Dealing With Divine or Demonic Delays Requires Discernment & Determination
Whether Divine or demonic, dealing with delays requires discernment and determination to overcome
Delays can either be Divine or demonic, and HOLY SPIRIT-led Discernment is indispensably needed to know and do what is required to curtail delay.
Both types of delay can occur concurrently in one’s circumstances. It’s important to always seek THE LORD to know what is happening and what to do.
“THE LORD executes Righteousness And Justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His Ways to Moses, His Acts to the children of Israel.” Psalm 103:6-7.
Moses knew The Ways of THE LORD, pleased Him and was approved by Him. But the children of Israel only knew His Acts, transgressed and were condemned.
We must learn and know The Ways of THE LORD and please Him in Them.
Divine Delays are used by GOD for His Glory and for our good
Divine delays are used by GOD to show forth a far more exceeding Glory for His Glory and for our good – yes, to test, keep in check, qualify and exalt those who TRULY trust Him.
“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed THE LORD with fragrant oil and wiped His Feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “LORD, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When JESUS heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of GOD, that THE SON OF GOD may be glorified through it.” Now JESUS loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” John 11:1-6 emphasis added.
What! Upon receiving the prayer request about the situation of Lazarus, GOD actually stayed behind two more days.
Do you know why?
If THE LORD JESUS had gone in time (man’s timing) and healed Lazarus, it would not have been much news in town. And it would have been of less Glory to GOD as well as less good to Lazarus Himself.
But when Lazarus had died, and He went and raised Him from the dead, He not only announced Himself as The Resurrection and The Life, He was also glorified through it.
Furthermore, Lazarus became a preaching testimony and an evangelistic advertisement for THE LORD:
“Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things JESUS did, believed in Him.” John 11:45.
“Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for JESUS’ Sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in JESUS.” John 12:9-11.
Lazarus suddenly became a righteous celebrity when GOD did for him what HE wanted to do for him when, where and how.
He who descends must also ascend
I have both seen in The Word and experienced that, the lower the depth of afflictions and sufferings, the higher The Glory is pumped up by GOD.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory,” 2 Corinthians 4:17.
Skyscrapers have deeper depths.
When THE LORD JESUS, in His Sufferings, descended to the lower parts of the earth, He also ascended FAR ABOVE all the heavens. Hallelu-YAH!
“Now this, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He Who descended is also The One Who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” Ephesians 4:9-10.
If we descend we must also ascend as ordained by GOD.
Divine delays are designed and desired by GOD to exceedingly promote His chosen ones, as happened with Joseph, Job and Lazarus.
BUT you don’t hang in there in self-pity, anger and disappointment, or just waiting and passively saying ‘GOD is in control.’
JESUS neither remained in His Sufferings nor in hell.
Surely, there is an end. The expected end. The end intended by THE LORD.
“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by THE LORD —that THE LORD is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:11.
Don’t be resigned to afflictions and sufferings. No!
You have to FIGHT with thanksgiving, joy, repentance, prayers, supplications, decrees and declarations as THE HOLY SPIRIT gives you Utterance.
“Trust in THE LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.
We must earnestly seek GOD and His Deliverance out of afflictions and sufferings, and enter the joy of The Glory they have been working for us, especially at this set time.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory,” 2 Corinthians 4:17.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with The Glory Which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.
And we have to remain in Faith and prayer until THE LORD shows up. (Please study Luke 18:1-8).
Additionally, as indicated above, Divine Delays can be used to test us and teach us obedience.
“And you shall remember that THE LORD your GOD led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His Commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every Word that proceeds from The Mouth of THE LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:2-3 emphasis added.
THE LORD Himself, “though He was a SON, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8).
Divine Delays are also purposed by GOD to protect us from pride and arrogance.
Paul had a buffeting affliction for sometime.
Although he prayed repeatedly concerning this thing, he was still buffeted and buffeted and buffeted. His thorn in the flesh was to keep him in check from pride, (2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 10).
The most unnoticeable prowling predator is pride. One can easily get into pride without even realising it.
A major security fence against pride is to always have the life and discipline of Proverbs 3:5 – 6 in CHRIST JESUS.
But please note also that Paul stated that “the thorn in the flesh was”, not is.
Divine delays are only to be for a while, a moment, not a lifetime!
“But may THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, Who called us to His Eternal Glory by CHRIST JESUS, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10 emphasis added.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory,” 2 Corinthians 4:17.
Therefore, one must not be stuck in adverse situations. Earnestly seek THE LORD to know and walk the way out.
There is a way out of Egypt, and GOD alone knows it. Find it from Him. And get out through Him.
THE LORD does respond when His children’s cries crescendo.
“Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:9-10.
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before THE LAMB, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8.
Demonic Delays
Delays can also be demonic. And it takes persistent praying to clear the demonic hindrances and harassments out of the way to have answers to prayer.
Daniel experienced a most dramatic demonic delay, which was only curtailed when he didn’t quit praying.
‘Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your GOD, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”’ Daniel 10:12-13.
The answer to Daniel’s prayer had been dispatched from Heaven the very first day he engaged in fasting and prayer, but was hindered and held up by the demonic.
Daniel, unaware of the goings-on in the spiritual realm, continued praying to GOD. And Michael the arch angel was sent to the rescue.
Demonic hindrances to prayer happen all the time for various reasons, including sin.
As I shared with a brother via email recently, in JESUS’ NAME, by THE BLOOD OF JESUS, repent of any personal, parental, ancestral, national and other sins that the accuser of the brethren may be using against you to hinder and delay answers to your prayer.
By THE BLOOD OF JESUS, renounce, revoke and remove all demonic covenants, claims, captivities and yokes thereof.
Ask THE LORD to redeem your life and bloodline from all unrighteousness.
Then, in THE NAME OF JESUS, repeatedly plead THE BLOOD OF JESUS in the matter and command principalities and powers holding your answer captive, to let GO!
Keep doing this as long as led by THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I shared a testimony in previous Words. Some years ago, through a dream, THE LORD gave me a very lucrative contract with a global company headquartered in London.
The first payment due me was thousands of pounds (much more in dollars). But the money was not paid as scheduled. And days went by.
Meanwhile, we were in URGENT need of the money, especially to make some important payments.
Amidst much praying by me and my wife regarding the situation, I followed up repeatedly. The situation was escalated to the Director of Finance, who immediately attended to the matter. But still! The accounts people did not PAY the money.
Amazing, isn’t it?
With an apology, the GLOBAL boss himself intervened, and then expressly pressed the particular accounts people to effect the payment immediately.
But they still didn’t.
We were PRAYING all the more with supplications to GOD (with tongues as well as with our understanding) and giving decrees, declarations and commands to demons, as led by THE HOLY SPIRIT.
(This two-pronged strategy in prayer delivers the goods: CRY to GOD, and COMMAND the devil. Obey GOD, and overcome the devil. “Therefore submit to GOD. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7).
Battling for about a week in this warfare, at the start of business one day, I was about to send another follow-up email to my management executive contact that morning when the thought occurred to me to check my bank account again on my mobile phone.
Voilà! The money was paid earlier that morning.
Demons had been holding up payment of the money. And it will NEVER have been paid without the blitzing prayers as helped by THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Daniel will never have had his prayer answered if he had quit in frustration and disappointment.
Discernment and determination in prayer are key to receiving answers from Heaven.
As our LORD said repeatedly, watch and pray.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in The Faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, Who called us to His eternal Glory by CHRIST JESUS, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:8-10 emphasis added.
The times of restoration
We are now in the times of restoration of all things.
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that Times of Refreshing may come from The Presence of THE LORD, and that He may send JESUS CHRIST, Who was preached to you before, Whom Heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21 emphasis added.
We have waited for so long.
What delays you may have endured, now is the time to get a command from THE LORD what you should pray and do to have manifestation of the expectation from Him.
Discernment, determination and direction of THE HOLY SPIRIT will deliver the goods — “that there should be delay no longer.” (Revelation 10:6).
“The LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:22.
“Farewell” Acts 15:29.
~ Jacob Addison Awagah
Like John, I like to put my head to The Heart of JESUS so as to know and do His Will always. What’s in His Heart is what matters now and FOREVER. His Heart’s Desire is my only desire.
As John was, I am the disciple whom JESUS loves, (John 13:23;19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20)
And like Paul, Jacob is “the prisoner of CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 3:1) for His Purpose forever: to obey Him always.
NB. Surely, “the disciple whom JESUS loves” and “the prisoner of CHRIST JESUS”, like ALL The Promises of GOD, are available to every believer to obtain, just as John and Paul did.
“And having been perfected, He became The Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9.
POWERFUL!!! I AM GREATLY ENCOURAGED
Regards to the Lazarus interpretation portion of scripture I see it differently. Jesus never looked to get any glory for the things he did by the Father’s direction. He always wanted to keep a low profile. If you read in verse 8 of chapter 11 his disciples clearly say that if we go back now the Jews are waiting for us to stone you. Thomas clearly states in verse 11 let us go with him that we may die with him. Jesus stayed behind strictly for self preservation of him and his disciples because he knew that the Jews have left after 3 days (they believe that the soul is gone and can’t return) thus Jesus comment earlier about he who walks in the light can see what is really going on. He is the resurrection and the life, remember Paul said that we rightfully divide or interpret the word of God. I have much more to say but this should get us pondering what is really written that can only be deciphered by praying in tongues and letting the Holy Spirit teach us all things.
Hello Russell
In understanding and using Scripture, we must indeed be rightly dividing The Word of Truth.
However, you said the right thing but did the opposite. {:-)
“So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” John 11:6. THE LORD actually delayed when He heard that Lazarus was sick. “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” is predicated on “when He heard that he was sick”. It is a causative correlation.
Working with THE FATHER, He had Foreknowledge that Lazarus would die and then be raised up by Him. Hence, He delayed.
Furthermore, we must always ensure “not to think beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
JESUS expected to be glorified. He specifically stated that the whole occurrence is for one purpose: “that THE SON OF GOD may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4).
A very interesting article about divine and demonic delays. I was surprised to learn that to “resist the devil” in James 4:7 meant to contend. I was always taught that it was about resisting temptation.
Powerful truths! Thanks for such a timely revealing of wisdom to discern good and evil, Jacob! Blessings, Sandi