Have you ever prepared a meal or accommodations for someone who you had to literally ask “what are you waiting for-Everything has been made ready for you.” Only to have them respond, “I am waiting for you.” Waiting for what? The Church of Jesus Christ is living their lives in a holding pattern, when Jesus has already said “all things are ready!” We’re sitting around waiting for what has already been promised and provided over two thousand plus years ago.
The sick are waiting to be healed, the poor are waiting to be rich, the distraught are waiting for comfort and hope, the mentally disturbed are waiting for peace, the weak are waiting for strength, and the unsaved are waiting to be delivered. And God is asking why are you waiting for what has already been provided?
“Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”Isaiah 53:4-5 NLT
“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT
“Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant He confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”
Deuteronomy 8:18 NLT
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God.” Psalms 42:5 NLT
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Psalms 28:7 NLT
“For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:13 NLT
Someone who meant well said to me the other day that they were going to pray that the Lord would send me a husband. She doesn’t know me well so I responded that I was already married. She was shocked and asked who my husband was. My reply brought chuckles, but I was being serious. One of the ladies said we’re not married to Jesus until He returns. That prompted the Holy Spirit to give me this response. “My people are waiting for what has already been provided.” It’s both a problem and a shame.I’m not living a life of spiritual adultery, the moment He purchased my redemption and I accepted His invitation to be His, I became His bride. I’ve been living prepared for the marriage supper. Readying myself for His return ever since that day. No bride waits until the last minute. In their hearts they’re betrothed as with Mary and Joseph. If we’re waiting and miss out on the provision for every need in our lives, we’re to blame. The only thing left for God to do is give Jesus a date for His second coming. Everything else has already been provided for.
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Revelation 19:7-8 NKJV
For now I’ll continue wearing His robe of righteousness, but on that day when I finally see Him face to face, I’ll exchange my robe of righteousness for my wedding garment, the one He has been keeping for me. I’ve made myself ready. I’m not waiting to be ready.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”
Hebrews 11:1-2 NKJV
Notice that little three letter word “NOW?” What does now imply? Exactly. Everything God has already done, must be appropriated by faith. We have already received what we believe by faith. “For by it (faith) those who have gone before us, obtained a good report. This current body of believers are waiting for what they have already received. Instead of making preparation to obtain what has been promised, we sit around like the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25. They had the capacity to receive, they too had lamps. But they were sitting around -waiting for the last minute to get their lives in order. This is how we wait. “If the Lord wants to….(fill in the blank) He will. After all He’s sovereign and knows my heart” foolish! He’s already provided. We obtain by faith what has already been provided by grace. His grace.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
Ephesians 1:3 NKJV
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 NKJV
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
II Peter 1:2-4 NKJV
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s a done deal! We just need to believe, receive and walk in it. Stop waiting for something to happen! Make it happen! We bring to earth what has been already done in heaven. We have the support and backing of our heavenly Trio. We have been given the keys of the kingdom to bind and loose. Death and life is in the power of our tongues not His. If we’re not receiving it’s because we’re not asking and if we are, we’re asking amiss. God is no respecter of persons. What you’re seeing Him do for others, He’s ready and willing to do for you. And He will not alter or change what He has spoken out of His mouth. So what are you waiting for? He’s already provided.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
October 8, 2021