What Is Your Response Time?

Warriors Arise: November 21, 2020

1 Samuel 30:8-9 (NKJV) And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him...

Years ago, as a matter of fact, is was before I was married. I was having my God-time and began writing down some things that were running through my thoughts. One stuck out. Couldn't wait to talk to Scott that night on the phone, because I knew God has spoken to me. It was incredibly clear. He revealed through Scripture, from the time God tells us to do something and we actually do it, we are in rebellion. Scott was not as excited to hear what I was sharing. He was thrilled I had heard from God but wow! Those were strong words. He said, "If God talked to me like that I would cry." We laughed. I had been praying about when I would turn in my two week notice. I didn't want to resign too early and not have a job in Texas, but I didn't want to remain at my job in Illinois if God was telling me to go. As I read my Bible, God shared the importance of going when He said it was time to go. He shared how strategic is was for His people to respond immediately to His directions. My situation was not life or death, but I was leaving a successful job and didn't have one lined up in Texas. Scott and I were getting married in September and I would be staying with a couple from his church in the meantime.

God gives David and his men a direct order, "Pursue." He tells them they will overtake them, the Amalekites. God goes on to tell them, "Without fail recover all." God has given His blessing that He will be with them. They will find the Amalekites and everything that was taken will be restored. Then David and his men took a nap. No, that's not right. Then David and his men decided they needed to ask someone else's opinion. No, that's not right either. So David and His men began rebuilding Ziklag. God would bring their wives, children and belongings back. No, that a isn't what God said.

How many of us have responded to God in the latter three ways? We put what God said to do on the shelf, take a nap, continue with life, and think about what God said to do. What about response number two? How many of us hear from God but them we go polling? We ask someone else what they think about what God told us. If they don't agree or have a "better" idea, whose idea do we follow? What if we aren't settled on their idea do we go to someone else? This is polling. There should be no jury on God's plan for what He has told us to do. Many times what God tells us to do is going to take our faith to accomplish it. What God tells us to do doesn't generally take the faith of another. Matter of fact, if they don't have faith for what God told us, then it could undermine the faith we had before we polled others. In the final hypothetical response, many of us can put our faith in God to do for us what He told us to do. This is why we have to listen clearly. Did God say He would do it for us or with us? If He said He would do it for us, then He will do it for us. If He said for us to go and do, then we have to go and do for the fulfillment of His Word.

Not always but most of the time our response time is important. When God tells me to do something there are times I ask clarifying questions. I ask, "When do I need to do this?" Sometimes I make a phone call when He says to, because that is when the person will be available or He knows that is when they will be receptive. Other times, I know when He tells me to do something, I am to start immediately. Sometimes there is a planning process, getting more information, or training so I can accomplish the task He has given me. For instance, I had been praying privately against the coronavirus back in March, which most of us probably were. But then He told me to unite the warriors. I hadn't been able to write in years. I had written 5 books 12 years ago but I hadn't written since. It was disturbing to think I would be writing again. I asked when He wanted me to start but I didn't hear anything until my prayer time on March 30th. I was to have my first Warrior's Arise blog on April 1st. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I could write again; but God said to so I submitted myself to Him and we write every day. I am amazed at how He directs my path through Scripture and gives me courage to keep writing. There were so many problems with the website. I was losing people who didn't want to miss out. Sure there were some who didn't want to pray with me every day and that is ok. I was just to herald the call to prayer and people could respond on their own terms. I wasn't concerned with how many, that was not my job. I was to be faithful to write, release, and call forth a united prayer each day.

David and his men responded immediately, "So David went, he and his six hundred men who were with him..." God spoke the plan. David and his men responded immediately. Is this how you respond to God? Or do you have to think about it? Ask for a poll from others? Or wrongly think, since God said it He must going to doing it no matter if you get involved or not?

From the time God tells us the plan to the time we follow the plan, we are in disobedience. Seems harsh but He is God and when He speaks to us it will never violate His word or His character. When God speaks He isn't giving us an opinion. He is giving us the best possible plan for the best possible outcome. Trust God by responding to what He says to do.

Father, I come before You know and ask for my heart to be set upon You. I trust You to lead me to my very best outcome in every situation in my life. I ask for Your healing hand to come upon me and my family. I pray for complete healing from the flu and complete recovery from the coronavirus. You strengthen me every day. I seek Your face and receive Your love. You never leave me lacking. I ask for You to restore any finances that have been stolen by the effects of the coronavirus. I pray for finances to be restored across our country. I ask for You to speak clearly to us and we would do as You direct. I pray we would not poll others for another answer but we would walk out what You have told us. I pray we would seek You for an answer and not be persuaded by the voices of others. I ask for clarity of thought and focus of heart to do what you have said to do. I ask we would be a people who would hear Your voice and respond quickly in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy

My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.