Summary: The benefit of waiting far outweighs the difficulites. God doesn’t want an unprepared vessel on display in His service.

Scripture: Psalms 139:14

Title: “Waiting In The Wings”

Introduction: Meaning: If you’re ‘waiting in the wings’, you’re ready to take over a role or a position when you have the chance to do so. / Origin: This relates to the fact that stage actors wait in the wings at the side of the stage (Just out of sight) until it’s time for them to play their part in the drama.

MAIN POINT – “God’s Design For Your Life” / You have a definite Plan on Your Life!

· In the previous verse David said, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” / Again, in Jer. 1:5, “I (God) knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.”

· My point is, knowing God has made us in His likeness and in His image, it goes without saying He has great plans for each and every one of us!

· You are wearing “Designer Genes” / “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.”

· God has a design on each of our lives the same as an architect who has drawn a blueprint for a building.

MAIN POINT – “Great Ones That Waited” / (Waiting, now, that’s the Tough Part!)

· Abraham waited twenty five years for the birth of Isaac. / God waited until the promise could be fulfilled by divine power. Gen. 21:1 – 8 (It appeared Abraham fell off the wagon of faith at age 86 and fathered a child by Hagar. Gen. 16)

· Moses spent forty years on the backside of the desert! / Waiting for Leadership!

· Gideon waited seven years while the enemy destroyed the land and the crops and placed the people of God in terrible circumstances. Judges 6 / Until He led!

· Elisha waited and followed around after Elijah until the time of Elijah’s departure came. / Then, he received his “Double Portion!”

· David patiently waited with the herd of sheep until the time of facing Goliath came.

MAIN POINT – “The Benefits of Waiting” / Isa. 40:31 / It’s Worth the Wait!

· “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

1. Find new strength / Strength they never knew they had (or didn’t have).

2. Fly High! / Rise to new levels they could have never reached before.

3. Run & not grow Weary! / Lasting Endurance for the difficult times.

4. Walk on and not Faint! / Difficult times will not cause you to give up and lose heart! (A “Second Wind” of endurance!)

· “Waiting Means You Are Available!”

· Waiting brings refining! / All that wait on the Lord become better prepared for the job God has for them. / God does have a job for you to do!

· Good things come to them that wait! / Are you willing to wait?

· How long are you willing to wait? / How long has God been waiting on you?

MAIN POINT – “Your Time Will Come!” / (When do You Know When You Waited

Long Enough?)

· When “The Brook Dries Up & The Birds Stop Flying” / 1 Kings 17:7.

· When YOUR name is called! / On Stage! / Your TIME had come!

· When the OPPORTUNITY comes for which you have been prepared to take presents itself!

· When something BETTER comes along that God approves of !

· When YOU KNOW in your HEART it’s the RIGHT thing for you! / And you will know! / Because we can definitely KNOW!

· Heb. 8:11 “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.”

1. Rom. 8:16 “For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.” NLT

2. 1 John 4:13 “And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us.” NLT

· You will just KNOW!

MAIN POINT – “The Greatest Curtain Call of All Time!” / Mt. 27:51

· When, as Jesus was hanging upon the cross, gave up His life, something earth-shattering happened!

· The “Veil” that hung in the Temple that separated the Holy Place from the “Holiest of Holies” ripped into two pieces from the top to the bottom!

· One of the greatest revelations of all time shook the world, both literally and spiritually! / “the earth did quake, and the rocks rent (split)”

· The Revelation of Jesus being the “Sacrificial Savior” of the World was presented!

· The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

CONCLUSION: When Christ stepped from the “Wings” onto the Stage of Revelation He opened a Door of POWER & BLESSING for ALL who will choose HIM!

· At the moment, you may be wondering, where’s God? / What’s He doing? / Why is my life in such a mess? / What should I do next? / I’m in the dark.

· Maybe that’s where you are today. / Right now, there are things in your life that don’t seem to make much sense. / And you are wondering, “What’s going on? / What’s the next step?”

· Willingness to WAIT is a very important ingredient to success!

· There are many people in very successful positions today that simply got there by being faithful in waiting in the wings until their opportunity presented itself.

· You are waiting to be invited on stage and believe me IT’S WORTH THE WAIT!

· Jesus is getting ready to make His GREATEST ENCORE of all time! / Rapture!

You and I do not know all the things that God may call on us to do.