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Life’s journey is punctuated with moments of anticipation, where hopes and dreams seem just beyond the horizon. Yet, for many, these aspirations are met with unexpected delays and obstacles. While delays can test our patience and faith, as believers, we possess the authority and promise to overcome the spirit of delays that seek to hinder God’s purposes in our lives. Let us delve into understanding this spirit of delays and discover biblical principles to break its hold.
Understanding the Spirit of Delays
First and foremost, before you embark on the journey of breaking the spirit of delays, you must understand why you are experiencing it in your life. You see, delays in life can be caused by you, God, or the devil. You can be the cause of delays in your life when you are the type of person who doubts God’s ability. When you don’t have faith in God and what He promises to do for you, your breakthroughs may be delayed. Additionally, another way you can cause delay in your life is by sinning. When we keep on doing things that are contrary to the will of God, He may delay the manifestation of His promises and wait until we get back on the right track. The delay may be a way of God punishing us for our wrongdoings. So, when you experience delays, take time and do a soul search. Ask yourself if there is anything you did that could have caused the delay.
God may also delay your breakthroughs and blessings because it is not yet the right time. God knows all our needs and also knows when to grant them to us. Therefore, when he withholds the blessings from us, it is not always a bad gesture, but a matter of His timing. When the time is right, He will eventually grant us all that we ask from Him and even more.
Delays in a person’s life could also be caused by the devil. This is his work and is what he loves doing. He loves making us doubt the power of God and lose faith in Him. He uses delays to trick us into believing that God doesn’t exist, that He doesn’t love us, and that He has abandoned us. The spirit of delays operates as a strategic tactic of the enemy to obstruct, deter, and prolong God’s appointed blessings, breakthroughs, and divine assignments in our lives. This spirit manifests through prolonged seasons of waiting, unforeseen setbacks, and recurring obstacles that hinder progress and fulfillment of God-given promises. Recognizing its tactics empowers believers to engage in spiritual warfare, dismantling its influence and reclaiming God’s intended blessings and purposes. In John 10:10 (NIV), we are told that he intends to steal, kill and destroy what God has in store for us. And in 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV), we are told that he is always looking for someone to pin down. He knows about our destiny and the good future that God has for us, and he doesn’t like it. He moves around every day to destroy this destiny.
Remember, He is the father of all lies and can cause any situation to deceive us. So, we need to be very careful whenever we are experiencing delays in any aspect of our lives. Let us not jump to conclusions and give up waiting on God. He has a good plan for each of us and will never fail us.
To break free from the spirit of delays, we need to;
· Embrace God’s Perfect Timing
While delays may challenge our understanding and patience, it is essential to embrace God’s perfect timing. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” God’s timing transcends our finite understanding and circumstances, and aligns details according to His sovereign plan. Trusting in God’s timing cultivates patience, fortifies faith, and positions us to receive blessings beyond our comprehension. As we surrender our timelines and expectations, God unfolds His divine plan, fulfilling promises, and establishing divine appointments in His appointed season.
· Activate the Power of Prayer and Fasting
Breaking the spirit of delays necessitates prayer and fasting, aligning with God’s power to dismantle strongholds and release breakthroughs. Jesus emphasized the power of prayer and fasting in overcoming spiritual opposition, declaring, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting,” (Matthew 17:21). Therefore, you need to engage in strategic prayer, declare God’s promises over your life, renounce the spirit of delays, and release God’s angels to intervene on your behalf. As you commit to fasting, seek God’s face, align your heart with His will, and position yourself to receive divine strategies, wisdom, and breakthroughs to overcome delays.
· Activate Faith through God’s Word
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Faith in God’s Word serves as a powerful antidote to the spirit of delays. It activates God’s promises and propels believers toward victory. To break free from the spirit of delays, you need to immerse yourself in God’s Word, meditating on His promises, testimonies of His faithfulness, and declarations of victory. As you cultivate faith through God’s Word, align your confession with His promises, declaring victory, breakthrough, and fulfillment of His divine purposes in your life. Faith ignites divine acceleration, dismantles obstacles, and releases God’s supernatural provision, favor, and fulfillment of His promises beyond human comprehension.
· Cultivate a Lifestyle of Worship and Gratitude
Breaking the spirit of delays requires cultivating a lifestyle of worship, gratitude, and surrender to God’s sovereign will. In every season, embrace a posture of worship, acknowledging God’s goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty over your life. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages believers, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” We must learn to cultivate gratitude amidst challenges, trusting God’s unfailing love, wisdom, and provision. As you surrender your desires, timelines, and expectations, embrace God’s perfect will, trusting His divine plan and fulfillment of His promises in His appointed time.
Many of us are not aware of the power of gratitude in breaking the chains of delays and stagnation in our lives. When we give thanks to God for the things He has already done for us and for what we have, we attract His favor and grace. Giving thanks to God opens His heart to release the blessings He had withheld from us.
· Invite Jesus to Walk This Journey with You
Inviting Jesus to walk alongside us transforms our journey, just as He did for the crippled man at the well, (John 5:6-8). This man faced prolonged struggles, awaiting healing and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Despite his delays, Jesus intervened, breaking the barriers that hindered his restoration. In His compassion and power, Jesus addresses the underlying issues in our lives, releasing healing, hope, and divine provision. Like the crippled man, we are reminded to invite Jesus into our challenges. With Him by our side, barriers crumble, promises manifest, and we experience His miraculous intervention, leading us to newfound freedom, purpose, and blessings in our journey.
· Repent
Jeremiah 5:25 (NIV) says, “Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.” This verse tells us that when we do wrong, good things can stay away from us because of our sins. Think about the story of the Israelites. They should have taken only 40 days to reach their new home, but it took them 40 years because they often didn’t listen to God and made wrong choices.
Because of their stubbornness and not following God’s guidance, they faced a long and hard journey. This story teaches us an important lesson. When we make bad choices and don’t listen to God, it can lead to problems and delays in our lives. Instead, we should learn from the Israelites’ mistakes, and turn away from wrongdoing. By doing this, we can avoid unnecessary challenges and experience the good things God has planned for us.
· Forgive
Do you know that carrying grudges, hatred, and resentment in your heart can cause delays? Mark 11:25 (NIV) says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Before we ask God to do anything for us, we must let go of the grudges that we hold against the people who have wronged us. Do not let unforgiveness prevent you from experiencing God’s blessings, healing, abundance, and breakthroughs.
Conclusion
Breaking the spirit of delays in our lives requires discernment, faith, strategic prayer, and trust in God’s perfect timing. As believers, we possess the authority, promises, and divine strategies to overcome obstacles, dismantle strongholds, and walk in the fullness of God’s blessings. May your heart be steadfast to God’s faithfulness, victory, and unending love as you break the spirit of delays.
