Delay is defined as: a period of time by which something is late or postponed.
To delay is a holdup, to detain, to make late or to slow up or down.
Delay is one of the many devices of the enemy to hinder us from fulfilling our God-ordained Destiny in the time we have been given.
It is an evil spirit that uses time (man’s most precious resource) as a weapon of torment.
The prince of Persia was a spirit of delay against the destiny of Daniel.
Daniel 10:12-13 NLT – Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.
But for twenty-one days, the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia…”
Some Characteristics of the spirit of delay are:
– Fear
Daniel 10:12a – Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel…
The fear of never achieving one’s purpose in life can creep into the heart when there is delay.
We see this in the life of Abram and his wife, Sarah. They had waited a very long time to have a child and they were now old and beyond normal child-bearing age. Abram’s response indicated fear that he would never father a child…
Genesis 15:1-3 – After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward”
But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
Since Fear is the opposite of faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), fear gives permission for the devil to prevail. Don’t be afraid to face and overcome fear in the place of prayer for God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind –
2 Timothy 1:7
– Discouragement
Delay and discouragement are twins.
Discouragement is a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness.
In His word, God expressed his will for us in Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Discouragement, if left to fester is very dangerous and can lead to abortion of dreams and destiny. Some commit suicide and others, murder, because of discouragement.
David’s men were discouraged and wanted to stone him at Ziklag (read 1 Samuel 30).
Though David also was greatly distressed, the bible says: …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6)
No matter how long you have waited for the promise of God, never allow discouragement to quench the hope God has placed inside of you. But through patience, wait to inherit the promise!
– Self-Effort
Delay can result in self-effort if allowed.
Self-effort is an intentional manipulation of one’s own destiny. It shows a lack of trust in God and disrespect of who God is.
John 15:5 NLT – “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing…”
Abraham and Sarah chose to “do something”, to make things happen for themselves.
Remember this: Self-effort often creates a temporary fix but leads to permanent sorrow.
In Exodus 32, The children of Israel built a golden calf to be their God and object of worship because Moses delayed from coming down from Mt. Sinai…
This infuriated God and you know the story – all of that generation except two – Joshua and Caleb’s bands made it into the promised land.
It is important to know that self-effort can never accomplish God’s design for you. His design came out of His thoughts and His thoughts are definitely higher than ours – Isaiah 55:9.
Revelation 10:6 expresses the mind of God for his own:
“…And he swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay!…“
Habakkuk 2:3 – For the revelation awaits an appointed time, it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay.
I am happy to journey with you!