Defeating Delay

God’s Seasons

God is a God who is always on time. He acts at exactly the correct moment. He brings fruit to bear on the trees in the right season and the crops to yield their harvest when the time is right. Yesterday, we learned about the destruction and chaos that distraction brings to our lives. One of the ways the enemy uses distraction in our lives is to delay us from entering into some next step or season God has for our lives.

Intentions vs Obedience

It is all good and well to want to do good things. But it is a terrible evil to delay doing those things. Intention to obey God is not the same as obeying God. He often puts dreams and desires in our hearts to carry out a specific task. But for one reason or another, in absence of action, these received designs become aborted missions — ending before they even began. Sometimes, delay is out of our control. Daniel explains an interesting encounter in which the angel, Michael, whom God sent to carry out His will in answer to Daniel’s prayers, was delayed by the enemy. We can further the Kingdom of God by praying that His sovereign will be done according to His timing.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

God has given us His breastplate of righteousness. He warns us not to let our hearts be troubled, not to be anxious, not to be afraid (John 14). Anxiety and delay go hand in hand as we often look forward to other priorities instead of putting plans into action. A righteous son acts as his Father acts, that is, to bring justice and fruit at the correct time and in the correct season. The breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts from that which would cause us to delay.

Reflective Questions

Is there anything - a conversation, an act of obedience, a project – that you’ve delayed?

Is there anything you’ve prayed or asked God for that seems to be delayed? (Be careful of this question. We want to be patient as we wait for answers, but, at times, the Holy Spirit may show you that a spiritual flow of events is interrupted with interference from the enemy.)

Prayer

Thank you, God, that You are a God of the ‘right time’. I choose today to follow Your timing and not to wait to do the right thing. Holy Spirit, form the image of Christ in me, who obeyed His Father’s voice immediately. I repent of dreams and desires that have wasted away in my heart because I chose delay instead of trust. Thank You that time bows to You and that You will redeem and restore what I have neglected.

I pray for protection from delay tactics by the enemy, both in tempting me to put off important tasks and in interrupting Your will through other means. I pray for my time to be in alignment with Your timing. Amen.