DESPIRATION DISTORTION

GENESIS 16:1—16

Genesis 16:1–16 (NLT)

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.

2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.

3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)

4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”

6 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.

8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.

12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”

13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”

14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael.

16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

INTRODUCTION:

Have you ever been frustrated by the time—element sometimes involved in the fulfillment of God’s promises to you?

Many times you and I come to the point of despair because God seems to move so slowly in accomplishing what we know to be his clearly—revealed will. This leads to a condition in our lives that I call “Despiration Distortion.”

In our text, we find some other people who experienced this same problem.

I -THE PROBLEM OF DESPERATION DISTORTION. (Genesis 16:1—4)

Genesis 16:1–4 (NLT)

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.

2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.

3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)

4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.

A - “Desperation distortion” defined:

1- This is the condition of knowing that God has a plan for our lives (his clearly – revealed will); and becoming frantic over the seeming lack of its fulfillment. This results in the distorted view that we must act on our own to fulfill it.

a- In verses one through four, we find this occurring in the lives of Abraham and Sarah.

1) God had promised them an heir (a son) who would be heir to all of the promises given to Abraham.(Genesis 12:1—4).

Genesis 12:1–4 (NLT)

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.

2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

2) Years passed by without the promised heir.

3) Finally, in frantic desperation, Abraham and Sarah take the problem into their own hands. (Genesis 16:1—4)

b- “Desperation distortion” in our lives: (Attacks the weakest area).

1) This is Satan’s great trick. He uses it to tempt us.

a) Tempts us to give up and lose faith in God.

(1) “If God hasn’t fulfilled it by now, it must not be His will.”

(2) “God has forsaken me.”

· If you have the clearly-revealed will of God—He will fulfill it…don’t give up!

(Gal. 6:9)

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

(I Thessalonians 5:24)

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)

24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

b) Tempts us to solve the problem ourselves.

(1) “God may need help in accomplishing His will.”

*The fact is, God needs no help – He is abundantly able.

(Ephesians 3:20)

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

c) Tempts us to heed unwise and ungodly counsel.

(1) “Listen, If I were you, I would…”

*If anyone gives you counsel that conflicts with the Word of God, or the clearly—revealed direction of God…don’t listen to it!

(Ps 1:1)

Psalm 1:1 (NLT)

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.

*Beware of hastily given advice!

d) Tempts us to stop seeking God for the answer.

(1) “What’s the use in asking God, he won’t answer.”

*The key is perseverance in Prayer…

*The story of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8)

e) Tempts us to forget that God knows best.—not only in regard to what he gives us; but when as well.

(1) There are three possible answers to prayer:

*yes, no, wait.

f) Tempts us to rebel against what we perceive to be a negative answer.

(1) To fail to wait upon God’s timing is rebellion—that’s Sin.

(1 Samuel 15:23)

1 Samuel 15:23 (NLT)

23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

II- THE RESULTS OF DESPERATION DISTORTION. (Genesis 16:4-7)

Genesis 16:4–7 (NLT)

4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”

6 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.

A - We get ahead of God.

1- Abraham and Sarah got ahead of God.

2- God has a master plan…he puts all things in the place and order they need to be in order to bring about His plan in the right way.

(Isa. 55:8)

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

B - We produce disastrous consequences that affect not only ourselves, but others as well.

1- Abraham and Sarah brought about disastrous consequences by acting on their own.

a- Resulted in domestic problems (Genesis 16:5—6; 21: 1—21)

b- Ishmael’s descendants have been a thorn in Israel’s side since then—even are today.

2- Our disobedience always will affect people around us: our Children, Grandchildren, etc.

III - THE SOLUTION TO DESPERATION DISTORTION. (Genesis 16:8-16)

Genesis 16:8–16 (NLT)

8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.

12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”

13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”

14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael.

16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

A- Spend time seeking God for direction and strength.

(Prov. 3:5—6)

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

1- If need be, fast and pray…

2- Spend time searching God’s word prayerfully.

3- Listen for His direction.

4- Accept His strength.

B - Remember the Sure Promises of God.

1- God never makes a promise that He will not keep..He cannot lie!

(Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18)

Titus 1:2 (NLT)

2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

Hebrews 6:18 (NLT)

18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

2- In time –His time—God fulfilled His promise to Abraham; and will to you!

C - Remember that God many times is preparing the way for fulfillment of His will and promises.

1- God’s plan is well-ordered and perfect we need to allow Him to work it His way.

a- Moses tried to get ahead of God, but God wanted to prepare him and the Pharoah.

b- If it took 80 years to prepare Moses, why should you and I get impatient?

D - Surrender to the Lordship of Christ absolutely.

1- Surrender to his master—plan…allow Him to be absolute Lord of your life.

a- “Lord, I’ll go where you want me to go; how you want me to go; when you want me to go. And I’ll trust you completely all the way!

CONCLUSION:

Christian, stop being desperate and frantic -- God will accomplish His will…He will Fulfill His promises -- IN HIS TIME! Your job is simply to surrender to His absolute,

Sovereign Lordship of your life—and then trust Him to do the rest.