The first example the Spirit of the Lord taught me about waiting was of two people walking together while talking. One of the two began walking faster and the other called out, “Wait!” The only thing the first person could do was to turn around and wait.
This may seem like a very simple illustration, but this really did happen to King Saul. He was called, anointed, mightily used of God, and heard from God with the help of the prophet Samuel. He decided he could handle things himself.
I Samuel 13:8-14 tells the story, “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering . Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, the Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord. Then I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.’
And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’ The King James Version of verse 12 says “…….therefore I forced myself, and offered a burnt offering.”
Saul continued to do God’s work. Isaiah 10:27 says, “It shall come to pass in the last day that the burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.” The anointing of God is the only thing that removes burdens and destroys yokes. Now Saul would have the burden of taking care of the people by himself, in his own strength.
Too many ministers today are doing the work of the ministry without the Lord; they are doing it in their own strength. This has come about because of the cries of the people have drowned out the voice of the Lord and they feel pressured to perform.
Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, and whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Saul was caught in a trap because of the fear of the people. This is a big trap for ministers of God who start out in love with God and on fire with the calling God has given them. But many have become ensnared while trying to please people and have gotten ahead of God. They do not hear His voice, recognize his leading any longer and have gotten far off track. Some have lost the anointing needed to do the work of the ministry, resulting in broken lives; physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” We can do nothing without Him, and many of us are blinded and shortsighted because we are hearers only of the Word of God, not doers. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
When we only hear the word and do not practice it we blind ourselves. It is as if a veil comes over us and hides the truth. Soon we are thinking we are totally in the will of God, doing His will but we are deceived, blinded, veiled and cannot see the truth. The best teaching of this I have found is from the book by Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer. [1]
Saul was deceived. He really thought he was doing the will of God. What he should have done was waited, realizing he could not go into battle without the Lord’s help. If we cannot hear His voice we need to stop and wait until we hear clear direction from God.
What if we were on a journey and got lost? Would we just keep going, hoping to find our way somehow, somewhere? No, we would stop and get directions. The directions we get from the Lord should always bear witness in our spirit. The leading of the Spirit, the Word of God and circumstances all have to agree.
Too many people are waiting for an open door and sometimes fall for the trick of the enemy. There are times in our life when we have made mistakes, gotten off track and lost our course because of listening to people or making dumb mistakes. Remember I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Thank God we live in grace. We can stop where we are, repent of sin, ask forgiveness, and God is faithful and just to forgive us.
Furthermore, James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives all liberally, and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” The word “reproach” is the Greek word oneidizo, and in the Strong’s Exhaustive Dictionary gives the meaning as to defame, rail, chide, taunt, revile or to find fault. This means God wants to show us the right way and will not find fault or make us suffer where we are.
God’s will is for us according to 3 John 2 is for us to “….prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” But you cannot do this on your own. You need to stay in communication with God through prayer, Bible reading, fellowship with other saints, worship, etc. But mostly, it is just asking Him to help you, asking Him to guide you, to direct your footsteps. He wants us to ask.
John 15:7-8 tell us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
We are told in Isaiah 1:19, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
[1] Sheets, Dutch, Intercessory Prayer, Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1996)
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