WAITING ON GOD 2: HOW TO ENGAGE GOD'S SILENCE IN SEASONS OF WAITING

How many of us have been in a place where we are waiting on God concerning something and it's just silence through it? Or God is even speaking to you but He is not addressing that exact situation?

I have been in this place too.

Where I am waiting on God for a thing, I am praying and to the best of my knowledge I have checked everything that needs to be checked, yet I am still in the waiting room

It is not even being in the waiting room that is the problem. It is the deafening silence in such times. In moments like this, we start wondering what is happening. "Has God abandoned me? Or maybe I didn't hear Him well the first time?"

God's silence, while we wait, can make us feel a type of spiritual abandonment. You will almost doubt everything you know to be true.

About three o’clock Jesus cried out loudly, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means “My God, my God, why have you left me alone?” Matthew 27:46 ERV

At about three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?” Matthew 27:46 GNT

And at three o’clock Jesus shouted with a mighty voice in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” —that is, “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” Matthew 27:46 TPT

From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matthew 27:45-46 MSG

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matthew 27:46 NLT

Why have you abandoned me?

This was Jesus asking God 

This was God asking God!

Read that again.

Whatever we are feeling, I need us to know this: Christ has been there.

Be comforted in this knowledge, that you do not have a high priest that doesn't understand your plight or is disjointed from your pain. God understands how you feel. (hold this somewhere)

Jesus groaned out from the depth of his heart.

It wasn't a silent "God why you allow this thing happen." He cried out loudly from a place of pain.

His pain wasn't  "My God, why did you allow Judas betray me.", "Peter is going to betray me, why?"

Christ's pain was in the silence of God.

Why have you turned away?

Why have I been abandoned?

Why have you forsaken me?

What an alarming question. And coming from Jesus that never for once complained, that was always doing the will of the Father.

And guess what? The part that actually humbles me is that, though Christ cried out. Heaven gave no response. God maintained silence!

No miracle. No word of comfort. No "don't worry, it is almost over. This is for a good cause" blah blah, not even a sign to show that I am here

This really paused me. Like this is your best soldier God, this is you, Christ is God.

For everyone feeling abandoned or forsaken by God, I want you to know that you have a high priest that can relate. Of course, we will never suffer the way Christ did but in His suffering of the silence of God, He has demonstrated to us that we may not hear a word but God's plan is still in the works. At that moment when Christ was crying out, it was definitely a bad Friday from the level of pain.

But today, what do we say? Good Friday!

There are moments in our lives when we wonder where God is, but He is right there walking alongside us. 

And this brings me right here:

God's silence is a matter of perspective

It depends on the angle you are looking from.

We will start with the case of Jesus.

Christ felt abandoned and forsaken. But was God really silent? He had already spoken.

What Christ was going through at that point was really the pain of a process. God had spoken.

His speech was His love for humanity. His word given as a covenant that Christ would come and die. He would die in our stead.

While God may be silent, know that He is in a constant state of communication with us. So it means that you may be fixated on hearing a particular thing but what God is speaking to you is strength and courage.

Again, silence is no indication that God is not working or has stopped working, or God doesn't care.

Look at Lazarus. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he didn't move. He stayed where he was for 2 more days. This could have been interpreted as neglect, as Christ neglecting His close friends. But guess what, if Christ had come immediately Lazarus would have been healed and men may never know that it is possible for people to be raised back from the dead.

In the silence of Christ, Mary, Martha, and even we are drawn into a new dimension of God.

So what do we do when we are faced with the silence of God? How do we respond?

1. Draw Near

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you James 4:8a NKJV

So many times, in seasons like this, what we tend to do is stay away from God;

We stop going to church

We stop fellowshipping 

Or we are just doing it absent-mindedly

On days when silence is what you are met with, move closer. Stay even deeper in fellowship. When the bible says to draw near to God and He will draw near to you. It doesn't mean that God is waiting for you to come close before He moves also. As we draw closer, we get to see exactly how near He is to you. Our eyes are opened to His proximity to us. We begin to see His love revealed all the while we were thinking He was silent. We come to a better understanding of His purpose.

Our patience is built

Our strength is increased 

Our hope is renewed

It is in this place of drawing near that we begin to count it all Joy. We are filled with Joy despite the frustration.

It changes our countenance completely

It changes our frustration about the situation

Sometimes, we even get to find out that He was speaking, we just couldn't hear because we weren't standing close enough.

Also know that it is okay to ask God questions. He is your father, lay your heart bare before Him.

 

2. Stop fixating on the silence. Instead, engage God in prayers

Look at Habakkuk

He didn't stop speaking to God. He kept asking and praying and guess what?

God responded to him;

Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:2-3 NKJV

God's response was probably not what he wanted. It wasn't a quick fix, but it came with assurance and instruction.

"Though it tarries, wait for it"

For some of us, this is what we will hear as we wait.

I'm actually in a season such as this, I don't want what it is and I have told God but He is not minding me.

At some point, He stopped speaking altogether and now the only thing I hear is "Though it tarries, wait."

It truly doesn't answer the full questions I have but it carries an assurance from God that it will happen. So, back to the waiting room.

 

3. Don't make your own quick fixes

Some of us go ahead to do when God is silent. We do what we think is reasonable/right.

Reminds me of the Israelites when Moses had not come down from the mountain and they went to build idols. Silence is not a pass for you to step in, God doesn't need your wisdom. Again, we must learn patience while waiting.

I purposely made that appear in the first part of our series. Don't conjure answers for yourself.

 

 4. Accept God's sovereignty

I've been singing this song since last week:

Sovereign God

You do as it pleases you

Sovereign God

 

But am I really happy about how He does these things? Am I satisfied in them? We must first accept that God is sovereign. And when we say He does as it pleases Him, we must recognize that it pleases God to make all things work out in our favor.

That He can do and undo doesn't mean He is set out to frustrate our lives.

God delights in you

He has the best plan for you

And this too is etched inside of His sovereignty 

So when you don't know or understand what is happening, hold on to the knowledge that whatever is happening, it is God in charge of it and God's plans for you are always good!

 

5. Remind yourself whom you are waiting on

Nothing is difficult for God. His silence doesn't mean that He is stuck and does not know what to do. Far from it. Say it to your innermost being.

Remind yourself constantly who your God is, do not lose sight of this revelation of Him;

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

 

6. Rejoice

Don't be so fixated and worried about the silence. Instead, rejoice! You are probably wondering why you should be rejoicing right?

Well, rejoice because your God is working. The problem is our shouts go up based on what we see.

We are not of this world, our reactions are not tied to the happenings around us.

If you cannot hear His spoken voice, go to His written word.

Encourage yourself in it

Rejoice in it

Let the word stand above your situation

 

7. Continue to Wait

What to do when God is silent? Don't stop waiting.

Remember what I said last week about the tiny strands being joined together?

Don't interrupt the process. You just keep waiting on the Lord.

 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:24-25 NKJV

This was written inside of Jeremiah's cries. This period was a time when Jerusalem was going through despair. This was after they had been captured by Babylon.

Yet, what did Jeremiah write? The Lord is my portion!

I will not stop hoping

I will not stop believing that He will come through

I will wait!

This should be our disposition also.

WORDS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE

Words for the month of June 

The month of the grace, mercy, favour, goodness and the love of God 

Of the blessings of the Lord 

The month of full bloom 

Of completions and rounding off

Of testimonies and congratulations 

Freedom from limitations 

Of a gathering, increase and additions

Grace

Mercy

Favour 

Goodness

Oppressions have come to an end

Profitless labor has ended

Of full bloom

I just keep seeing blooming flowers all around

All blooming at the same time

We are embraced by God in this month

We step into favor in this month

There are no setbacks

There are no delays

There is speed and abundance 

As many that are ready to receive it is available

I heard "God can do it."

Debola Peperempe: Because there is power in my name all chains are broken

Those words which I have told you 

There is perfection in this month

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV

People are witnesses of the great things which he will do in our individual lives

There is no lack

God has gone ahead of us and removed obstacles in our way

Walk with me because I am already walking with you

A rounding up 

Bringing into completion and perfecting 

Doors wide open

Doors wide open on their own accord

Testimonies all round 

This is a month of testimony

Even testimonies that we thought that the enemies my had cut short, that you thought you would never see  

I am putting new songs in your mouth

Rejoice in the Lord, I say again rejoice

Profitless labouring has come to an end

I am not done

There is more

Nothing changes God, He says to remind us. Do not respond to circumstances that you see. Focus on God and let your eyes be on Him

Greater things

I give authority to you, speak exactly as you want, try me and see

The store house of the Lord is full

Be grounded in the Word this season. It will help you go far

Dead situations are coming back to life, dead situations are receiving life

 Speak to everything dead, speak to everything as if dead

Life and death is in your tongue

That which you want dead begin to kill, that you want life to begin to speak life to

Never ending testimonies

Unexpected miracles

For someone I hear “recognition”

He says I am not done with the approvals, I am not done with the promotions

I have set before you an open door that no man can shut

 No more delays

I see someone jumping over

A rain of miracles

I see the Lord touch the heart of someone towards you. There's something that belongs to you in their hands and the Lord softens their heart towards you.

I am not done with the approvals

 I hear heavy rain

I see a bunch of keys

 Showers of blessing 

There is perfection and completion of the words and works of the Lord

I hear the sound of congratulations

The month of congratulations

Dry bones rising

I am coming in an unexpected way

For someone I hear this : A si e ni Oju

Your eyes are opened

You see 

Clarity comes 

Dry bones rising

In their numbers

Again, the testimonies are so much

In their numbers

Dry bones rising

Plenty congratulations in the air

So many I can’t believe it

A complete turnaround

A complete turnaround of things

Blessed ideas

No just new, blessed 

Some of them will be old ideas but not they are blessed ideas

There is a shedding of the old, and the wearing of a new garment

So they yield

There is a yielding for you

What you see in the atmosphere is not your lot

I am your lot

 I am your portion

I determine yours

Don't be distracted

 The land yields its increase

I see someone with skin issues and it cleared

The report you await, it is in your favor

That sickness has come to an end

Shame and reproach is taken away from you

For someone, I hear the word PLAN WELL

 I am here

Shame and reproach is taken away from you

They’ve told you it is not possible. Look, I say it is possible

My word is all the proof you need

Go all out 

No holding back

Go all out 

I hear strength

The Lord is breaking barriers

For someone I hear MUTE. I see a situation where you will really want to speak (from emotions) but God says to be mute. The Holy Spirit will remind you. don’t give in

Obedience

To obey us better than sacrifice. Have you not sacrificed enough? Obey obey

Enlargement

There is a turning around for the better

Fa ra bale, Calm down

Accruing

I keep hearing Accruing

Stay still, stay in the Lord

Increase is here

There is a gathering

Shackles are broken off 

The Egyptian you see today, you see them no more

I the Lord bring all things to pass. Allow Me

You break free from limitations

Rain

Free from your limitations

It rains and pours heavy

The Lord weeds out this month

He adds back

There are many additions

Because I remain the KING, I will keep to my promise

WAITING ON GOD

What exactly does it mean to wait on God? 

Q: From our lives as Christians, what does it mean to you when you hear to “Wait on God?”

Answers:

Bukky: For me, it means to trust and hold on to God's promises till they come to pass without having to do too much to force things to happen by yourself.

Sumi: I think waiting on God is allowing only God's will to prevail in our lives and at the time he wants it to happen.

David: It means to seek the face of God, or to seek God's mind concerning an issue

Fola: For me, waiting on God means letting go and letting God take the wheel. Total dependence on God in faith & patience until his promises visibly come to pass.

Better: Waiting on God is to seek his face, to get instruction.

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

In this scripture, we see what happens to those that dare to wait, and it is so much benefit, so much. All is attained just by waiting.

A lot of us believers want to get to the part where we are soaring like eagles, where we have renewed strength, where we are running without tiredness in sight, but we've not learned the concept of waiting. We assume waiting to be difficult.

I checked the concordance for the Hebrew word used in this verse and I'm going to share here. The Hebrew word for ‘Wait’ is qavah (kav waw) and it figuratively means to bind together like a cord.

You know when you want to make a strong rope but you have tiny strings, so you bring together these strands and begin to tie them. You begin to twist them until the rope attains the strength you need it to. That's what the word implies here.

I don't know if we've seen ships or boats being moored, they use a really strong rope so it doesn't cut and the ship is packed safely. Passengers are not even advised to board a ship/boat that is not moored yet.

I also know you are not allowed to unboard also. The ship or boat must first be moored and what they use is this strong rope.

So many times we assume waiting to be passive and a space of inactivity. But know, waiting is not that. Waiting is not what we simply do until we get what we want. Waiting is the process of becoming!

It is the stringing together of tiny strands until it becomes a strong rope.

So when we say we are tired of waiting, what we are really saying is that we do not want what we are in fact waiting for.

One thing the Lord told me while preparing for this sermon is that: Waiting times are longer because the rope is not strong enough yet.

It cannot safely moor the ship/boat. If we allow the not-so-strong rope/cord to be used, what we are really aiming for is a disaster. The boat may capsize or people coming out of it can be injured because it is not tied firmly.

The waiting season is not God punishing you.

It is not even God testing you with different things to see if you are faithful (a lot of believers wrongly assume this). Waiting is God preparing, it is God strengthening you and it is God readying you for that season ahead.

Tiny strand by tiny strand, He keeps adding until it is strong enough. Now here is the thing with our (in)activity in the period of waiting; what you do while waiting can prolong waiting seasons.

I will use that same scripture to explain. Imagine adding tiny strands of weak ropes together and there is a wrong movement that keeps interfering with the process, it is possible that this fiddling cuts the tiny strands of rope already added because they are not strong or bound yet. What this means is that the person doing the binding will have to start again, that is waiting time extended

This brings me to the next definition of waiting; 

Waiting is us allowing God and aligning with His purpose (the end result) with no interference with the process. Please be careful in your interpretation of "no interference".

So how is this demonstrated? Active dependence on and total obedience to God.

Like I said waiting is not passive, it is not inactivity. With the scriptures, we've been able to prove that waiting is a major activity. It is the activity that leads to that opened door, blessing or new chapter. 

Let me use another analogy; 

It's like becoming a doctor. My process here is courses I had to pass, the studying and the knowledge amassed. The longer I take to get this knowledge and pass, the longer my process in becoming a doctor.

Waiting and Impatience

Let a child tell you they want sweet or biscuit now and you say not yet because they've probably had too much sugar today, you are most likely going to get a tantrum from them, an emotional outburst.

The child doesn't understand why daddy is not giving them sweet even though daddy can afford sweet. You see, a lot of us are like kids when it comes to waiting.

Our impatience seeps through.

For every time we do not get what we want at the time we think we should get them, we switch to Big Daddy (aka God) must be a bad person for withholding this from me or He doesn't love me.

Emotional outbursts. 

It shows in our mood, it starts reflecting in our attitude to people around us and even to God Himself. 

God telling me this made me pause.

It really opened my eyes to a lot. I've been in that place where waiting affected my mood all round.

As we grow in Christ, we must come to an understanding of these things; reactions and postures expected of us as mature sons.

Another thing God pointed out to me on impatience is that it is right there in your daily attitude sometimes. If you are impatient normally, you will not grow patience overnight in waiting seasons.

It reflects! Now, an action point I'd like everyone to write down is this:

Intentionally increase your patient limit in cases where it is running out (even when you are justified). So normally if you will complain about such stuff after like 2 days, increase your patience and make it like 7 days.

Intentionally take back any lashing or emotional outburst that is tied to someone delaying you or "wasting your time." Just a simple, “Alright, no problem. I will wait an extra day.”

No whining or anger.

Patience

Patience is an important part of waiting on God. We live in a fast-paced/tracked world;

"How to become a programmer in 1 week and earn 1 million dollars". We are in a "NOW" world.

Our generation wants everything fast (maybe the generation before us too and the ones before them 😂)

Immediate answers

Immediate maturity

Immediate growth                       

Patience is a key aspect of waiting on God.

I need us to check the meanings of patience online and share.

Fola: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. Tolerant and even-tempered perseverance. The capacity for calmly enduring pain, trying situations, etc.

 

Even-tempered perseverance even while waiting. Calm even when it looks like the wait period is long.

I repeat this, there is no impatient waiting when it comes to waiting on God. It is either you are waiting patiently or you are not.

There is a reason patience is a fruit of the spirit! It is a strong ingredient for waiting.

The new bible dictionary defines patience as God-given restraint in the face of opposition. The KJV says to stay in calmness without discontent or even murmuring.

I think I love the New bible definition for that; God-given restraint. It is why patience is a fruit of the spirit. It is only the spirit that can produce such in a man.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4 NIV

Let perseverance finish its work! Let patience be full.

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:4 NLT

Let it grow. Let your patience be tested. Stop running from situations that test your patience.

If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. James 1:4 ERV

Seeeeee!

You have to let patience.

There are no cutting corners in this school. Patience is what brings perfection.

Again, I want us to go back to the definition of patience that we shared.

Assignment number 2

Write those definitions out and replace your name with patience. Then check yourself to see where you are lacking. Please take this assignment/action point seriously. It is your one ticket to being a beneficiary of this teaching.

When I personally did, I realized I am an impatient person. I have definitely fallen short in one of these definitions and while pondering, I randomly remembered a friend of mine who struggles to get everything.

No switching of seasons without major struggles, nothing comes with ease. It's always stressful and when it eventually does, the excitement may not be there anymore and it was laid in my heart to insert their name in this patience definition.

I realized that they too like me are impatient, very very impatient.

It then dawned on me that the reason this person struggles for everything is this impatience. They've been prolonging seasons of their lives because of impatience and now it looks like they just don't get anything with ease. Whereas, it is simply because they've not learned how to wait.

My God! So many of us are here.

Right here in this boat. Patience has to finish work for completion to happen. There is no entering the promise without waiting and waiting has patience as a major ingredient. You cannot bypass it.

To be patient is to be content in the passage

To be content in waiting 

To not be eager to leave the waiting room

To be okay with the process that brings strength and perfection. Not murmuring or complaining at all while at it.

 

Word For The Month of May 2023

 Word for the Month of May

> Month of no disappointment

> Of Ease

> Of rest

> Full and overflowing joy

> Entering into the promises of God

> Of Possibilities 

> Of the help of the Lord

> Of the carrying of His Spirit

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE

A season where we are carried by God

The season of the help of God     

And the backing of his mercy

Where we are carried by God and helped of Him

What flows out to us is ease, fulfillment and a performance of everything the Lord has said. A fulfillment of everything that is due.

For someone, seasons are fastened for your sake. What it takes men 10 years to do, you do in a short time.

Peace that surpasses all understanding.

Favor that causes men to do things for you

No I do not speak of luck, I speak of God, I speak of Me.

For the Lord carries you completely,

He’s not just lifting or pushing or propelling us into new levels,

He’s giving wings, we’re soaring into new levels, above the usual level

You will not have to overdo anymore

Ease has come because I JEHOVAH am doing the carrying.

I am carrying you into destiny

The right people will look for you

Look around you, eagle’s wings are here, eagle’s wings are here

I see the struggles, I see the lonely nights

Look, strength like no other is here,

Sustenance like no other

I do not just push you up, I keep you up

That which we ask for in the pace of prayers, immediately they become ours

New opportunities

Assurances of answered prayers

Mercy

The direction of the Lord

Month of plenty

Month where there is no hindrance

We enter into the month with joy

We will marvel at the way you will do the things you are set to do

In you my eyes see the goodness of the Lord

You begin to have experiences that can only be traced to this time. Your testimony will be that “God carried me”.

I tell you, you have received a cheat code.

When the enemy comes, remember, you are carried. That help has come for you.

For someone, I see wisdom that translates to wealth

Deut 28:12 NIV The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

Everything not planted by my father is removed

Contrary words are destroyed. I see a pulling down of long huge trees and I see the angel of the Lord set fire to the root of that tree

Favor 

I hear the sensitivity of the spirit

Saw someone with a lot of eggs and they also looked like precious stones. I saw them trying to guard them and the enemy threw a stone on the path and the person stood up to check what was thrown and the person stood up to check and I just hear sensitivity in the spirit and I just heard I will watch over it myself. I don’t need your strength.

God says he is watching over, he delivers his promises himself and I just want us to begin to declare it

Favor

I hear sensitivity of the spirit

"In this month of May, there are no disappointments." Pray this prayer if you're waiting on something that requires the approval or review of others.

New ideas

New insights

Favor upon us

Approvals 

New appointments

Sealed deals

Promotions 

Increment 

I hear tripled income for someone in this month

When you check your barn at the end of the month, it will be more than you have ever gathered

No losses 

Again, no disappointment

You enter into all I have promised 

I carry you myself 

I carry you myself

Help is released

Help is here

Look around you at the help of God

Full and overflowing Joy

Ease, rest, fulfillment of all that is due

We are inside of the plan of the Lord

Ordered steps

None will be helpless

Go out and do the impossible

You are not without help

Eagle vision

Go out and do the impossible

Because their name has changed

No longer impossible

For you, they are no longer impossible

God is righting every wrong against you

The Lord has made room for me

A complete turning of tide

Season of breakthrough

For people that have experienced a lot of losses this year, the Lord says, "I have replenished"

I see a fattening. The Lord says I am adding to you. I am increasing you on all sides.

I see a well and I see joy in it and I see the angel of Lord hand everyone a fetcher and he says to draw

RESTING IN THE PROMISE OF GOD (II)

Resting on His Promises (II)

1. God loves us and this is in fact why He makes promises in the first place -- Out of love.

2. God has integrity. When He says a thing, He is bound to keep it.

3. God has the capacity to fulfill every promise He makes. That thing is within the reach of God.

 I sought the Lord [on the authority of His word], and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. Psalms 34:4 AMP

When it feels like God has given you a word and it is not coming to pass, what do you do? The Psalmist said "I sought the Lord on the authority of His word." On the authority I know exists inside of His word. I sought the Lord because I know He has integrity enough to keep to His part. I sought the Lord knowing that He has the capacity to do this thing for me. It is not beyond Him. But how did I seek Him? I took His word back to Him. This is what you have said. And this is who you are. And guess what happened?

The Psalmist got an answer

Now I want to ask us a question

Question: How many of us have received a promise from God before?

Ayodele: Me

Tobi: Me

Question: What is a promise?

Omololu: Well popular saying that. Promise is a debt

Ayodele: A commitment to do fulfill something. It's like swearing an oath

Anointing: A description of what is already in store for a designated time

From the definitions we all gave; When God makes a promise, He is committing Himself to do that thing. When God makes a promise to Oluremi, He is saying “Oluremi, I now owe you a debt” and God doesn't owe men, so He will pay. When God makes a promise, He is assuring that He will do something for you in a designated future. When God makes a promise, He is not just saying I will do, He is saying this is what is in store for a time to come and I am just telling you ahead. God's promise to you is not just wishful thinking.

It is not "I will like to do xyz for you". God's promise is Him telling you what is already in store, what is already attainable. It is Him assuring you Himself that this is in store for you so now walk by faith now that you know what is in store. Imagine my dad telling me “Tomorrow, we will go to Afefeyeye.” This is a promise. If tomorrow comes and he doesn't have money. We will not go to Afefeyeye again. And that's why I shared those 3 things first . When God promises a thing, provision has been made for it already.

Look at the promise of the Messiah. Lamb He was, there even from the beginning. Rest in this knowledge: God is not just trying to put together details to accomplish His promise to you. In fact, the only reason He promised is that He already made a provision. God's promise is your own access code to what is already designated. And here is the thing about God. God never over promises, neither does He underdeliver and I need us to have a mind-shift concerning this. Go back to every promise God has made to you. Just go over them and remind yourself that this is God telling you what He has prepared already.

Not what He will prepare. What He has prepared and set for a time.

Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man who plants seed in the ground. 27 The seed begins to grow. It grows night and day. It doesn’t matter whether the man is sleeping or awake, the seed still grows. He doesn’t know how it happens. 28 Without any help the ground produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. 29 When the grain is ready, the man cuts it. This is the harvest time.” Mark 4:26-29 ERV

Here, we see Jesus use a parable to explain how the word works. God's word/promise is more of a verb. It is always working to produce a harvest. Whether the man is sleeping or awake, the word works. Whether we understand how it is working or not, the word works. So for every time we are faced with unanswered promises, the problem is not the word. The problem is never God or His promise. As I said earlier, all things were already concluded as at the time of the promise. God tells me He will heal me? Everything needed for me to be healed is already available as at the time of this promise. He is not just scrambling around trying to fulfill this healing promise. It was done already.

There is something I believe we've been missing as believers. When we receive a promise/word, we do so with excitement but we tend to forget the devil. It's like a vampire and blood (How many of us watch vampire movies?) [Spill blood on the floor and you will draw a vampire lurking out. Every time the enemy sniffs God's promise/word, he runs after it. If he didn't have your time before, he will have your time because of the word. He did it with Christ, and he will do it with you. If anyone preaches to you that the enemy will not try, they lie. When the promise of the Messiah came, the enemy through Herod killed so many people just to ensure that the world will not have a Messiah. The devil always follows the word.

After the death of Christ, the enemy remembered clearly that Christ said he'd rise after 3 days 

They said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘I will rise from death in three days.’ So give the order for the tomb to be guarded well for three days. His followers might come and try to steal the body. Then they could tell everyone that he has risen from death. That lie will be even worse than what they said about him before.” Matthew 27:63-64 ERV

You know the funny part? Jesus shared this a lot with His disciples and even they themselves did not remember. They were not even expecting Him to rise but you see the enemy, he keeps a record of such things. He follows the word hoping that he can in one way or the other cut it short.

Persecution will come because of that promise whether you like it or not or you gladly accept it or not because the enemy trails promises and words. He will follow it. If you pause and think of everyone with so great a destiny, you can agree with me that they all faced a lot of troubles. No, it is not God trying to test them to see if they are good enough for what He is set to do.

All of that trouble is usually the enemy hell-bent on them getting anywhere.

So what do we do, now that we have a promise, an enemy that has sniffed this promise and is now after it not being fulfilled?

1. Know the Promise

If the person fighting against the promise knows what God has promised you, how much more you the promise holder. Look at Israel, from generation to generation, they knew what God promised their father Abraham.

You have chosen them from all the peoples of the earth to be your own special people. Lord GOD, you promised to do that for us. You used your servant Moses to make that promise when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.” 1 Kings 8:53 ERV

This was Solomon at a time of need. He went back to what was promised centuries before. How Because he knew these promises. Israel had a way of passing down God's promises from generation to generation. So my first question for us is What has God promised you? Like I share with us, when teachings like this come, they are accompanied by a certain Graces. So here's an action point for you (I gave it as an assignment last week). Go back to your notes and write out all the promises God has made to you. Write out the instructions you got alongside them. Please don't joke with this word of instruction. Do it tonight. There are heavy pregnancies of testimonies in the air, just waiting for you to move so they be birth.

Write them out.

Read them to yourself 

This time around, in light of all that we have shared.

With the knowledge that the promise you received is an access code to what already exists for me.

Did He promise you a job? That promise is an access code to a job already provided for you in a designated time. Go over it all with this mindset.

2. Know the one who gives promises

This is exactly where we started from and it was important we did so. The promise giver is a promise keeper. 

Understand His person and nature. Remember the 3 things we shared:

- The promise giver promises out of love.

- The promise giver has integrity so He will keep His promises.

- The promise giver has the capacity to keep His promises.

Permit me to add one more; the promise giver has already kept His promise. You just need to access at the right time.

Start seeing God's promises as what has already happened.

Minister Dunsin says something; There are 2 days in the spirit. The day something happens and the day it manifests physically.

We celebrate the manifestation day physically but that's not when it happens. The promise is not just futuristic. It has already been attained, in Christ

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8 NKJV

When did Christ die? Was it from the beginning? But see what the bible says

The lamb was slain from the foundation of the world

Christ did not exactly die when we thought Christ died. The promise is a description of what is already!

Know the one who promised. Understand His person. It helps you navigate waiting times. When you know God, you will know that all things may pass but not His word. He can do what He has said He will do

So why will He not do it?

3. Put the promises in their right context

Some promises are conditional. There are promises that come with ifs. Know these promises and ensure that the ifs are done. See the ifs as the code. 

How many of us have seen my prayer/prophetic journal? It has a lock on it with a special code. If I promise to give you my journal, nothing inside of it can be accessed without my code so you will need the code. There are promises with such codes. Codes that we as humans will need to activate. Again, remember that God gives promises out of love. So He won't give you a promise with a code that you cannot access.

All that you need to access God's promise for you is already made available. Should there be an "if", know that the "if" is within your reach. Provision has been made for it too.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4 NKJV

Look at this scripture as an example. God will grant the desires of my heart but first I must delight myself in His word 

That is the prerequisite.

4. Don't be passive about the promise of God

You can't just sit back after receiving a promise. You can't be indifferent towards the promises you have received. Don't just live with the "if e happen, e happen" mindset. Some of us have not looked over God's promises for us in a while. We are just crying about things not happening. 

5. Promise in mouth, Faith in Heart

We see how much Faith you have in the way you talk about God's promise for you even when the devil is shouting to your face that it will not happen. And there is a plot twist I have found to this: The faith in your heart is also boosted by the promise not leaving your mouth.

but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. Hebrews 4:2b NKJV

The minute you exercise Faith to the word you receive, it becomes personal. Faith, even on days the enemy is showing you shege as regards that word

So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. Joshua 21:43 NKJV

The land was promised but access was by faith. They could only dwell in it after taking possession of it by faith.

that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. Hebrews 6:12-14 NKJV

Do not be sluggish. 

Don't allow the enemy to shortchange you. I like the verses that follow so much

There was nothing greater that God could drop as collateral than Himself

His name.

His word.

This is all the collateral you need. It is your certificate of ownership.

Not what is happening in your life. Not the situations opposing what has been promised. You have a certificate of ownership. God has sworn these things to you with the greatest oath binder.

God has sworn with himself! His word is enough. Why are you still wallowing in unbelief? Crying and living on the streets when you have a C of O. I feel like jolting someone from their sleep

Enough of that pity party jamboree. Stand up with your C of O in your hand

Are you not tired?

Stand up in Faith. Stand.

The enemy doesn't get to dictate to you the terms of this contract. Your faith is not dependent on the happenings of your life. It is on the word and word alone, even when it seems like it is all falling apart.

The word and the word alone.

The person that promised is Faithful. His word is the C of O you need

If Obama gives you C of O for land in the US and someone comes to tell you it is not yours, will you not fight them?

Will you not call them a liar? Will you not be willing to go to court with your C of O in hand?

Will you not fight back? So why are you allowing the enemy? Why are you letting him dictate terms for that which you already have a certificate of ownership? Why are you relinquishing your ownership? Because this is exactly what you are doing when you stop believing. 

You are saying this word is not mine anymore.

Why?

WHYYYY?

I say wake up.

Stand up. Stand in Faith!

6. War with the Word

Resting is not just inactivity.

It is trusting.

It is leaning.

It is a constant reminder of what you have received and who gave it and then it is going to war with it.

For the devil doesn't fight fair 

He plants weeds.

We take them out.

In Mark 4, Jesus spoke of 3 types of weeds the enemy plants:

Worrying

Desire for things not of God

The love of money

You see that worrying, I need you to see it as the enemy that it really is. It is an enemy the body of Christ has not clocked. The minute you start worrying over a word, weeds are being planted by the enemy. I am focusing on worries tonight cos God has pointed it out to me as a disguised enemy. Worrying and resting are 2 contrasting positions. If you find yourself worrying, it means only one thing, you are not resting inside of God's promises. God wants you to rest. Satan wants you to worry.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1 NKJV

This is Jesus saying to someone here tonight. Let not your heart be troubled. Faith is a choice. Fear is also a choice. Fear pushes you to want to perform, to force God's hand concerning that word. God wants you to break free from that. Today, choose to rest! Tonight, I believe God is calling us all into Rest. Rest in His word and promises

And I see a strong, widespread activation of promises coming from here.

RESTING IN THE PROMISE OF GOD

Question: I want everyone to pause and think about all God has promised us individually and as a family. Is there anything you've heard that has yet to come to pass? Or any that your Faith is shaking on and you are just not sure the universe is disposed favorably towards you as regards this promise?

Sumi: Yes

Boluwatife: Yes

Omotola: Yes, there are pending promises.

Tobi Wilson: Yes

Tosin Agbaje: Yes

Nkiru: Its doing like this and is doing like that.

Question: Do you think these promises will still come to pass?

Sumi: Yes, I believe they will.

Bola: By his grace, it will.

Mojola: I honestly doubt most times.

Tosin Agbaje: Yes, I strongly believe. Except the promises aren’t from God, except I didn’t hear correctly or it was just my wish sha…I too stubborn 🤣🤣🤣

Creativity: From range of 0 to 10. My faith level for those promises is 6. Cos I feel there no time... but when I pray, I tend to see ways and possibilities...thank God for praying in spirit sha.

Rita: I sometimes feel maybe if they don’t, it’s best, God knows best at the end of the day yea.

Molola: At this point, I don’t have a choice but to believe.

Lola: My faith goes from 100 to zero and zero to 100 sometimes. Currently, it's on zero. Not because He has not done it before, but most of the times I am believing him for seems unrealistic from a human perspective.

Precious: Sometimes I lose faith and I begin to use the phrase “if this will happen...” when I talk about these promises, just in case it doesn't happen as God said it will.

Emmanuel: God made the promise so He's faith to keep it.... Though it may tarry but we stay on here till I receive every of it.

When it comes to the promises of God, I'm one of the most stubborn persons ever. I run with instructions even when I don't understand them. I think those that have worked closely with me have seen this play out a number of times

There are times even as I'm running with the word, I don't know how or when it will happen. I am sha moving sha 😭 Then in my head sometimes, I'm moving really fast because if I stop for a moment to think on it, omo, I may just be discouraged and stop

So I carry the word. I carry His promises, on days it makes sense and on days it does not and just move

How shall these things be?

I'm not sure there is any believer that has not asked this before. That has not sat down with promises and just wonder.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

No matter how many promises God has made. They are all YES!!!

All of them. Not some.

I need us to note the progression.

No matter how many promises God has made, everything is Yes in Christ. Christ is our access code to all of these promises. So through this access code, "the Amen" will now be spoken by us.

Amen simply means So be it. Our duty is actually very simple.

To stand on the So be it. To keep proclaiming that it will happen exactly as it has been said.

“Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.” Joshua 21:45 BSB

Question: Now I need us to pause and ask ourselves. Why did God keep all the promises He made to Isreal?

Mojisola: Because they’re his people. He chose them & they’re his favs even though they have coconut head.

Bukky: He made a covenant with Abraham.

Emmanuel: Cos of His love for them the covenant he had with Abraham.

Precious: Because his promises were mostly covenants he made with Abraham.

Jane: Because he is a God of His word.

Tosin Agbaje: And EVERY of his promises MUST come to pass!

Creativity: Because He is God and not men that he should lie or repent.

Sumi: I believe he kept all his promises because God will always stay true to his nature. It is not in his nature to say something and not do it.

Anointing: He is not a Man that He should lie nor Repent.

Omolara: For his name's sake. He values His words

Omololu: Cus He His God and He fulfills all His words and because none of His words falls to the ground without being fulfilled

 

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NKJV

God made it clear here to the Israelites that it wasn't because of their desirability Or even their righteousness or uprightness that He was doing this for them.

First,

God keeps His promise to us because He loves us. We are the beloved of God and this doesn't change regardless of anything we do. Because we were loved even before we existed

At the bedrock of every promise of God is love for you. And what this means is that, God will only change His mind about His promises when He stops loving you.

"Will it happen?

Maybe it will not"

Only admissible when God stops loving you.

An example of this is Christ Jesus

Christ was first a promise of God to man 

And He fulfilled this

But the bedrock of this promise is love 

For God so loved the world...John 3:16

So for every time you see a promise of God,  look at it from the lens of His love

If you try to view it from elsewhere, your faith will shake and fail

I have prayed so much

I fasted so much

So God promised me xyz...

On the days you are not fasting, the enemy will remind you.

Secondly,

God will keep His promises because He has integrity. God is bound by oath always. He doesn't lie. I made promises here earlier tonight before we started the teaching.

Why did you believe that I will buy you ewa agoyin or any of the things promised? 

Because you know me as one with integrity. 

Because you do not think I will lie.

Because I am human, I can lie.

But somehow you still trust that i am not lying.

How much more God?

Thirdly,

Another reason God keeps His promises is that He is able to. God has the capacity to keep His promises. In fact, He makes promises based on His capacity.

Now, back to my own promise.

I made a promise to you guys.

And while I'd have really loved to keep the promise, I currently do not have the capacity to.

So I will come back here and apologize; Sorry guys, I can't afford to buy ewa agoyin for 3 people and the plenty other things I mentioned.

Not because I don't love you guys.

Not because I don't have integrity.

But simply because I do not have the capacity to.

I'm owing one person ewa agoyin though (because I have the capacity for this). And this is how the promise of man is.

Sometimes when someone promises you something and they don't fulfill it, it is not because they don't love you or would not love to. It is sometimes because they just do not have the capacity.

Even humans are able to jump through points 1 and 2, but you see this point 3, most humans can't. The only person that has the capacity and ability to give all things and anything is God.

Why? All things belong to Him.

Question: Now, I want to ask us another question. Do you think if I had the capacity to, I'd have fulfilled my promise? Let's answer honestly.

Mojisola: Absolutely

Samson: I think so

Sumi: Yes you would have

Cynthia: Yes, you would have. The reason is that there are times you make promises within your capacity and you fulfill them.

If you know me well, you will know that I will even increase the giveaway promise. I will add to it, should I have the capacity.

Now, how much more God?

If Remi can fulfill promises within her capacity because of cos I am not a wicked person. How much more God?

So tonight, I need you to go back to your note. Look at every promise God has made. Then ask yourself: Does God have the capacity to fulfill this? Will He have to beg another person or need help from someone else to fulfill it?

If your answer is that God has the capacity, it means we've checked every box for God to fulfil that promise.

His love is everlasting

His integrity will never be up for question

He owns all things so He can give everything He promises

Now that we've checked these boxes, we can conclude that God's promises for us stand

Question: Which moves us to the "we" part. Resting in the promise of God. Please can someone quickly check up on what it means to Rest?

Creativity: freedom from activity or labor.

Mojisola: 

a: freedom from activity or labor.

b: a state of motionlessness or inactivity.

c: the repose of death.

d: a place for resting or lodging.

e: peace of mind or spirit.

Olamide: cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.

Omolola: In a state of inactivity or repose, either physical or mental.

 

To rest also means to depend on. To place hope, trust or confidence in something or someone. To go to bed knowing that the one who gave the promise is able to do it

How do we rest in His Promise?

1. Know the promise

You cannot hope to receive a promise that you first do not know.

What has God promised you? Start with what is written in scripture.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Genesis 18:10 NLT

But the Lord says, “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you. I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes. Isaiah 49:15-16 ERV

God cannot forget me

He has me tattooed on his hands 

I am always before His eyes

“Family of Jacob, listen to me! You who are left from the family of Israel, listen! I have carried you since you left your mother’s womb. I carried you when you were born, and I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety. Isaiah 46:3-4 ERV

This was our scripture at the vigil on Friday and I love it so much. I am carried by God, till my old age

“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”” Luke 1:45 NKJV

The name of the Lord is like a strong tower. Those who do what is right can run to him for protection. Proverbs 18:10 ERV

“But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.” Jeremiah 20:11 NKJV

Jacob, the Lord created you. Israel, he made you, and now he says, “Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine. You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you. That’s why I am willing to trade others, to give up whole nations, to save your life. Isaiah 43:1-4 ERV

And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:29 NLT

God's promise to Abraham belongs to me.

Do you know how much God loved Abraham. 

How highly God rated him?

We have been brought into this same lineage and now have access to every blessing.

 

Assignment number 2

Go back home and write out all the promises of God 

Write it out with your name on it.

Fix your name where necessary

Copy it in a doc or write it in a book.

For the ones that you know speaks to you in this season, get a stick note (it's just #400 thereabout) and paste it around you.

Wake up every morning to it. Declare it as you go about your day

"Oh my God has supplied all my needs not even according to how I ask but according to his riches in glory"

Come back home and take it again till it becomes your reality.

Please, if you've ever suffered unanswered prayers, I am begging you, don't miss these assignments

Don't postpone them and not do them. You are about to see something open up for you.