Back several years ago, on Feb. 23rd, 2019, I was in my garage doing my daily workout, and I was talking to the Lord about something that He had spoken to me in the past. This particular word that He had spoken to me, and had given me a conformation on has been delayed now for many years, and has not yet come to pass. On that particular day that I was pouring out my heart to the Lord concerning this personal promise he gave me, suddenly I heard in my spirit: “Go back and read Habakkuk 2:3.” That verse sounded familiar to me, but to be honest I had no idea what the text in Habakkuk 2:3 was about.

When I got into my bedroom and opened up my Bible to Habakkuk 2:3, I strongly felt the presence of the Lord all over me as I read: “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” I knew it was the Lord speaking to me on a personal level through this scripture, and I also sensed that He wanted me to write on the subject of when God’s promises have been delayed. Even my writing of this word has been delayed… by seven years!

Let’s face it, none of us like delays, we want it, and we want it right now. People these days are losing their minds, and getting violent, if they have to wait an extra thirty seconds or so for their order at a fast food place. But if you haven’t noticed, God is in no hurry about anything. Sometimes the Lord will answer a prayer almost instantly, but usually it just doesn’t happen that way.

Take Moses for instance, He may have awoke one morning and thought: “Lord.. I think I have now finally arrived. I have spent all these years in Pharaoh’s palace studying all the aspects of Egyptian culture, knowledge, wisdom, and warfare. There is no one alive who is more qualified in leading people than I.  Besides, I have been in training all my life to become the next Pharaoh, so I’ve decided that I’m going to start my ministry today.”

So then what happens? On the very first day of Moses’ “ministry”… he kills a man, and has to flee for his life out into the desert. That was not exactly an uneventful first day of ministry! Moses simply was not ready yet, not at all. All of his training was in the things of THIS WORLD (Egypt) and not in the things of GOD. Moses could not deliver one single Hebrew the shape that he was in spiritually.

Why? It was because He himself needed to be delivered! (this is the problem of the modern church) All of the training that Moses received in Egypt, was useless to the work of God. It is a blessing that the Lord gives us very little, if any, insight into what the future actually holds for us. Because if he did, it would totally overwhelm us and scare us half to death. But what if the Lord would have spoken a prophetic word to Moses about his future…what might have he said?

The Lord might have said something like this: “Moses, I saw what you did to the Egyptian today, and it was not good…not good at all. So here is what I’m going to do with you. I’m going to lead you way back here into this desert, it will be your training university. Moses, listen to me…you cannot deliver any one yet, until I have FIRST delivered YOU from yourself. I have decided to enrolled you back here into this desert school of silence for the next forty years.

This is where all of your rough edges are going to be sandblasted, sandpapered and smoothed. At times you will think I am killing you with scourging, purging, and chastisements, but I do it all in love, and I do not afflict willingly. (Lamentations 3:33) I only chastise those in whom I love. You will make it through these hardships, because I have come up with a plan that you know nothing about.

You are going to spend all your days learning how to deliver my people, by using the “practice sheep” of your future father in law Jethro. You will learn how to lead them out, and how to bring them in. (Numbers 27:16-17) Year after year, you will watch the sun rise, and then watch it set…and at times, while wiping away tears, you will question if I had really even spoken to you and called you into ministry. You will lie out under the bright stars at night, thinking that your ministry is in complete shambles, because of your sin.

But I am a gracious God, a forgiving God, who holds no grudge to those who are quick to repent, and humble themselves before me. Satan will whisper over and over to you saying: “See, Moses… you are an utter failure… and completely useless to God. The only ministry that you have now is herding these smelly sheep out here in this howling wilderness!”

But Satan is a liar! Not only is your ministry NOT a failure…your ministry has not even started yet! Many testings you will go through for forty years in this wilderness, but I will use them all to train you for the ministry that you shall have in the future. After I have sandblasted you enough that you have become the meekest of men, I will at that time appear to you in a burning bush, and then your ministry will begin”

It has been well stated that: “IT TOOK FORTY HOURS FOR MOSES TO GET OUT OF EGYPT, BUT IT TOOK FORTY YEARS TO GET EGYPT OUT OF MOSES” (let us all think upon that statement for a moment, and then apply it to ourselves) Every one of us are MUCH worse (spiritually speaking) than we could ever possibly know. Just wait until God shows you what you REALLY are. (trust me…I know firsthand all about this subject of “self”… and it’s not a pleasant  topic)It is no different with the ones that God is establishing and preparing right now to use in the future. What God did in the life of Moses for forty years, He is still doing today in establishing his end-time prophets in hidden obscurity. I have said this many times before, but I firmly believe that those who will be the most greatly used by God in these last days are still basically unknown.

They are not obsessed with personal ambition by constantly seeking the microphone, multiple platforms, or self promotion by putting out daily drivel that the “lord” supposedly spoke to them. They are currently “hidden” (for now) under God’s care, provision, and direction… seeking only the face of Christ, His anointing and His perfect timing for their promotion into ministry. God’s timing is just as important as his calling, perhaps even more so.

To be used greatly in God’s kingdom, one must be brought to nothing, by being chastised and scourged, to learn the utter worthlessness of “self,” and to proclaim just as Job did: “Behold I am vile.” (Job 40:4) When God grinds you into powder, and shows you what you REALLY are, you had best have a bucket ready, because you will more than likely want to throw up. (I have learned to keep my barf bucket handy at all times) The exposure of what really lies in our hearts by the Lord is never a pleasant thing, but it is a necessary thing for our advancement into our particular calling.

The closer that one gets to God (The Light) the easier it is for His light to expose all of the dirt (Sin) in our own lives. God has to greatly humble us, in order for us to be useful in whatever our particular calling is. It has been said that: “First God saves us, then he blesses us, then he “breaks” us, so that we can be a blessing in the lives of others” (some of us know all to well about this “breaking” process don’t we?)

Those in whom God will greatly use, must go through much more testings, trials, and spiritual warfare, than many other Christians. In other words, faith must be tested, and great faith must be tested greatly. God will put his finger on anything in our lives that does not line up with his word. With some it may be spiritual pride, and “know it all” arrogance that must be dealt with.

With others, it may be a filthy mouth. Anyone who thinks they are going to be used by God, and they still use profanity on a daily basis is totally deceived. There will be continued delays, and trips out behind the woodshed for the use of profanity from a man or woman of God, until the Holy Spirit has tamed the tongue.  With others it may grudges, bitterness, or even secret sin, that no one else knows about that may be the cause of the delay. With others it may not even be a sin issue that is causing a delay, it may be that it is just not God’s time yet.

There are seasons where the trials, attacks from hell, and the endless delays seem to go on forever. We may not know why, but God knows why, and whatever God does, or whatever God allows in our lives is right, because God is right. We must trust him in regard to this, knowing that the Lord has a plan, and that he knows exactly what he is doing in each of our individual lives.

Long delays are nothing new to the people of God. Many of the ones that the Lord used mightily in the scriptures, were very familiar with long delays. We already spoke of Moses, and his forty years of preparation. Abraham had a delay of twenty years, from the promise of Issac being born, till the fulfillment of that promise.

John the Baptist spent many years out in the wilderness, until the day of his showing forth. John spent some twenty years out in the desert, yet it was for only six months of ministry! Simeon had to wait for the promise spoken to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die, until he had seen the Lord’s anointed one. When he finally saw Jesus, he took him up into his arms and said: “Lord now let thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For my eyes have seen thy salvation.” (Luke 2:29-30) You can bet it was worth the wait for Simeon, when he finally held in his arms the blessed Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!

David spent many years fleeing from one place to another, hiding out in lonely deserts and caves, his life being in danger constantly from Saul. A very long, dangerous and depressing delay from the promise of being made the king, until the ultimate fulfillment of the that particular promise. Other Bible greats who had long delays were Elijah, Joseph, and even our Lord Jesus. Jesus spent thirty years in preparation for His three and a half years of earthly ministry. We as Christians are never as close to God as we “think” we are, and we never have the faith that “think” we have. But the Lord has a remedy for these situations. It’s called delays!

I feel led to say something right now, and that is this: I believe that there is someone right now who is reading this article, and you KNOW that you are called of God, and the Lord has spoken a promise to you concerning your particular calling in ministry, but you have allowed a certain sin to creep back into your life. You are absolutely devastated by this, and utterly heartbroken over your sin, and you now feel so unworthy, that you think that God’s calling in your life is completely over, and that God could NEVER possibly ever use you again.

Listen to me. This is Satan that is telling you this lie, it is not of God. Do you hear me? If you have repented, and have put this sin under the blood of Jesus, (1 John 1:9) then get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the race. Your victory over all sin, no matter what it is, was accomplished by the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross. God can use a loser, and God can use a failure…but God cannot use a quitter.

Romans 11:29 says: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” Moses killed a man, yet he repented… and was used mightily by God. To you I say: “GOD’S GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR SIN, AND HE HAS NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT YOUR CALLING” (for that someone who has been seeking a conformation from the Lord concerning this topic…you just got it.)

I also believe that there are many others who are reading this that have been told by the Lord that your physical body is going to be healed, yet you have seen absolutely no evidence of it coming to pass, in fact, things are now getting worse. (I myself am standing on a word spoken to me by the Lord in regard to healing that has been long delayed) To you I say this:  “FAITH DOES NOT RESPOND TO SYMPTOMS….AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES DOES NOT CHANGE WHO GOD IS.  GOD’S MIGHTY OMNIPOTENT POWER IS GREATER THAN YOUR SICKNESS OR DISEASE”

In 1Peter 2:24 it states this concerning healing power of Christs atonement at the cross: “BY WHOSE STRIPS YE WERE HEALED” Get it?  Ye “WERE” healed. This is past tense, meaning it has already happened. Our healing is not “coming”… “IT IS FINISHED” (John 19:30). It’s already done. We acquire this healing that we need by praying the prayer of faith. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.(James 5:15)

Isiah 53:5 states: “WITH HIS STRIPS WE ARE HEALED” Isaiah was looking FORWARD into the future towards the cross, and Peter was looking BACKWARD to the finished work of Christ on the cross. Here is our healing battle plan: WE PRAY. WE BELIEVE. WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7) “Be still and know that I am God” (this means to “cease striving” to “let go” and “relax”) “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, (meaning to know and believe that He alone is God) and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6)

The steadfast continuance of our faith in the midst of adverse circumstances (with no sign of an answer to our prayers) puts a smile on the Lord’s face. I’m not kidding, it really does! Need scripture for that? Psalm 147:11 “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy”

How in the world can the Lord “take pleasure” in someone, and at the same time have a frown on his face?  I’m telling you that He is smiling with delight at you and your faith in him, even though the answer has not come yet! Dear Saint, He sees the pain, the fear, the stress, the struggle, the broken heart, the loneliness and depression. Yet He also sees the “HOPE” that you are believing Him to step in at the right time, with His mercy, and give you exactly what you need. Hold on! He is going to perfect that thing which concerns you. (Psalm 138:8)

The Lord knows exactly the right time to step in and say to our sickness and trials: OKAY…ENOUGH!…NO MORE!!  If you truly are saved, and belong to the Lord.. then He is not going to allow more temptation and trials into your life than you are able to bear. (1 Cor.10:13) That means whatever the trial is that you are presently going through, you can take it…it’s not going to destroy you, otherwise He would not have even allowed it in the first place. God alone knows your precise breaking point…you don’t!  Trust Him. God will never test you on faith that you do not actually have. Walk onward in faith Christian solider. Your prayers have been heard, the answer is on the way. Once more time….PRAY.  BELIEVE. EXPECT TO RECEIVE.

The fact that you are seeing absolutely no evidence of the things that God has spoken to you about, (yet you still are hoping and believing for a positive outcome) confirms that you are actually in the faith! (Heb.11:1) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” If you are NOT seeing any evidence of the things that you are hoping and praying for, welcome to normal Christianity! You are faithfully believing that at some point YOU WILL see the evidence of that which you are hoping for.  Dig in! Hold your ground! Don’t Quit! Keep believing no matter what. God cannot not help a quitter.

 Satan may whispers to you: “See…Its no use now, things are getting much worse, you are a fool to believe that God would heal someone like you. You might as well quit and go back into the world and enjoy your sin for a season… because you are going to die soon anyway!” When attacks like these come, that means Satan is getting desperate and he is about to over-play his hand. You hold on. Don’t quit. Keep believing.  I have been carpet-bombed multiple times over the years in my walk with God with thoughts like these from Satan and his hounds from hell.

We as God’s children walk by faith, and not by sight, and just because things have been delayed, (or are getting worse) does not mean that the answer is not coming, or that our requests have been denied. God is using this trial to mold you into his image. God never wastes our pain, it is for a purpose. You don’t need to understand, just trust him. God is worthy of our trust.

Walk onward Saint of God…the Lord is delighted in you and your faith, that I can assure you. God may even be in heaven right now pointing you out to someone saying: “See that one right down there….as bad as it is, they are still trusting in me to do what I said that I would do.”  I’m about to intervene in their situation right now… because they are believing that I can, and that I’m willing to do so.”

It has been said many times that: “The hardest part of faith is the last half hour” God may even intervene in your situation overnight while you sleep, and you wake up the next morning completely healed! Lam: 3:22-23  “It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” Keep asking, keep believing. Lock on to your faith like an agitated bull-dog that won’t let go. Persistence in prayer pays off mightily!

In most cases there are many different trials, and testings that we must to go through, from the time God speaks a promise to us, until the completion of the promise. Moses had to deal with a forty year delay in getting ready for ministry, are we any better than the meekest man on the earth? I think not. If God has truly spoken something to you, a promise of some sort, that has been long delayed, let this be a conformation, and an encouragement to you. God cannot lie.

God has not forgotten the promise he made to you, and he is going to keep that promise no matter what. Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, stand firm in the faith….whatever God has spoken to you, he will bring it to pass. Delay does not mean denial. Stay in the word, and hold on tightly to Christ and what He has promised you. We have no other hope in this world, other than God and his word. May the Lord bless and bring encouragement to you with this word. Come soon Lord Jesus. Maranatha!

Bro. John in Mo.

7-17-26