to know his purpose in life. To know his next assignment. To know what he's supposed to do with his life. Abraham waits 100 years before he has Isaac, his first child, through Sarah. The promised child. God had promised him years before. He's 100 years old. Noah had to wait 120 years before it rained. You think you're in a waiting period? How would you like to wait 120 years? [00:15:36]

You can count on God to come through because over these 7000 promises in the Bible that he has made, he has staked his reputation on them. So what you do in the waiting room is you don't focus on what you can't do, I don't have the money, I don't have the talent, I don't have the connections, I don't have the opportunity, you don't focus on what you don't have, you focus on what God does have, what God can do. And one of the ways you focus on what God can do is through the promises of God. Promises can help you focus on God and his unlimited abilities instead of you and your limited abilities. The Bible says anything is possible if you have faith. Habakkuk 2 verse 3 says this on the screen, God says at the time I have decided my words will come true. [00:17:41]

This piece of land here in Lake Forest was not even on the map when Saddleback Church started because there was no such thing as the city of Santa Margarita and there was no such thing as the city of Foothill Ranch and nobody had even mapped or partitioned this piece off. There was no Portola Parkway, El Toro Road was a two lane road. There was no toll road. It was in no man's land. Nobody even knew it. But God before the foundation of the earth had planned where Saddleback Church would have its first campus. He knew. And it was just a matter of time. And all of those things where we had the delays and the denials and the dead ends and all those things where we had one defeat after another, God was working on us. [00:19:33]

When you're in the waiting room, the first thing you do is write down the lessons that you are learning. Because waiting is always the season to listen. And waiting is always the season to learn. And when you're listening and learning, then you need to write it down. God has some things he wants to teach you before he answers your prayer. God has some things he wants you to learn before that seed that you're planting in daring faith sprouts. He wants to teach you some things. God is more interested in your character than your comfort. But you will forget the lessons that you learn in the waiting rooms of life if you don't write them down. And you know what happens when you don't write them down? You forget them. And what happens when you forget them? He has to take you through it again. That's no fun. That's unnecessary pain. [00:22:02]

What in the world were they doing for 40 years walking around in a circle? God was giving them one test after another saying will you trust me? There are seven tests. And every time they'd fail a test, he'd say another lap around the wilderness. And in that wilderness, they were not there by accident. Waiting in the wilderness has a purpose. Some of you are in the wilderness right now. I want you to write this down. The way to the promised land is through the wilderness. You can't get to the promised land without going through the desert. And you've got to go through that waiting period. You've got to go through that desert. You've got to go through that dry spell. You've got to go through that wilderness. Waiting in the wilderness for a purpose. The way to the promised land is through the wilderness. And the lessons that you're learning in the wilderness, please write them down. [00:23:08]

Act as though I already have it. This is called faith. And when you have deposited a seed, a seed of finances like many have done with Daring Faith, a seed of talent and service, a seed of energy, a seed of reputation, when you've had a need and you've planted a seed, what you do while you're waiting for that seed to grow is you act as though you already have it. This is faith. Now we typically, when we're in the waiting rooms in the wildernesses of life, you know what we do? We don't do that. What we do is we wonder and we worry and we whine. That's what we do in the waiting rooms of life. First we wonder, why, Lord, why? We wonder. And then we worry, how, Lord, how? How are you gonna do this? And then we whine, when, Lord, when? [00:26:32]

Are you gonna answer my prayer? So instead of wondering and worrying and whining, you need to learn to act as if you've already got it. But you act in faith. Here's how Jesus puts it. Mark chapter 11 verse 24. Jesus said, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Now I want you to pay attention to this verse. Believe that you have received it and it will be yours. That's future tense. What in the world is Jesus saying? Believe that I've already got it in order to get it. That's exactly what he's saying. He said, hang on here, Rick. Are you telling me I gotta believe something is so even though it isn't so, in order to get it to get it? even though it isn't so, in order to get it? In order to get it to become so? Yep. That's called faith. [00:27:32]

Every pregnant woman does this, what I just talked about. She carries inside her body the promise of a baby. She's getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Even though she can't see that baby, she's never seen that baby, she knows it's there. She's confident that it's there. She can feel that baby there. Even though she's never seen the baby, she starts preparing in advance for the baby's arrival. In faith. First she starts eating differently, she starts taking better care of her body, she starts sleeping differently, she starts going out and buying maternity clothes because she knows she's going to get bigger, she starts stocking a nursery, they have showers, she gets clothes, she gets diapers, she gets all the paraphernalia, the changing tables and the rocking cribs and all kinds of stuff. She's doing that in faith. They don't call it expecting for nothing. She's expecting a baby. She hadn't seen that baby, but she's acting as though it's already here. [00:29:08]

Now let's just take this in a real practical way. Some of you are out of work right now and you're looking for a job and you're waiting. for a job and maybe you are waiting on God to get a job. And you have been praying, God I need a really good job. Okay question, if you had a job how would you act? Start acting in that way right now. First place, if you had a job would you lay around all day in your pajamas and not take a shower? No. If you actually had a job you would set an alarm and you would get up and you would get ready and you would put on work clothes then that is what you need to be doing right now. You need to start acting like you got the job. You don't wait until you get the job to act like you got the job, there is no faith in that. You act in advance, you believe a thing is so even though it isn't so that it becomes so. And you do it now. [00:31:29]

There is a difference between passively waiting in fear and apathy and expectantly waiting in faith where you take action. You get prepared and you act as though you already have it. God does this. Do you know that God is doing this, God goes to Abraham 25 years before he has a son and changes his name. He says your name is Abram and I am going to change it to Abraham. And Abraham says what does that mean? Abraham means father of many nations. So for 25 years Abraham, Abram changes his name and he is called Abraham. How do you like this? He walks into a bar. What is your name? Father of many nations. Oh great. How many kids you got? None. How old are you? A hundred. Hmm. Interesting. How would you like to live with that? [00:32:47]

I need to imitate the habits, particularly of people of strong faith. You can imitate people of strong faith and look at the habits that they do, find their skills, find their patterns, find their habits and follow that, imitate that to grow strong in your faith. In other words, use the time while you are waiting to develop personal maturity. Let me show you some verses. First Peter 1, 6 and 7. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith, daring faith, and patience, that's waiting, through faith and waiting, through faith and patience, who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. He says that's the kind of people you ought to be imitating when you are in the waiting room. We don't want you to be lazy. Don't sit around passively doing nothing. He says imitate those who through faith and patience have inherited what God has promised. [00:34:45]

Now I want you to write this down. This is very important. Don't get anything else. Get this one. When you are in the waiting room of life, don't put my life on hold. Please write that down. Don't put my life on hold. While I am waiting for my big break in Hollywood. While I am waiting for my ship to come in. While I am waiting for an answer to prayer. While I'm waiting for me. While I am waiting for . . . . the girl or the man of my dreams to show up. Don't put your life on hold. Waiting is not inactivity, it is not idleness, it is not laziness, it is not passivity, it is not apathy. Waiting is the time to develop habits and skills that you are going to use later on. Say it again. Waiting is the time you develop the habits and the skills that you are going to use later on. [00:36:57]

When you are in the waiting room, keep on praying. Matthew 7, 7 says keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened. That is actually the correct Greek because it is a participle, it is a continuation, it is a continuing verb that says keep on doing it. Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking and you will get your answer. Keep on praying. Number two, keep on serving. Never be lazy in your work but serve the Lord enthusiastically. This sharpens your skill. You know most of you guys know I train pastors. And I meet a lot of young pastors who they don't want to do the menial things in ministry. And they don't want to serve God in a small world. way. They only want to serve God in a big way. Well you don't get to serve God in a big way unless you've served God in a small way first. If you're faithful in little things then you'll be faithful in much. [00:39:27]

There are no great ways to serve God, there are only small ways to serve God done with a great heart. And that's true greatness. And so you serve God with a great heart and you make the ministry service successful. Why do I say keep on serving? Because that's another meaning of the word wait. Wait doesn't just mean expect something to happen that hasn't happened yet. Wait also means to serve. Have you ever had a waiter at your table? Why do they call that guy the waiter? You're the one who's waiting. You're waiting on the food. You're waiting on him, not he's waiting on you. Well it's two different meanings. When you say I'm waiting for something to happen, that's what you're doing. But wait also means to serve. And that's why servers are called waiters. And ladies in waiting are women who serve the queen. Because the word wait doesn't just mean to expect, it also means to serve. [00:41:01]

If your group didn't meet your needs, congratulations. You learned some love to love people maybe it were difficult for you to love, get in another group. But whatever you do, keep on going in a small group. Don't give up the habit. Keep on. Number four, keep on sowing. Ecclesiastes 11 .6 says this, keep on sowing your seed for you never know which ones will grow. Perhaps they all will. You've sown a seed in daring faith but daring faith is actually going to start now for the next three years and we're going to be sowing for the next three years. Keep on sowing your seed. You never know which one will grow. Perhaps they all will. And then number five, keep on believing. Keep on believing. The Bible says you must keep on believing the things you have been taught. [00:43:51]

The big point I'm trying to make is that waiting is not passivity. God cannot steer a parked car. I'm waiting God. Well turn on the ignition and just start driving. Where? Anywhere. God can direct a car that's moving. He cannot direct a car that's stalled. Get involved in a ministry. Get involved in service. Get involved in a small group. Do the things that you know you could be doing, developing skills and habits. Now to prepare so that when that baby arrives you're not caught off guard. The delivery is a joy. Write down the lessons. Act as though I already have it. Imitate the habits that grow strong faith. And the T we learn from scripture in the waiting rooms of life is to trust God instead of panicking. [00:44:29]

Sometimes God lets a situation get so bad, only a miracle will do. Don't give up your faith. Hold on, hang on, do the things I've just taught you how to do because you're getting ready for a miracle. Jesus walks up the tomb and says, roll the stone away, they rolled the stone away. And he says, Lazarus, come forth. Now, I'm glad he said Lazarus because if he just said come forth, every dead person in Searing is going to come out at that point. But he calls him by name, Lazarus, come forth. He comes out. And it's interesting, when he walks up to the tomb, he says, Father, they overheard him praying this. Father, I thank you that you've already heard me. Father, I thank you that you've already heard me. And I'm even saying this just for the people around me. He already knew what he was going to do. [00:47:30]

God already knows what he's going to do in your life next month, next year, and next decade. And his plan for you is good. And you need to trust him. And you need to relax. And when you're in the waiting room, you need to just say, okay, he's not early, he's not late, he's always on time. And I will trust God. And I will do these things, I'll write down the lesson. and I'll act as though it's already happened and I'm going to keep on doing the habits. I'll keep on sowing and I'll keep on sharing and I'll keep on serving and I'll keep on believing and I'll keep on going to small group and I'll keep on praying because God's timing is perfect. He's not too late. I'll close with this. [00:48:26]

I'm kind of a student of bamboo. Some bamboos grow very, very slow and some grow very fast and some grow slow, slow, slow and then fast. Here's how you grow a typical piece of bamboo. You cut a piece of bamboo off like this and you cut it in half and you stick it in the ground and you water it for a year and nothing happens. Nothing. And you water it for the second year, the bamboo, and nothing happens. And you water it for the third year and nothing happens. And you water it for the fourth and the fifth year and nothing happens. And you fertilize it. And on the sixth year you water it and nothing happens. And on the seventh year it sprouts. But once it sprouts it takes off. Some bamboo can grow one meter or three feet in 24 hours. Some bamboo can grow to nine feet in about four days. It just, when it takes off, it takes off. [00:49:09]

And you may have been thinking, I have been working on this and working on this and working on this and I have been studying the Bible, I have been serving, I have been tithing, I have been believing, I have been planting seeds. You may be in year six. Don't give up. Because when that thing sprouts it could grow nine feet in about three days. And it just takes off. And you go, whoa, what just happened? God just did what he wanted to do. Last verse on the screen, Galatians 6, 9. So let us not get tired of doing what is right. For after a while, at the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing. But here's the condition. If we don't get discouraged and give up, I will not as your pastor let you give up. I will beat you. I will beat you. [00:50:39]

He knew what he was going to do in my life and I didn't and I had no idea but during the dark days I was learning the skills and I kept on praying and I kept on giving and I kept on serving and I kept on believing and I kept on trusting and the bamboo sprouted. Psalm 56 3, even when I'm afraid, even when I'm afraid, I will trust you. That's daring faith. Now listen, some of you think you've been waiting on God and God is waiting on you. What you have been thinking is I'm waiting on God, but what you're really thinking is I'm waiting for the fear to go away and then I'll do it. I'm waiting for the fear to go away and then I'll make this commitment. I'm going to wait for the fear to go away and then I'll go after my dream. I'm going to wait for the fear to go away and then I'll start tithing or give to daring faith. I'm going to wait for this fear to go away and then I'll, whatever you've got on your mind. [00:52:37]

Let me tell you a little secret. It's not going away. It's not going away. God's not going to take that fear away. The only way you get through that fear is you must move against it. You must move through it. You must move against it. You must do the thing you fear the most. Many of you did it in the last 10 days. You're scared to death to make a 36 month financial commitment and you did it. You moved against your fear and you did it and God is smiling and he's pleased and you have not been waiting on God. God has been waiting on you to demonstrate faith and you did. [00:53:41]