DELAY IS NOT DENIAL (PART 3)

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL (PART 3)

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Luke 1:5-25

Supporting Texts: Isaiah 40:31, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Habakkuk 2:3

INTRODUCTION:

In life, we sometimes experience delays that make us question whether God has forgotten about us. But delay is not the same as denial. God has a perfect plan for our lives, and His timing is always right, even when it feels like things are not happening as fast as we would like. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is a powerful example of how God can turn a long period of waiting into a moment of great joy and fulfillment.

1. GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS EVEN IN SEASONS OF SILENCE

a) Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God, yet they had no child. Sometimes, our prayers seem to go unanswered despite our faithfulness (Luke 1:6-7).

b) The silence of God does not mean He has not heard you. It may just be that His timing has not yet arrived (Isaiah 40:31).

c) God's delays are often designed to develop our faith and deepen our trust in Him.

d) What appears as a delay can actually be a time of preparation for the fulfilment of God’s promise.

e) Biblical Example: Abraham and Sarah also waited many years for Isaac, the son of promise, but in God’s time, the promise was fulfilled (Genesis 21:1-2).

2. GOD WORKS IN HIS PERFECT TIMING

a) God's timing is perfect and He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

b) Zechariah was ministering in the temple when the angel Gabriel appeared to him, announcing that their prayers had been answered at the appointed time (Luke 1:11-13).

c) Sometimes, we feel like giving up just before the breakthrough, but God calls us to continue believing.

d) Even though Zechariah had grown old, God showed that age and circumstances are not barriers to His power.

e) Biblical Example: Joseph waited 13 years between being sold into slavery and becoming a ruler in Egypt, showing that divine delay leads to divine fulfilment (Genesis 41:46).

3. DOUBT DOESN’T CANCEL GOD’S PROMISES

a) When Zechariah doubted the message from the angel, he was struck mute until the fulfillment of the promise (Luke 1:18-20).

b) Our human tendency is to doubt when we cannot see how God will do what He has promised.

c) God's promise is not dependent on our level of belief but on His sovereign will. However, faith opens the door to experience His blessings fully.

d) Zechariah's momentary doubt did not prevent God from blessing him and Elizabeth with a son, John the Baptist, a key figure in the salvation plan.

e) Biblical Example: Gideon doubted God’s call to save Israel, but God still used him mightily in delivering the nation (Judges 6:12-16).

4. THE FRUIT OF DELAY CAN BE GREATER THAN EXPECTED

a) When God finally answers, the outcome is often beyond what we asked for or imagined.

b) John the Baptist was not just an ordinary child; he became the forerunner of Christ, a prophet with a specific mission from God (Luke 1:15-17).

c) God’s delay often leads to a purpose greater than what we were originally praying for.

d) The joy of the blessing after the delay is often greater than the pain of waiting.

e) Biblical Example: Hannah prayed for a son, and when God answered her, He gave her Samuel, who became a mighty prophet (1 Samuel 1:27-28).

5. YOUR TESTIMONY WILL BE HEARD BY ALL

a) After John’s birth, everyone around Zechariah and Elizabeth marvelled at the great work of God (Luke 1:65-66).

b) The very thing that seemed impossible for them became a testimony that glorified God.

c) Your long-awaited testimony will cause others to praise God for what He has done in your life.

d) God’s faithfulness in our lives is always a testimony to His goodness and power.

e) Biblical Example: Sarah’s laughter when Isaac was born became a testimony to those who doubted God’s power to fulfill His promise (Genesis 21:6-7).

CONCLUSION:

Delay is not denial. God has heard your prayers, and He is working behind the scenes to bring about His plan for your life. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, continue to trust in God’s timing, knowing that He is faithful and will fulfill every promise. When the appointed time comes, your testimony will inspire others and glorify God.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Lord, help me to trust in Your timing, even when it seems like there is a delay.

2. Father, turn every delay in my life into a testimony of Your faithfulness.

3. I rebuke every spirit of doubt and fear that may hinder me from receiving Your promises.

4. Lord, in this season, let my long-awaited prayers be answered in Jesus' name.

5. Father, grant me the patience to wait for Your appointed time in my life.

6. Let every power of delay and stagnation be broken in Jesus' name.

7. Lord, prepare me for the blessing You have promised, even in times of waiting.

8. May my testimony bring glory to Your name and inspire others to believe in You.

9. Father, let Your divine purpose for my life manifest in Your perfect timing.

10. Lord, cause me to experience supernatural breakthroughs in every area where I have been delayed.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:

1. I declare that every delay in your life will turn into divine speed in Jesus' name.

2. The Lord will turn your mourning into laughter and your waiting into joy.

3. I decree that your testimony will be heard by all, and it will bring glory to God.

4. In this season, every closed door will open, and God’s promises will manifest in your life.

5. The years you have waited will be nothing compared to the joy you will experience in Jesus' name.

6. Your story will change, and your breakthrough will be undeniable.

7. I declare that what seemed impossible will be made possible by the power of God.

8. You will finish this year with testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

9. The Lord will remember you, just as He remembered Zechariah and Elizabeth.

10. I declare that you will not miss your divine moment of blessing in Jesus' name.