Main Scripture
Isaiah 40:31
What Does the wait have to do with the weight of excess baggage?
If you have been following along with Pastor Joe in his current series, you may be wondering to yourself, what does ‘Waiting on the LORD’ have to do with ‘Getting Rid of Excess Baggage.’ Great Question! When you learn what it means to WAIT on the Lord, you learn to live your life with the focus, readiness, anticipation, and faith in Christ that it takes to surrender every weight that desires to overtake you overcoming and overwhelm you causing you to be distressed, disquieted and disturbed. When you learn to W.A.I.T. you find the freedom that comes with sharing the Light and Easy Yoke of the Lord; a yoke that is meant to strengthen you individually and corporately as a member of His Body.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THIS MESSAGE:
- Listen to the sermon individually or with your group.
- Pause along the way.
- Open your Bible and read, together, every passage.
- Ask yourself / each other the questions
- Write down or journal what speaks to you and/or what you learned.
- SHARE with one another what you got out of this.
- Send a message to Pastor Sam or Pastor Joe sharing any encouragement you got from Digging Deeper.
Digging in
The Amazing Definition of WAIT.
The word ‘Wait’ that is used in Isaiah 40:31 is the word ‘Kaw-Vaw’. It means:
- to bind together (by twisting’, weaving, braiding)
- to collect, assemble, occupy,
- in the ready: prepared and preparing, in expectation / anticipation
01
W: Watch Prayerfully - To be aware. But not to watch alone. Watching prayerfully
- READ: Matthew 26:36-46: As we start this section we see Jesus asking His disciples to wait with Him; watch and pray with Him.
READ: Matthew 14:22-33: Here we see that Jesus has come to the disciples, walking on the water in the 4th watch of the night. They are terrified thinking Him a ghost, but Jesus calms them down and identifies Himself. Peter says, “If it is truly You Lord, command me to come to you on the water.” “Come” Jesus says, and Peter steps out of the boat on to the water and begins walking to Jesus.
3 TEMPTATIONS THAT DESIRE TO OVERTAKE, OVER COME & OVERWHELM YOU – TO DISQUIET YOU, DISTURB YOU, DISTRESS YOU – WHILE IN THE WAITING.
- The Temptation to Sleep: Not Watching at all
When Jesus came to the disciples they were sleeping. How many of us who truly do love and believe in Jesus are sleeping instead of prayerfully watching? How many of us are too busy looking for or chasing dreams, visions, daydreams, revelations, words from prophets, angels and apparitions instead of doing what God has asked you to do? Watch and Pray.
We we are sleeping spiritually, we are not aware of the traps, temptations, seductions, pitfalls that the enemy is setting around us. Then we are caught off-guard and troubled, dazed and confused when we fall into those temptations. Why did you let that happen God? He didn’t. You stopped Watching and Waiting. You fell asleep. Sleeping IS NOT WAITING.
- 2 Temptations of Over Stimulation: Watching EVERYTHING, but not Prayerfully:
- First: Over-Stimulation of Current Issues: Watching the wicked and being overcome and over invested into why they seem to be prospering, living the good life, having not worries when they do not even believe in God – when they are living wickedly.
Psalms 37:7 : “Rest in the LORD and WAIT patiently for Him; do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way because of the person who carries out wicked schemes.”
Boy, that one can be a bit hard to swallow for some. God sees everything. God is aware. When it comes to the wicked, you don’t have to worry about anything other than being Jesus to them WHILE you keep your focus on Jesus.
- Second: Over-Stimulation of Surrounding Circumstances : Watching the storms (the winds, the waves, the water swells) happening around us.
Like Peter. He stepped out of the boat, was walking on the water, but he dropped his gaze and focus on Jesus, and was overtaken by the circumstances around him. The wind and waves. This hindered his participation in experiencing the impossible, and caused him to cry out for fear of his life. I call ‘nonsense prayers’.
Why nonsense? “God the waters! God the waves! God the storm! God the swells! God save me I’m going to DIE!”, all while forgetting that he was just walking on the waters himself. Forgetting that Jesus controls the winds and the waves. Forgetting that Jesus is right there with him. Forgetting that Jesus is watching it all and that Jesus just told Him not to be afraid. But here he is, crying out in terror.
Have you ever found yourself crying out to God, in great fear, right in the midst of living in His great provision? Fearing what your surroundings appear to be saying even though you have been experiencing His miracles?
Have you ever, like Peter, obeyed the command of the LORD and started getting closer to Him in spite of the odds, and then allowed your eyes to fall from Him, and began to overtaking by everything around you that had no hold on you when you were focused on Him?
02
A: Anticipate: To Make Ready - On the MARK and Set - Holding Fast - Positioned to go
READ Ephesians 6:10-18: How does this passage exemplify readiness?
- vs 10: In WHOSE strength?
- vs 11-12: WHO is the real enemy?
- vs 13-18
- What are the 9 resources, tools, weapons of war mentioned here, that God has given us to stay ready / prepared while in the waiting?
- Belt of Truth
- Breastplate of Righteousness
- Feet fitted with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation (the Word of God)
- Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
- Intercession for the Church (your bothers-in-arms)
- Prayer in the Spirit: Communion with the Holy Spirit
- Staying Alert: Watching and Praying, Eyes of Christ Jesus
- What are the 9 resources, tools, weapons of war mentioned here, that God has given us to stay ready / prepared while in the waiting?
READ Galatians 5:1: Can you see how being prepared we will not be deceived into being enslaved again with a yoke of bondage?
03
I: Intertwined - Woven, twisted, braided together: God did not call us to do this alone!
READ: John 17:1-26: This powerful prayer that Jesus prays reveals to us the very definition of INTERTWINED. The coming together of Jesus and His Father. The twisting together of believer with believer; and the Communion (Common-Union) of the Church, Jesus, the Father, through the unification of the Holy Spirit who–in Acts 2–made us the very Body of Christ. Made us the gloves on His hands and the shoes of His feet. He directs. We surrender fully to His desire, His purpose, His working.
READ: Romans 12:3-5 & 1 Corinthians 12:4-27:
- What do these passages say to you about the importance that God places on your individuality? What gifts, talents, abilities, skills has God given you as an individual?
- What do these passages say about your importance in the Body of Christ?
- Think out these passages in the context of Eph. 6:10-18–as a unified Army–and discuss the benefits of an army working side-by-side, sharing each other’s burdens, walking in stride with each other; unified in purpose, unified in offense and defense?
04
T: Trust- Absolute Surrender - Faith
READ: Proverbs 3:25 & Hebrews 11:6
- What are some other words that come to mind for Faith?
- What are some reasons that you cannot please God without faith?
Conclusion & Connection:
Discuss with one another–or, if by yourself, share with a fellow believer — areas of your life that you need to refocus on Jesus; or maybe, areas that you have become overwhelmed with and need support, encouragement, prayer, to be able to open your hands fully and surrender to Jesus. We were not meant to do this life alone. God has given us one another and fellowship with Him by His Holy Spirit.
Is there someone that God has placed on your heart? Maybe some who needs to hear this message. Maybe someone you need to start encouraging and praying for. Don’t let the moment slip past you. Reach out to them. That’s part of being a family, a fellowship, brothers(sisters)-in-arms.
God Bless You!
–the FCC Family
