“Waiting for God means power to do nothing save under command. This is not lack of power to do anything. Waiting for God needs strength rather than weakness. It is power to do nothing. It is the strength that holds strength in check. It is the strength that prevents the blundering activity which is entirely false and will make true activity impossible when the definite command comes” (G. Campbell Morgan).
It is much easier to act than wait on God. Isaiah 37-40 explains how to wait upon God for strength and eternal reward to accomplish His purpose.
Ask for Counsel
King Hezekiah put on sackcloth and his aides told Isaiah that this day of distress and disgrace was like children coming to the point of birth with no strength to deliver them. They asked Isaiah to pray for the surviving remnant with the Lord possibly rebuking Assyria’s ridicule of the living God. Isaiah told Hezekiah’s aides not to fear their blasphemies since the Lord would put a spirit in Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, causing him to return and die by the sword in his own country. Sennacherib said that Hezekiah’s god deceived him about Jerusalem not being handed over to Assyria since they destroyed many countries without their gods delivering them (Is. 37:1-13). Ask godly people for counsel and prayer when the world, flesh and devil oppose God’s will.
Pray Fervently
Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and begged the Almighty and Creator Lord to hear, open His eyes and listen to Sennacherib’s insults of the living God. Hezekiah reminded Him that the Assyrian kings destroyed many nations whose gods were fashioned by humans hands. He asked for deliverance so everyone would know that God alone was Lord. Isaiah said that because Hezekiah prayed, God spoke against Sennacherib’s insults and his pride over many chariots and drying up all of Egypt’s streams. God planned for him to turn fortified cities into piles of stone, shame His people and rage against Him. Hezekiah received the sign of fruit from vineyards in the third year to represent the remnant of the house of Judah, which took root below and bore fruit above because of God’s power. The Lord said Sennacherib would not enter Jerusalem because God defended and saved it for His sake. When the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp, Sennacherib returned to Nineveh. While worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons killed him (Is. 37:14-38). Pray fervently for deliverance from evil forces that bears abundant fruit so everyone knows that God is Lord.
Journal Answered Prayer
After God listened to Hezekiah’s prayer derived from his wholehearted devotion to Him, He added 15 years to his life, delivered him and defended Jerusalem from the king of Assyria. As a sign of God’s promise to Hezekiah, God made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz. After his illness and recovery, he asked if he must go through the gates of death and not see the Lord in the land of the living. Hezekiah waited patiently till dawn as God broke all his bones. In anguish of soul, he asked God to come to his aid as He restored him to health. His love kept Hezekiah from the pit of destruction and put his sins behind God’s back. He praised Him and told his children about God’s faithfulness. Isaiah said to prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil so Hezekiah would recover (Is. 38:1-22). Journal when God answers prayer in unmistakable ways to remind your children and others about God’s love, power and faithfulness.
Do Not Store Earthly Treasures
Envoys from Babylon visited Hezekiah when they heard about his illness and recovery. He showed them silver, gold, spices, fine oil and everything among his treasures. Isaiah told Hezekiah that everything would be carried off to Babylon. Some of his descendants would be taken away as eunuchs in the palace of the Babylon king. Hezekiah said God’s word was good since he would have peace and security during his lifetime (Is. 39:1-8). Do not store up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal.
Store Heavenly Treasures
Comfort and speak tenderly to God’s people about the completion of her hard service with her sin paid for. Prepare the way as a highway for God in the wilderness so the rugged places became a plain and His glory revealed to all mankind. A voiced said all men were like grass and their glory like the flowers of the field. Only the word of God stands forever (Is. 40:1-8). Store up treasures in heaven like people and the word of God.
Glorify God’s Power and Greatness
Isaiah told Judah that the Sovereign Lord came with power, His arm ruled and His reward was with Him. He tended His flock like a shepherd, carried them close to His heart and gently led those with young. God measured the waters and marked off the heavens in the hollow of His hand. He held the earth’s dust in a basket and weighed the mountains on a scale. No one understood the Spirit of the Lord or instructed Him as His counselor. No one taught God knowledge, understanding or the right way. Nations were like a drop in a bucket and regarded as dust on the scales, worthless and nothing. One cannot compare God to a hand-made idol since He sat enthroned above people who were like grasshoppers. He stretched out the heavens like a canopy, reduced rulers to nothing and made judges meaningless so they withered away like chaff. God created the heavens and called each star by name because of His great power so none was missing (Is. 40:9-26). Glorify God’s power, greatness and ability to shepherd so you don’t trust in people.
Wait on God
An eternal and Creator God would not grow tired. No one could understand Him. He gave strength to the weary and increased the power of the weak. Even as youths grew tired and young men stumbled badly, those who hoped in God renewed their strength as they soared like eagles. They ran and walked without becoming weary and faint (Is. 40:27-31). Wait on God for renewed strength to accomplish His purpose.
How to wait upon God for strength and eternal reward to accomplish His purpose:
1. Ask godly people for counsel and prayer when the world, flesh and devil oppose God’s will
2. Pray fervently for deliverance from evil forces that bears abundant fruit so everyone knows that God is Lord
3. Journal when God answers prayer in unmistakable ways to remind your children and others about God’s love, power and faithfulness
4. Do not store up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal
5. Store up treasures in heaven like people and the word of God
6. Glorify God’s power, greatness and ability to shepherd so you don’t trust in people
