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Spiritual Delays - by Doug Gooch

I learned a long time ago from the Word of God that in order to get from prayer time to harvest time, I had to resist the temptation to become weary and give up under pressure. One of the ways you and I do that is to understand God’s principle of "due season." (Gal. 6:9) "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." You and I need to understand that God has an appointed time for everything. Knowing that helps keep my faith strong while I’m waiting for the answer, because God’s promise is that "due season" will come. The nice thing about God’s promises is that I don’t have to know the specifics about how or when. Since I’m not the source of the outcome, I don’t have to become fixated on the method for which it will happen. That means, I need only offer to God my faith and commitment. He is the source of all good and precious promises. Amen!

Hab 2:2-3 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

When God gives you a vision or a goal to pursue, He doesn’t necessarily mean it will come to pass immediately. But He says that it will "surely come," and "at the end, it shall speak." Before Taffy and I were married, she owned a little yellow Fiat. Let me just say that it was the right color. I believe that Taffy learned to pray while driving that car. She prayed for it to start and believed God to keep it running. When it rained, the inside of the car would flood. So, Taffy would carry around a bucket for the purpose of bailing water. She also carried a big hammer that she used to hit something under the hood after it would stall. I remember one time we were on our way to church when the Fiat stalled right in the middle of the busiest intersection in town. Cars were honking at us and giving us some unfriendly gestures when I said to her, "Girl, you need to get that hammer out and fix this car." She said, "Doug, I can’t get out in the middle of the intersection." I said, "You get this car out of here and I promise to marry you." She grabbed her hammer, opened the hood and I heard her yell, "Devil, I command you to get out of this car."

A lot of people are good at praying for things, but forget to be a blessing to God when the answer comes. All the while Taffy was believing for a new car, she never stopped thanking the Lord for what she had. I honestly believe that’s the reason that Fiat kept running for her. Since that time, the Lord has blessed us with several new cars. One day while Taffy was driving our Infiniti, a lady drove up next to her, rolled down her window and yelled, "Nice car." Taffy could have just smiled and said thank you, instead, she smiled and said back, "Thank you, God is good to me."

Don’t get focused on what we think God is not doing. "Where is the money?" "Where is the healing?" "When will it happen?" That is the devils arena. God wants you to focus on what he is doing. The thought that motivates me is due season could show up at any moment.

Your attitude and perspective about the situation has everything to do with your outcome. When the armies of Israel saw Goliath they said, "He’s too big to kill!" When David saw Goliath, he said, "He’s too big to miss!" I don't see the mountain, I see the mountain mover. I don't see the problem, I see the problem solver. And like I heard one preacher say one time, "I'm not looking for a hole in the ground, I'm looking for one in the sky." Do you see a test, or a testimony?

While we are focusing on God’s Word, we have to become sensitive to the opportunities and the open doors that God presents in our lives.

1 Cor. 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

(Amp) - For a wide door of opportunity for effectual service has opened to me there; one great and promising and many adversaries.

We see here that an opportunity had become open to him but it came with adversaries. It would be wonderful had he left that part out. Always remember, the devil is not going to sit down, roll over and play dead while we wait for God’s answer. Every opportunity that God gives us, demands a steadfast, persevering spirit. We must be willing to get in line with God’s word and stay focused.

How do we position ourselves for this? Deut 28:1-2 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Diligence is not dredging up some great reserve of effort. It means choosing what we give our attention to. Everyone is diligent in something. What has captured the most of your time and attention? That’s what you are diligent in. A people who gives its attention to the Word will soon start thinking, speaking and acting according to its authority as believers. It’s time to become diligent in God’s Word so we can begin to release the blessings of God into the lives around us. It’s time to become thankful. It’s time to become blessed minded.