WHAT TO GET EXCITED ABOUT :
You get to learn how to walk in hope, joy, and love before you experience breakthrough. You get to develop greater compassion for others with long-standing, unchanging situations. You get to trust God and believe He is good, even when you don’t understand.
STRENGTH THROUGH SCRIPTURE :
John 5:5,9 says “One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years . . . instantly the man was healed.” Luke 1:7,24 says “They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old . . . soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant” Luke 13:12-13 says “‘She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!’ Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!”
PRACTICAL WISDOM :
Recognize that the length of time a problem has existed does not determine the likelihood of breakthrough – The Bible frequently shares the length of a person’s situation before the miracle happened (i.e. thirty-eight years – man by pool in John 5, twelve years – woman with issue of blood in Mark 5, eighteen years – the woman with the spirit of infirmity in Luke 13, etc.). These biblical testimonies are a great encouragement to us as we consider any long-standing adversities in our lives.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding – Many in the Bible had a deep work of the Spirit done in their lives while waiting for their promise to manifest. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and others developed intimacy with God and strong character during seasons when it looked like their vision had died. They discovered the joy of loving the promise-giver more than the promise itself. Like them, our times of waiting are an opportunity to find God in incredible ways.
Hear the proceeding word of the Lord – Matthew 4:4 tells us we live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The quality of our lives depends on our identifying what God has said. Indeed we are to “war a good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18) with what has been spoken to us. As we face long-standing issues, there will be times where we are to diligently revisit scriptural promises and clarify what has been spoken to us. This gives an opportunity to hear a fresh heavenly word or new divine strategy to cause life to manifest in the area which has been dead for a long time.