Three Ways to Wait | Pastor Ben Prescott

hey Church my name's been on a welcome you those of you that are streaming from wherever you're streaming from all around the globe we want to encourage you stir your heart we want to thank you for streaming with us we are right now live at our free Chapel Orange County campus and I'm going to share a message for you today that I believe is gonna encourage you that's gonna stir you and that team is here with us and we're gonna we're gonna leave they're gonna lead us in some worship and so let me just pray as we hand over to them to worship together before I share a word well God we thank you for this time God we thank you for this opportunity that we have to encounter you got a thank you that in the midst of so much uncertainty right now well God we serve a certain God well God I thank you for your goodness to us and your faithfulness to us now declare God in these few moments that we share together well God as those are the streaming that they would have an encounter with you that your name would be lifted higher than any other name I thank you look God in your mighty mighty name Amen that's the church we're gonna worship [Music] we see how great is your faithfulness your faithful [Music] you [Music] is your love [Music] love through things you [Music] Oh [Music] always [Music] this is your praise your faithfulness is your friend [Music] you [Music] Oh [Music] you [Music] you here's your you're [Music] we you loved [Music] feeling [Music] always freezing always fearful cuz all my life you have been faithful in normal life you have been so so with every breath in I oh I will see look good I love you for you mercy never fails me in all my days I've been had the moment still away I will see the good name [Music] and all my life you have been faith [Music] and nor my life you is [Music] every breath in [Music] yes if God [Music] your voice oh you let me through the fire in darkness you've been closed like no I've known you as a father [Music] I have lived [Music] cuz all my you have [Music] if you have with every breath Oh [Music] in the for my [Music] bencao [Music] I [Music] [Music] good you're good it's running after me your goodness is ready it's running [Music] with my life [Music] every you're good [Music] it's running [Music] to me - it's running soon [Music] you [Music] it's running [Music] your goodness is running out it's running after me cuz all my life you have been faithful oh my life you have been so so good we've every breath that I I will see of the goodness of God oh I will see of the goodness of God [Music] just want us to just pray real quick look god I just thank you Father God that these words that we're singing these lyrics that we're singing well God that it's a declaration it's the declaration of faith God I know just a claret right now a lord that you are a good god that your goodness little God is active in our lives right now over every person Lord that's streaming that perhaps is facing a challenge right now our Lord as a result of the situation that we're in because of this virus little God perhaps those that have lost jobs or maybe those that have even lost loved ones little god I just pray covering over them I declare the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God I declare your hand Lord God upon I speak your peace over their homes right now it would tells us that it's your peace that surpasses all understanding well that it would guard our heart and our mind and I declare that right now and we open our hearts to you Lord receive from you as we look at your word god I pray a little god that our our hearts would be ready to receive it with hunger with expectation we declare it now in your mighty mighty name Amen well bless your church thank you so much for streaming and from again from wherever you're streaming from maybe you're a member of free chapel maybe you're not maybe somebody told you to check out this link for a message that'll encourage you and I'll pray that it will do that for you today and so if you do have a Bible I want to I want to ask you to open it with me and I'm gonna share a verse I'm gonna share a verse for us tonight from Isaiah and ans Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 28 and I want to just work my way through these through these couple of verses starting at verse 28 and we're gonna read through to verse 31 and they don't want to share some thoughts that I think you're gonna really encourage us during this time as I says he says have you not heard have you not known have you not heard the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor his weary how many of you are encouraged even just off that thought that he knew the faints nor is weary that your God doesn't get tired even though we may feel tired we may feel discouraged we may feel worn down at times your God is not it says he doesn't faint it doesn't get weary his understanding is unsearchable he gives power to the weak and to those who have no have no might he increases strength even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fail but those who wait on the Lord 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 what I want to do is I want to just unpack some of these verses for us because I believe that as we look at this we can be so encouraged and strengthened during this time I want you to see what's happening in these few verses we're so familiar with verse 31 that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and prior to that verse he says in verse 30 says even the youths shall faint and be weary in young men shall utterly fire what he's saying is even those who in the natural they look like they're gonna last he's what he's talking about when he says those that are youthful those that look like they have it all together even they're gonna grow with those that look like things are doing great even they're gonna have moments of discouragement moments of uncertainty in their life but then in the second part of the verse he begins to talk about how he will renew our strength can be renewed they will bound up with wings like eagles but what I want you to see is what separates what separates those that will get weary and fail from those that will be strengthened and Beery dude is this word in the middle in this word these few verses or these few words in verse 31 but those that wait on the Lord those that wait on the Lord and what I wanted to share with you tonight is this simple thought on what it means to wait well to wait well that's what we're doing really aren't we in lockdown we're waiting on so many different levels we're waiting to see when is this thing going to lift where we're waiting to see what's going to happen with my job maybe those of you that have been laid off you're waiting to see what's what's how is this going to end up what's the future of this you're you're waiting to see what's gonna happen with your finances those of you that are waiting to see what's gonna happen with your schooling what's what's what there's so much uncertainty for us right now while we are waiting but I want you to be reminded today that even though it seems so uncertain for us it's not uncertain for God that while we're waiting God's working that God's doing something in this situation this season right now that for each and every one of us is is it was so unexpected it's so uncertain and it feels in a way completely uneasy it's it's there's such an uneasiness you can feel you talk to so many people and people are just so uneasy right now nothing seems secure right now but I want to remind us that the word tells us that God God goes before us which means this season that you're in right now and that we're in right now as a as a community as a family as a society right across the world as much as it caught us by surprise didn't catch God by surprise because he goes before us he was already in this before we got here that he has a specific work that he wants to do in this season right now while we wait but the question comes back on us am i waiting well or am I wasting this season right now then if I actually wait well according to this verse my strength will be renewed while I wait there is a reminder for us that that God God is doing a work right now we have to understand that we serve a God who is incredibly seasonal he does things in season every season has a purpose you have to understand this verse is telling us it says that God neither faints nor is weary that's so encouraging see your God never ever ever gets tired see we have to understand that right now well god is working see we rest when we're tired God rests when he's finished so if God is still working you have to understand that he has a purpose there is a purpose in this season right now God is seasonal you look at our weather summer autumn winter spring you look at how our calendar works everything happens in seasons creation happened there was a season to how God created everything day one day two day three day four he does things in seasons day one he did what he wanted to do and then he stopped at the end of day one because that season was finished then he started they - then he finished day two and then when that season finished he began day three but I want you to understand these I want you to see his day - needed day one to happen day three needed day - to happen everything that God is doing when God does it he does it through seasons because this is a pattern that we see in how God works and while we so awful we want to skip through a season that perhaps we do not enjoy we want to rush through the season we want this to be done we want this to be over we're tired with that we're sick of it where we're yelling that our kids were screaming at our spouses where we're reaching the end we feel like we cannot handle it anymore we're exhausting your God is not he knows what he's doing there's a season that you're in right now that God is doing a specific working so the question for us is are we waiting well are we waiting well these these verses he says his understanding is unsearchable which means his insight is unsearchable his insight that God has into what's happening right now in your life of what you're going through his insight is operating on a level that is so much greater than we could possibly understand want to give you three ways if you're taking notes you can write this down I want to give you three ways to wait well three ways to wait well the first thing I want you to write down it because when I talk about waiting well I'm talking about the state of your heart first thing I want you to write down is and how to wait well these I want you to write down that we need to have a hopeful heart Jeremiah 29 of us 11 he says for I know the plans I have for you says the Lord plans to give you a hope the Bible says give you a hope a future and a hope this word hope it actually means expectation want to encourage you that dream this season do you have an expectant heart hopeful heart to expect that while it seems difficult while it may not be exactly what you want it to be well well let's be honest what many of us we would do it different we would we would choose to do things different I wouldn't choose to if I could by choice be locked down to our homes I wouldn't wouldn't choose you wouldn't choose many of you that that have lost the job and but you wouldn't choose it that way but during this season do you still have hope or an expectation in your heart the God is up to something I have a son and a daughter my son is 3 my daughter's one about the 10 - and my son Luca he'll like he'll be playing with his toys at times or whatever it might be in and I'll be ready to take him somewhere you know it may be off to the park or whatever it might be and take him out for a walk and take him to do something that he enjoys to do and and what I often do is I'll go up to Luca he'll be playing with his toys doing his thing and I'll go up to him and I'll say Luca I say it like this I used this time and I'll say Luca and I'll say guess what and he'll stop what he's doing and he'll look at me he's all eyes will be like super wide and he'll look at me and he's so excited he's not excited because he knows what's about to happen it is a truth is he doesn't I haven't said anything to him yet but he can sense the tone of excitement in his dad's voice that something great is about to happen and he has this expectation he's pumped he's excited he will go with me anywhere at that point why because he trusts his dad what encourage is that is that how you wake up looking at your God eyes wide open sand god I I'm not sure what you have for me today but I know that is good I'm not sure what what the rest of this this season looks like but I know that you're a good God 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 9 it says no eye has seen no yes heard no mind has conceived the things that God has prepared we know this verse but look at this last little bit for those who love him want you to see this for those who love him intimacy with God gives me an assurance of good we repeat it because I want you to get this in your heart intimacy with God gives you Anna surance of good so when you it says for those who love him when you have that love relationship with your God well you've got that intimacy with God you don't need to know them a tomorrow looks like because you know you you're you're more focused on the revelation of who your God is that it doesn't matter what your God does you know that God is coming and you have an assurance of that that's how you can have a hopeful heart the second thing I wrote down on how to wait well is that we need to have a grateful a grateful heart some one hundred and verse four we quote it so much but it's such a powerful reminder for us especially when we're in a difficult season David said I'll enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise we grateful in this time there is so much I've cut off caught myself doing it a thousand times there is so much because the reality is is difficult right now for so many people there was so much for us to complain about there really is there's a lot to complain about for many of us that are you know maybe you've got young kids at home and we're just Manuel I've caught myself so many times we're complaining about man this is this is driving me crazy my kids are pushing me to the absolute limit that climbing the walls maybe you're a parent you're climbing the walls you know we were there we're fun there's so many things right now to complain about there's so many things reality is to be worried about but I wanna speak to you about the importance of a positive focus there's a lot to complain about but I dare say no matter how difficult that is for you right now there's probably also a lot to be grateful for that a way in which you can actually wait well is to have a grateful heart a heart that there is not it's not complaining about what's going on in your world right now and what you're facing but a heart that is he's actually focused on the good that I do have how this is God I thank you for my kids they're driving me crazy right now but but I'm grateful for them I love I'm grateful for my spouse I'm grateful for my family if you do have a job you listen you got something to be grateful for if you've still got your job there may be other things that are happening in your life that you wish were different but we have to have this this spirit within us a heart that that is within us that that says god I'm I'm so grateful for this god I'm grateful you know even in in the midst of difficulties and in the midst of trial God I'm grateful you think about I was thinking about people that that that I know Jesus people that don't have a walk with God now I'm grateful that I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior I'm grateful that that we have the Word of God that we can stand on I'm grateful that I have prayer that is a direct line to God through Jesus Christ I'm grateful for that I'm grateful for his peace that surpasses all understanding that surpasses what I'm going through I'm grateful for the power of God's peace in my life I'm grateful for the Holy Spirit that the word says he's my comforter and he's my counselor I'm so grateful for it and the last thing that I wrote down and how we can how we can wait well we need to have a hopeful heart we need to have a grateful heart and we need to have a faithful heart a faithful heart faith when talk about faith it speaks of a way in which I manage or steward something ru stewarding this season well in your life are you are you in the midst of what's going on and then in the midst of the uncertainty is your heart still faithful is your heart still declaring that that God is still good that His Word is still true are you are you approaching when you June through this season with a heart that's full of faith I was I was thinking of of the story of Jehoshaphat it's an amazing story in second chronicles and verse 20 I want to read a portion of this where Jehoshaphat he goes into battle and and and everything's in this story there's not a whole lot that looks good for Jehoshaphat in the natural he's facing difficulties his face and trials and they are so surrounding him but it says here in second chronicles chapter 20 and verse 20 so they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Toccoa and as they went out to Hacha fat stood and said hear me o Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem look at this what he says to them believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established you got to understand this dude he is in the middle of I mean it is all hell is breaking loose and he stands up and he tells he's giving the men that are with him instructions on how they're gonna overcome this battle and he says I want you to believe in the Lord your God and I want you to be the best warrior that you can be and I want you to I don't wait you don't have to know all the words to every worship song you don't have to necessarily know every single verse in the Bible you don't even have to maybe been saved all that long you don't have to feel all that great about what's going on but if you would believe in the Lord your God then you shall be established and then the Bible says he stood in the middle of that field in the middle of that battle and Jehoshaphat he started to worship I want you to get this this picture this dude is up against it he's got I mean you're not talking about a little fight he's got he's got men all around him up against him he's he's got armies coming at him from every direction things look bad but maybe that's why you feel like you're right you're not getting hit many of you you haven't been hit through this crisis just on one level you've been hit on multiple levels families under the pump marriage is under the pump finances are on a place coming at you each and every way this is where Josh if that was but the Bible says in the middle of it this is what it means to have a faithful heart Jehoshaphat began to worship I want I want to encourage you if you can get to that place where you can just lift up your hands maybe it's even in that living room as you're watching and we're about to in a few minutes go back into worship to give you an opportunity an opportunity not listen maybe you don't feel much better about what's going on than you did 20 minutes ago but we understand faith is a declaration it's not a feeling man if I take God's word for what it is as a declaration and as a promise for my life I can worship Him based on the faith I have and not the feelings that are surrounding me maybe you there in your living room maybe you're watching on your phone whatever it might be you're on your laptop or iPad or whatever device you have one encourage you when I ask you this question are you waiting well if you have enough faith for even just maybe in these next few minutes as we start to worship even just to raise your hand where you are and begin to sing along with that team because I want to show you something here real quickly and and and I want you to I want you to declare this over your life so something that I wrote down because it's a promise these verses that I'm reading Isaiah that Isaiah wrote the prophet Isaiah this is a promise for us and I want to read what I read earlier verse 31 but those who wait on the Lord remember this is where it separates this is the promise now are you ready for those who wait how do I wait well I wait on the Lord I wait on the Lord of speaking of who I'm leaning on Who am I Who am I looking to while I'm waiting Who am I dependent upon while I'm waiting the only way you're gonna have a hopeful heart while you're waiting is if you're waiting on the Lord the only way you're gonna have a grateful heart is if you're waiting on the Lord the only way you're gonna have a faithful heart is if you're waiting on the Lord and look at this this is what he says he says but those who wait on the Lord this is the promise now you ready your strength will be renewed if you wait on the Lord if you wait well God is gonna give you strength second thing that he says it's going to do they will mount up with wings like eagles you know what Eagles are known for Eagles are known for their incredible vision as you wait well during this season God is going to give you strength and God's gonna give you vision I want you to receive this over your life the third thing the third promise that we have a mount up with wings like eagles they will run and they will not be weary you know what this speaks of this speaks of increase what a completely contrary thing to believe for in your life during this season right now where we see so much lack what amazing faith that is to declare and receive over your life that you can actually receive increase you're gonna run that means to go quick I feel this in my spirit I feel that you're gonna come out of this season and God is gonna fast-track some of you some of you that if you will grab this by faith over your life God what normally would you would it would be a walk God is gonna fast-track you to a run and bring increase in your life if you wait well that's the third thing and the fourth thing I want you to see they'll run and not be weary they will walk and they won't faint you know what he's going to give you as well the promised here is endurance endurance those of you that feel like I'm getting tired if you wait well God's gonna give you and endurance your spirits gonna be renewed don't grow weary in well-doing I want you to claim these things over your life strength vision increase and insurance and I'm gonna pray this over you right now as you're watching and our team I don't want you to chew now though I want you to turn it off like the message is done it's not I've got something else for you then I'm going to give you in a couple quick minutes but our team right now is going to begin to lead us after I pray and some more worship and we set it up we set this flow up like this because I right now I wanted to give you an opportunity to practice now what you've just heard preached want to give you an opportunity many of you are perhaps thinking ready to switch it off and go get on with whatever it is that you're going to do no no don't do that in these next few minutes make that decision maybe it is to just pull your car off to the side of the road it'll only just take but a moment for you to encounter God's presence maybe it is in this next few minutes to stop what you're doing in your house and and grab your spouse and maybe your kids if they're old enough to to understand and just to begin to worship has a family and declare these things over your life in this season as you wait well strength vision increase and endurance is coming your way because it's a promise from God lord I thank you right now thank you for every person Lord that is watching you know the Lord you know what they're up against you know what they're facing you know the battles that are surrounding them God and I declare right now is they make this decision in the middle of the battle to begin to worship you just like Joseph at their same way Paul and Silas did in that prison as your word says in the midnight hour when things were at their darkest thought they chose to wait well and chose to worship while they were waiting and I declare it right now over every single person where you are right now I want you to close your eyes if you can I want you to raise your hands I want you to open your heart Dean and I want you it allowed this team right now to lead you in this worship moment to encounter your God as you wait well and trust your God right now in Jesus mighty name thank you [Music] cuz this is how I find my bed [Music] oh this is how I find my battles and this is how I find my battles faithful in worship this is how I find my battles here on my knees eyes on you this is how a friend my battles this is how I fried my back with my [Music] this is how I fight my [Music] fully surrender this is how I fight my battles [Music] you look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it looks like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you give me look like I'm sorry I'm surrounded by you this is how I fight my battle surrounded by your presence really look like [Music] sir [Music] like Garmsir by [Music] guarded by you this is how [Music] cuz this is how a this is how I fight my bad [Music] hold your stewardship here and you feel [Music] how a five one more time like I'm sooo did I [Music] this is our Friday [Music] or just to bring you phrase I love worse Oh it's your name Here I am to worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that you're my god you're altogether lovely you're all together you're all together [Music] floats you me this prayer Here I am to worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that you're my god and you're all together [Music] you're all too [Music] king of all days [Music] so hard [Music] Oh [Music] Oh [Music] for let's it again king of all days the worthy for days [Music] [Music] so we bring up here [Music] you're too [Music] you're all together [Music] [Applause] [Music] but you get [Music] why don't you share something before before we close I wish you know such a great sense of God's presence I wish we could have a you know an altar call a response time well we can't we just do it online but there were three things that that I felt the Lord praying earlier said spoke to my heart and said that he wants to wants to minister to people and I wrote these things down those that need to refocus that for some of you in this season it's been just distractions maybe it's the distraction of just the this lockdown it's the distraction of the change in setting where you're not in your regular routine and you've just been distracted maybe it's distracted by but by sin by the sin that the word says so easily entangles I felt like the Holy Spirit's say that he wants to do something to help those to refocus the other the other group that I felt like he speak to me about those that need to be renewed renewed I touched on it earlier in my message but some of you it's it's the weariness it can get it can get us down so quickly like difficult situations challenging things they can certain hits you can take that they can SAP your strength in a second but but I felt the Holy Spirit wanted me to encourage you that he's gonna renew your strength he's gonna renew your spirit a little bit by little bit you're gonna start to get your strength back because the reason why if this thing came out of nowhere if you weren't expecting to lose your job you weren't expecting to be locked down right now you weren't expecting to lose a loved one you weren't expecting to get sick and it was the unexpected sometimes it's the unexpected attacks that seem to knock us off our feet quicker than anything else because if I know an attack screaming I can prepare for when that attack comes that I didn't expect I'm unguarded and I felt like the Holy Spirit wanted to renew people to revive your spirit and the last thing that I wrote down was that I felt he gave me was those of you some of you just need to be reminded to be reminded that God is still on the frame to be reminded that God's hand is still upon your life that maybe you've taken a hit maybe you're you're you're feeling incredible fear incredible anxiety surrounding the future surround what the next coming weeks or months or even years are gonna look like but you need to be reminded that your God is bigger than what's going on right now that you serve a God that is that is so faithful that is so good sometimes it's just that little reminder it's almost like the Holy Spirit in those moments gives us a shape to say hang on hang on I've got you my hand is still upon your life the blood of Jesus is still surrounding you it's still surrounding your home this will ahead your protection around your home there's still a covering over your mind there's still his healing power there's active in your life right is that reminder and I want to pray for those of you that that are in one of one of these three scenarios or situations where you need it you need to refocus you need to review you need a reminder maybe you're in you feel like you're in all of them when I pray for you right now is you just receive this with an open heart Lord God I declare it right now over every single person God while we cannot be with them in person I think if that you're there in spirit oh god I pray Holy Spirit that you would come right now I just believe that right then the Holy Spirit is invading homes he's invading in that living room where you I remember having an encounter with God as I watched it the the TV screen as I was watching a DVD that someone had given me on Christian Christian worship DVD and I remember having an encounter with God by myself in a living room of this little apartment that I was living he was over I got faith and you don't have to be in a church building to encounter the presence of God I surrendered my life to Jesus watching a TV screen I believe that there's people watching online right now I believe that there's people that are so full of fear and anxiety that you feel hopeless it's people watching that that you've even been battling suicidal thoughts just because of the uncertainty people watching you do not know Jesus you're not in relationship with him I [Music] want you to feel guilt or condemnation because of that much the opposite I want you to feel loved the Bible says that it's his goodness and as his kindness that brings us to repentance some of you you've you've never surrendered your life to God because your idea of God was his his his big bad angry dude in the sky that's not who he is he's a loving Heavenly Father who all he wants his relationship with you if you're in that mode if you're if you don't know him if you're not walking with him maybe you once were but you've fallen away from him because of this situation because of what's going on it's provided you that you need him that you can't depend on things that are around you for support and for hope true hope can only come through Jesus want to lead those of you they want to respond in this simple prayer the Bible says if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord then you shall be saved would you pray this with me say with me say dear Jesus I ask you now to come into my heart I ask you to forgive me wash me clean and to make menu I repent law for trying to do life on my own I close the door to my past and I opened the door to my future with you as my Lord as my savior and as my friend in Jesus Christ's name hey there we love you so much I'm so proud of you those of you that did pray that prayer is opportunity for you if you'd follow the different links on the screen and on the website somebody would love to partner with you to pray with you we've got a little something that we want to send to you a little gift a way in which you can get connected in one of our small bulbs that operate throughout the church please stay tuned to free chapel during this time especially through our various different social media outlets wherever you are there's opportunity for you to continue to be fed through what God is doing and through the different technology outlets that we have available so if you have that access to that please utilize that the church that's all we have for you tonight I pray that you are encouraged pray that your faith will stir one encourage you let's keep connected as a community as best we can let's please abide by the guidelines that just state wherever you are has given you please be safe practice social distancing text each other call each other let them know that you're with them that you're praying and let's unless stay connected as a community we love you and we cannot wait together for those of you that are in free Chapel Orange County I cannot tell you how much we miss you and we cannot wait to be together again for what God is doing God is still working through this season right now and keep your faith up keep strong we love you miss you will be a blessing to someone have an amazing amazing rest of the week god bless you [Music] you

Channel: Free Chapel

Views: 12,605

Rating: 4.9762611 out of 5

Keywords: Three Ways to Wait, Ben Prescott, Free Chapel, Sermons, Direction, Faith, Fear, Encouragement

Id: PnlrtRbMhsQ

Length: 53min 16sec (3196 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 15 2020