"When You're Hoping for a Miracle" in American Sign LanguageSample

God’s Miracle: The Six Phases of Faith
By Rick Warren

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” (2 Peter 3:9 NLT)

One of the reasons why we often are filled with doubt is because we don’t understand that God is constantly testing our faith. Faith is like a muscle. The only way it grows is when it’s tested. The only way you grow in faith is when God tests your faith.

When God wants to do a miracle in your life, he always takes you through six phases of faith. Understanding these phases will help you understand how God works in your life.

Phase one is a dream.

God always starts by giving you a dream: a dream of what you could become, a dream about your career, a dream that you would have a family, a dream that you would accomplish a certain goal. And nothing is more powerful than a God-given dream.

Phase two is decision.

In phase two, you have to make a decision to go after that dream because dreams are worthless unless you do something about them. At some point, you have to wake up and go to work on your dream.

Phase three is delay.

There is always a delay between God giving you a dream and it becoming fulfilled. Why? Because God’s more interested in your character than he is in the dream. A delay is not a denial. You must learn, like every little child, that there’s a difference between “no” and “not yet.”

Phase four is difficulty.

While you’re waiting on your dream, you start having problems. You’re in a hurry, and God’s not. You may think phase three and four are hard, but then you come to phase five, which is the most difficult one of all.

Phase five is dead end.

What is a dead end? It’s when it looks like it’s over, the deal isn’t going to close, the wedding isn’t going to happen, the baby is not going to arrive, the job isn’t going to be offered, the economy is not going to turn around, and all your ideas are falling apart. If you feel like you’re at a dead end right now, congratulations! You’re getting ready for a miracle.

Phase six is deliverance.

In phase six, God turns a crucifixion into a resurrection. He specializes in that! He brings new life out of something that is dead. If God can raise a dead Son of God, he can raise a dead marriage, he can raise a dead career, he can raise a dead dream. He can do anything, because all things are possible with him.

A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God and his miracle in our life. But actually God is waiting on us. He’s waiting on us to make the decision to go his way.

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9 NLT).

Talk It Over

What step forward do you need to take toward your dream? What do you think God is waiting on you to do?

What lessons have you learned from God when your dream or God’s miracle has been delayed?

In what ways can you serve God while you are being delayed?