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WAVES OF PROPHECY

INTRODUCTION: • Turn to Isaiah 40 • We are in a series called Waves of Prophecy • For the past few weeks we’ve been studying the prophecies in the Book of Isaiah concerning the Last Days • We’ve looked at the events that are yet to occur in the future • And I’ve likened it to being on a surf board, looking at the horizon for the next set of waves that is yet to come • God often reveals to us what He is going to do in the future • But God also speaks to us today • Although Isaiah is one of the most prophetic books in the Bible with regards to future events, it is also a collection of prophecies that speak to us today like the waves hitting the shore • David said in the Psalms… all Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me • I love it when God’s Word just crashes down and rolls over me • One of the subjects that Isaiah speaks to over and over again is God’s greatness and man’s weakness • In our Thursday night study, we looked at the foolishness of trusting in the Egyptians to deliver Judah from the Assyrians • God says why are you trusting in the Egyptians, they’re just men • They don’t have the power to deliver you, but I’m God and I do… so turn to me for strength • One of the problems God had with Judah is the number of people who were willing to trust the strength of man… not the power of God THE ISSUE IS STRENGTH • For those who are very strong, always able to cope and handle every situation • I have nothing to offer you today • People look to you for strength because you have it all together • You’ve got money, power, influence • For you this might be the perfect time to take a nap… maybe catch it later online • But sooner of later, that day comes when everyone must confess… I just can’t do it by myself… I need help So this message is for those who recognize their weaknesses STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis

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WAVES OF PROPHECY

You take good pictures, get lots of likes on Facebook, people say you’re the perfect looking family o But behind the smile is pain and inside you’re struggling… this message is for you • You struggle with sin in your life and in the hour of testing, you’re too weak to resist o You fight, but you’re not strong enough to conquer it… so you fail… this message is for you too • You’ve said in your heart I’m going to be more committed to God o I’m going to pray more, read my Bible more, watch less TV, go to Thursday Bible Study, help out at the church o Yet you’re not able to carry through on your promises to God… this message is for you • Maybe you’re facing a challenge that’s too big for you, maybe it’s an illness and you sense you don’t have the strength to push through • Or maybe life has become a burden too heavy to bear, you feel tired and you want to quit Listen to what God says Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. THE SECRET TO STRENGTH IS WAITING ON THE LORD • Now when you’re in the middle of a situation, how often do you feel the pressure to act? • I’m in trouble. I have to act. I have to fix the situation NOW. • And yet Isaiah says that strength comes when we wait on God • And there are 3 reasons that Isaiah gives as to why we should wait on the Lord FIRST REASON: THE GREATNESS OF GOD • When you’re facing an overwhelming challenge you need someone great enough to overcome the challenge Isaiah says God is greater than, bigger than your challenges Isaiah 40:12 (NKJV) STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis

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WAVES OF PROPHECY

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Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? • Isaiah says that God is so big that he measured the waters in the hollow of His hand • Imagine the entire Pacific Ocean in the hollow of God’s hand? • He says that God measured the heaven with the span of his hand • The span of your hand is from the end of your pinky to the end of your thumb when your hand is stretched out • Imagine God measuring the universe with the span of His hand • He weighed the dust of the earth, the mountains and the hills on a scale • Think of the scale needed to weigh Mount Everest… that’s one big scale • Vs. 15 Isaiah says the nations are like a drop in a bucket • Hawaii is a very little thing for God to pick up… it’s nothing to God I like to wrestle with the kids and every now and then they’ll hit me and I’ll say… what was that? A flea? They hit me again… what was that? A piece of paper? I think you hit me with a piece of paper! • • • •

That’s what our challenges are like to God… We freak out, it’s too big, too much Lord… but it’s not too big for God That’s why we need to wait on the Lord… He’s big enough to handle our challenges

SECOND REASON: THE WISDOM OF GOD • When you’re facing an overwhelming challenge you need someone with wisdom who has been there and has overcome Isaiah 40:13–14 (NKJV) 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? • Isaiah says… who is God’s counselor? Who taught God? Who gave God understanding? • Were you there when the world was created Mr. Hawkings? • Did you see God hang the earth in space? STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis

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WAVES OF PROPHECY

Did you see God form man and woman out of the dust of the earth? Did God ask you how you think the world should be governed? Did God seek your opinion concerning the laws of nature and physics? Vs. 26 we’re told that God has numbered and named every star in the universe… over a billion starts in the Milky Way alone and over a billion galaxies in the universe… how many names of stars do you know? • And yet there is a tendency in man to think that man knows better than God • • • •

Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says about Jesus… Hebrews 4:15–16 (NKJV) 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. • Jesus not only faced the challenges that we face, but He overcame • We can go to Him and obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need THIRD REASON: GOD IS WITHOUT EQUAL • When you’re facing an overwhelming challenge, you want to deal with the person that has ultimate say Isaiah 40:25 (NKJV) 25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. • Isaiah says when you go to God, you are going straight to the top • That is why Isaiah had no tolerance for men trying to mold or carve out a likeness of God • Because when you confine God to a shape, an idea, a concept that you can understand and explain… you put God into a box • Whenever you put God into a box, you always end up making Him less than He really is • Here’s the problem with God… He won’t let you box Him in • He breaks out of your box and I’ve seen people disillusioned… I thought I had God figured out? Why did God allow that to happen? What is God doing? Why is God not doing what I want Him to do? I prayed didn’t I? • It’s in these moments that we discover that we really don’t know God STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis

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WAVES OF PROPHECY

• We don’t really believe God or take Him at His Word • And I watch people either surrender to God, or regroup and take another stab at it in their own strength, or give in to discouragement and quit • God doesn’t see me, God isn’t concerned about me That’s what Israel said Isaiah 40:27 (NKJV) 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? It’s in these moments that God comes and says… Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV) 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. • Don’t you know? Didn’t you hear? This eternal, magnificent, God • The God who created the world, who never quits or gets tired • You can’t figure Him out… but this is what He will do for you Isaiah 40:29–30 (NKJV) 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, • When you get weary and begin to faint, He is willing to hold you up • When the temptation gets too heavy and you start to fall, He will deliver you • When your future is confused and you don’t know where to turn, He will guide you • When your problems overwhelm you, He will be your counselor • When there seems to be no way out, you are tired of fighting the opposition and you begin to sink, you stretch out your hand as you start to go under the water… He will grab your hand • And when everyone else fails, He never fails HOW CAN I EXPERIENCE GOD’S HELP? Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis

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But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. The secret to God’s strength is to wait on the Lord • It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do • It’s the greatest test of faith I’ve ever encountered… to wait on the Lord • Satan will challenge you… what are you waiting for? Do something! • Your friends will misunderstand you… what are you doing about it? • I lost one of my best friends because I was waiting on the Lord in a situation and he thought I was in it for the money and not the Lord • But the most dangerous place I can be is that place where I believe that I can handle a situation • I’ve got the authority, I don’t need to seek God, I’ll just do what I want • Foolish arrogance and pride • I’ve got this one handled God The greatest place of strength is when I know I am beat • I’m too weak to try anything else • I’ve run out of ideas, I’ve given up… I’m just waiting on the Lord • Lord I don’t know what to do… I need you to move • God, I don’t have the answers… I need your counsel • When I’m in that place, God promises His strength o I learn to rely on God’s power to fulfill what He requires of me • God promises His perspective… I’ll mount up with wings like eagles o I’ll see things from His heavenly vantage point o I learn to not look at tomorrow’s burdens with today’s strength o As your days, so shall your strength be (Deut 33:25) • I’ll run and not be weary, I’ll walk and not faint o He gives power to the weak o To those who have no might He increases strength (vs. 29)

STRENGTH FOR TODAY / Isaiah 40:28-31 © 2014 Holland Davis