Rhema Ehiemere - Not On My Watch

On your way, you still look at your neighbor and tell them, «Not on my watch!» How’s everyone doing? Good! You know, whenever we pray, God has three responses: God has the «yes,» God has the «no,» and God has the «wait.» All the people who know my text already are preaching my sermon! God has the «yes,» God has the «no,» and God has the «wait.» I like the «yes.» How many people like it when God says «yes»? And I’m not trying to be sarcastic. You can clap, actually—seriously! Some may be thinking, «Hmm, what is he about to say?» No, I genuinely like it when God says «yes» because it means that there’s going to be a manifestation of what you are praying about. But I have grown to appreciate God’s «no» because God’s «no» can be my protection. Sometimes we praise God a lot—often for open doors—but maybe we need to stop thanking God for closed doors. Thank God that I did not marry that other lady—the one you met in high school. Oh, okay, I’m just joking! But think about it: oh, she’s a closed door—no! I’m just joking! The thing is, the «no’s» are as important as the «yes’s.» The part I’m still trying to figure out is the «wait» because sometimes God says «yes» and sometimes He says «no» because He knows that what I need is not a manifestation for myself; I need protection from myself, and that is fine—the «yes» and «no.» But the «wait,» God, can you tell me how long is too long? Can you tell me how long? What do you do when God says «wait»? What do you do when God just says, «Hold on for a second»? Because we, as humans, have the proclivity and propensity to always be in a hurry. We don’t like to wait; we want it now. We want it quick. We live in this microwave generation; we want it immediately! But do you know that every single day, including today, you are either going to wait on something or wait on someone? Every single day! Some of you had to wait for your spouse to get dressed this morning. The solution to that is to have two cars. Some of you had to wait to catch a flight; some of you had to wait for the coffee to brew. Some of you, all through life, have had to wait. How many people hate waiting in the pickup school line because the line just goes all around? I drop my kid off, then come back at 2, come back at 1:30, and see the lines long and think, «Who are these parents? Why don’t you just homeschool your kids? Why do you want to wait for two hours?» That’s just me trying to vent because I’ve been driving and thinking, «What am I not doing as a parent?» The wait! Every single time we find ourselves, a mom has to wait for nine months before she can see the child. A farmer has to wait sometimes for weeks, for months, to see what he has planted. And I know you can relate to this: because every now and then, some of you are going to have to wait on the Amazon guy to deliver your package. Even when you get to the restaurant, sometimes you have to wait for the waiter. All through life—in fact, there was research that indicated we spend about three to five years of our lives waiting in lines and queues. Waiting is a part of life, but what makes waiting frustrating and difficult is because I don’t know how long I’m going to wait. If you could tell me, God, how long—I just want to have a conversation with you, Lord! If you can tell me how long I can wait, then maybe I would have waited with a better attitude. Then maybe I could wait without cursing that person out because then I would know that, even though the traffic light is red, it’s eventually going to turn green. Now, it’s not easy to wait at the traffic light because you know it doesn’t matter what is happening; it’s still going to become green. You can wait because you know it’s counting down—32 seconds, and you know that. But when you don’t know how long is too long, it becomes frustrating! And I know this doesn’t happen to you because you guys are saved and sanctified, but for people like us who are sinners, it happens to me! Because every now and then I ask, «God, how long should I wait for the breakthrough? How long should I wait for the house? How long should I wait for the spouse? How long should I wait for the blessing?» I don’t know about you—but have you ever found yourself in a place where you asked the Lord, «How long?» The Bible says something I love: «All the days of my appointed time, I will wait till my change comes.» The waiting game—the holding pattern. As I thought about this, Pastor Phil, God told me that what you become during the waiting season is the transition season, and in transition, there is transformation. Watch this! What you become in transition is your gift to God. I’m ready to preach today! But what comes after the transition is God’s gift to you. Some people, during transition, become more consistent while waiting in between.