Seize the Divine Moment Step out on faith
Introduction
There are special times in our lives when God desires to use us to achieve His divine plan. Too often we do not respond to His call and allow that special moment to pass us by. We find some reasons or excuses for not doing what God has called us or I should say ordained and equipped us to do.
One thing that I have learned is you can always find an excuse to not get involved when God is calling. Moses has all kinds of excuses for not going back to Egypt.
Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. KJV
Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. KJV
In spite of his excuses or his so call shortcoming, God used Moses in a mighty way and the people of Israel were delivered from four hundred years of slavery.
Just like Moses, God wants to use you in spite of your shortcoming. In first Samuel chapter fourteen, Jonathan sets the example on how to seize God’s divine moment. He had no great plan of attack or well-devised goals and objective. What Jonathan had was faith in God.
In first Samuel chapter fourteen Saul was camped near the Gibeah with about 600 men and was at a big disadvantage because of the vise size and skills of the Philistines Army. The scriptures says:
1 Samuel 14:2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; KJV
Saul was paralyzed by fear so he tarried. One thing we have learned at St. John First Missionary Baptist Church is that fear and faith cannot occupy the same heart. You will either walk in fear and be paralyzed and handicap to achieve anything or you will walk in faith believing:
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. KJV
For Jonathan the time for prayer, deliberation and pondering had passed. It was time to seize his divine moment.
1 Samuel 14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. KJV
When we look at Jonathan there are three things we can learn from him.
First Jonathan went without a sign.
Too often we pray about and wait on God to give us a sign when He has already given us His Word. We don’t have to prayer about loving or forgiving others, God has already commanded that we are to love one another and forgive one another.
Yet when someone tells you to forgive, you say, “I have to pray about that.” What is there to pray about? We don’t have to pray and wait for a sign about sharing the gospel in the streets of Belle Glade, God has commanded us to go into all the world sharing the gospel and making disciples.
There is no need for us to prayer and wait for a sign to feed the hungry, visit the sick and imprisoned, comfort the hurting or cloth the naked, We don’t need a sign, we need to get busy.
Jonathan was determined to go. “Jonathan was working from a conviction that he was already called to move forward. The army of God has already been charged with this mission. Just as Jonathan was already charged to go we are charged to go outside of the walls of our churches to impact the world for Christ.
Victory over the Philistines was a promise simply waiting to be received. There are promises that God has made to us that are just waiting for us to move forward to receive them. Jonathan was so confident his actions were in line with God’s purpose that all he needed was a sign that said, “Advance.”
Jonathan understood and we must understand that when you’re moving forward with God, you must move with an advance mentality. You move forward unless God tells you to stop. You advance unless God tells you to wait. There are things we don’t need permission to do because we have already been commissioned to do them. We just need to seize the divine moment.
Secondly Jonathan went when all he had was one person.
1 Samuel 14:6-7
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.
7 And his Armour bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
KJV
When we walk in faith, there may not be a crowd. In fact we are told:
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: KJV
Sometimes when you go there are some people you need to leave behind. You need to leave behind the deserters those who start out with you but when the going get ruff they get going. He did not take Saul because Saul was not up for the battle. Saul had started out with three thousands men and they had scattered until there were only six hundred men to oppose 30,000 chariots and 6000 horseman and innumerable soldiers on foot. Things had gotten a little tough so Saul retreated back to the pomegranate tree.
Jonathan also left behind the doubters – army. When you stepping out on faith you don’t need a bunch of nay Sayers and non-believers with you.
Jonathan also left the discouragers – the priest behind. While on this journey you don’t need people around you that find fought in everything you do. There are some people that no matter what you do they can’t find any good in it; there is always something wrong.
If we listen to this crowd we will begin to second guess ourselves and stop moving forward with what we feel God wants us to do. Sometimes you need to move out on a maybe. There are times you have to step out on faith and that means that you will not be sure, it means you may be in the minority; but you must seize the divine moment to fulfill God divine plan.
Note the one Jonathan took with him.
1 Samuel 14:7 And his Armour bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. KJV
Those are the type of people you need walking with you. Jonathan went with one who had courage like his and had faith like his. We must have like-minded people walking with us in order to seize the moments.
Thirdly Jonathan went when all he had was one promise
1 Samuel 14:6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.
KJV
Jonathan walk in faith that “…there are no restraints to the Lord…” Jonathan believed that God could make the two them victorious over the Philistine army. He remembers the promise of God in Joshua.
Joshua 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. KJV
The one thing that keeps me going is knowing that when I go for Him he will fight my battle. I believe God says if you will begin to move out on a maybe, I will transform your maybe into a victory. We are to walk by faith and not by sight. God promise us:
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. KJV
That mean we are to take a change, move out even when we are not sure. Move out when everyone is telling us to stand still. We need to seize the divine moment to make an impact in our community.
Is it possible that you have been fleecing your divine moments rather than seizing them? Have you allowed those opportunities to do great things for the Lord pass you by? Have you been saying to God, I am not doing anything, going anywhere until you give me a sign? Have you chose to live in safety, comfort, and convenience, justifying this lifestyle because God hasn’t call you to a differ life? Are you willing to let another divine opportunity pass you by?
It’s time to seize the moment; it’s time to say yes! To God!
We need to look inside and answer the question, what’s keeping me from advancing for God? Is it fear of failure or making a mistake? What is it that keeps me from saying yes?
When we look at the hero of the bible they didn’t always get it right. Abraham tried to give away his wife to Pharaoh. Moses struck a rock in anger. David committed adultery. Peter denied Jesus. All of the disciples except one deserted Jesus at the cross. Paul started out by killing Christian. But none of their mistakes disqualified them from doing great things for God.
We are going to make mistakes in life. We don’t have to be perfect in order to say yes, just willing and available to God. God is looking for more than your ability, He ‘s looking for your availability.
Jonathan seized the moment and we are told:
1 Samuel 14:13-14
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his Armour bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his Armour bearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his Armour bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. KJV
Jonathan and his armor bearer seized the moment and slew twenty men and then God stepped in:
1 Samuel 14:15-16
15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. KJV
Conclusion
Jonathan stepped up and God stepped in. When we seize divine moments God will step in and do a mighty work in our lives. I charge you today to stand up for Jesus! I charge you today go out for Jesus! I charge you today to speak out for Jesus! I charge you today to seize your divine moment and step out on faith!