Sermon Central
-
Waiting On The Lord
Contributed by Ottawa Pullen, Jr. on Mar 13, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: When it seems as if God has forgotten you, He hasn’t.
WAITING ON THE LORD
By
Ottawa R. Pullen, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Light Of The World Church
7800 Bissonnet, Suite 260
Houston, Tx. 77074
Have you ever felt as if God has forgotten all about you? Have you ever prayed and it seemed as if nothing GOOD was happening?
Your situation is not hopeless, and God has not forgotten all about you.
Our God lives for dead issues. Sometimes, when it seems that God is saying “No”, He is actually saying wait.
21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
(KJV)
Now watch, because here is where the story really begins to get good. So Jesus and Jairus are walking togeather. They’re on their way to Jairus’ house. Right?
25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
(KJV)
TWELVE YEARS!!!!! How long have you had your problem? She suffered 12 long years.
26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
(KJV)
Sometimes, God wants you to get to the end of all “YOU” have so that you will turn to HIM and receive what HE has. When she got to the end of all SHE had, matters got worse. Now I know that somebody can relate to things going from bad to worse.
27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
(KJV)
For this woman, it seemed that God had said NO!!! But she “PRESSED” her way in.
James 5:16b says “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” The greek word for effectual is “energeo”. This is where we get our English word, “energy”. Effectual prayer has an energy of its own……but you have got to DO something.
28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
(KJV)
The Greek word for touched is “haptomai” (pronounced hap’-tom-ahee). It means attached. In other words, you must touch God in such a way that you literally attach yourself to Him. It’s not a touch and let go; but to touch Him in such a way that you become so ATTACHED that you literally turn Him around.
But why was she fearing and trembling? In those days, if there were an issue of blood over a period of time, to come out in public the way she did required a penalty of death. So Jesus said in verse 34:
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
(KJV)
Watch verse 35. Do you remember what was going on before the woman with the issue of blood came forth?
Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house. Right??
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
(KJV)
From whose house???? Oh yeah!!! Jairus’ house. Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. Had you forgotten all about Jairus? If you did, HOW DO YOU THINK JAIRUS MUST HAVE FELT? Maybe, he too, felt forgotten. Had Jairus been forgotten? No, he had not been forgotten and you haven’t been forgotten either. Let’s watch the story unfold. He had asked Jesus to heal his daughter. And Jesus was apparently walking toward Jairus’ house to grant his request when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, came this woman with HER problems. Jesus’ answer to the woman’s problem was a definite “YES”! But what about Jairus? What was Jesus doing? Here is the answer. Jesus is walking in Romans 8:28.
Rom 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(KJV)
Jesus was working “all” things out together for good? How is this for the “GOOD” when Jairus’ daughter died?
The Book of Leviticus, Chapter 15, beginning in verse 25 gives us insight into what Jesus was doing.
This woman had been cleansed of her issue of blood, but who knew it? If Jesus had “ONLY” healed her she would have run the risk of being stoned to death for coming out in public with an issue from which few knew she had been healed.
