What should we do during the times of silence, before the miracles of God come through for us?
Isaiah 64:12 “12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?”
Psalm 83: 1-2 “Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
Psalm 28:1 “To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.”
Elijah had been used of God to hold back rain from the people for over three years, because of their sins. 1 Kings 18:1: “And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”NKJV
The famine was three and a half years long. For three and a half years, the people apparently continued to sin, Elijah continued to hold on by faith, but God said nothing. God was apparently inactive… not speaking… even to His great servant Elijah during this time.
What should we do during the times of silence, before the miracles of God come through for us?
What do we do during the spiritually dry periods of life, when we don’t hear clearly the voice of God?
1. Don’t ignore the silence –Stay very close to God and watch for Him to eventually display His power. He will in the fullness of time.
2.Confront known sin in your life –Sin may not be the reason you don’t sense closeness to God right now, but if you have known sin in your life it will affect your intimacy with God.
Psalms 32:5 - I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3. Remind God of His Promises / Go back to what you know – Get back to the basics of the faith that saved you. Remind yourselves of the basis of faith… which is the very character and promises of God. God is in control.
Isaiah 49: 15 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
Hebrews 13: 5 “… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 - And the LORD, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
He really is… even when it doesn’t seem that He is anywhere to be found. Remember; God hasn’t moved, but if you’ve shifted in your obedience, get back securely on the right side.
4. Trust More… Not less – Times of silence may be filled with fear, but ironically, these times require more faith. That’s not an indication to quit… it may be that God is using that time for something bigger than you could have imagined… but whatever is next will most likely require a deeper level of trust. Isaiah 43: 2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
5. Listen and Watch Closely – Someday God is going to make His plans known to you. Don’t miss them. He may come to you personally, through His Word, or another person. You’ll need to be in a position to know that God is moving.
Genesis 32: 24-28 “24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;[a] for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
6. Get ready to receive – God will break the silence someday… and when He does, it WILL be good. Be optimistic. Pray for greater faith;