27 Apr God Gets People to “Yes”

Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? If so, are you now, or have you ever been in a holding pattern waiting for “The Next Big Thing”? Are you waiting for a “Mountaintop Moment” where God shows you something amazing He wants you to do? If you are, you might be missing what He has for you right now. As Oswald Chambers put it, God doesn’t manifest Himself to His children, He manifests Himself in His children.

God may be calling you to something that you are saying no to because you’re waiting for something big. And the thing you’re missing might be big! There are some very famous “no” moments in the Bible:
Moses said no when God directed him to challenge Pharaoh:

10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” 13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Exodus 4:10-13 (NIV)
Esther said no when her uncle called on her to approach the King to save the Jews from annihilation:

9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” Esther 4:9-11 (NIV)
Jonah said no when God directed him to go to Ninevah and call on its people to repent:

3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:3 (NIV)

Despite an initial no from the trio, God got them all to “yes.”

Moses:

After God chastises Moses for questioning how He made Moses’ tongue and mouth, Moses still resists. God eventually got him to yes:

14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. Exodus 4:14-15

Esther:

Through God, Esther’s Uncle Mordecai convinces her to approach the king, despite the risk:
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 (NIV)
Then Esther says yes, after asking the Jews to fast and pray for three days:
When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16 (NIV)

Jonah:

God got Jonah to yes by having him thrown overboard, swallowed by a “great fish” and then vomited ashore:
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Joshua 3:1-3 ( NIV)

So, if you’re sitting idle waiting for the next big thing, ask God to show you what you might be missing. If it’s because you’re rejecting what he’s already called you to, our loving God will patiently get you to yes.

Pastor Jerry Bader