Gospels
THE DIVINE SCHEDULE SERIES: 2026
MESSAGE BY: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE & PASTOR (MRS) FOLU ADEBOYE
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MATTHEW 28; LEVITICUS 20–21
MEMORISE: “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (PSALM 27:14)
BIBLE READING: ISAIAH 40:28–31
I. THE ONTOLOGY OF THE EVERLASTING GOD
Isaiah 40:28 begins with a challenge to our limited human perspective: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard…?” Our anxiety about timing usually stems from a misunderstanding of who God is. We serve the Everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He Fainteth Not: Unlike human systems that crash under pressure or human leaders who burn out, God’s energy is infinite.
No Searching of His Understanding: We try to “figure out” God’s schedule using our calendars and biological clocks. But God’s understanding is unsearchable. He sees the end from the beginning; He is not just “ahead” of schedule—He is the Schedule.
The Exchange of Strength (v. 31): The Hebrew word for “wait” (qavah) implies a “binding together” or “twisting like a rope.” When you wait on God, you are intertwining your weakness with His strength. This is why the result is not just endurance, but renewal.
II. THE TESTIMONY OF THE LONG FAST: A LESSON IN PATIENCE
Last year, when the instruction came for my children to embark on a 100-day journey of fasting and prayer, the “mockers” were many. In a world of “instant gratification” and “microwave breakthroughs,” 100 days seemed like an eternity. People questioned the necessity, the science, and the spiritual “efficiency” of such a long period.
However, the “proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Today, we are overwhelmed by testimonies that could only have been birthed through that specific period of waiting.
Delayed, Not Denied: Some of those breakthroughs were “ripe” on Day 10, but some required the full 100 days for the “spiritual atmosphere” to be perfectly aligned for a permanent victory.
The Reward of Obedience: Waiting is not passive; it is an active form of obedience. When you wait as instructed, you are telling God, “I trust Your clock more than my watch.”
III. THE THREE STAGES OF THE WAITING REWARD
Isaiah 40:31 details three distinct ways God rewards those who trust His timing:
1: Mounting Up (The Eagle Phase): This is for the seasons when you need a “High-Level Perspective.” God gives you the grace to soar above your problems, seeing them from His viewpoint.
2: Running (The Momentum Phase): This is for the “Fast Seasons.” When God’s time finally arrives, you will accomplish in one month what others couldn’t do in ten years. You will run and not be weary because the strength is supernatural.
3: Walking (The Consistency Phase): This is perhaps the hardest. It is the grace to keep moving forward in the “mundane” days without losing heart. You walk and do not faint.
IV. COMPREHENSIVE Q&A: NAVIGATING THE “WAITING ROOM”
Q1: How do I know the difference between ‘Waiting on God’ and ‘Procrastinating’ or ‘Missing an Opportunity’?
Answer: Waiting on God is always accompanied by Peace. If you are anxious and fearful, you might be hesitating out of fleshly fear. If you have a word from God but the door hasn’t opened yet, and you have a quiet assurance in your spirit, you are in the “Waiting Room” of the Almighty.
Q2: What should I be doing while I wait?
Answer: You should be Serving, Sowing, and Singing. Don’t let your life come to a standstill. Like the eagle, keep your eyes on the Sun (The Son). Join the current fast, pray “like never before,” and stay occupied in God’s business.
Q3: Why does God sometimes wait until the ‘Last Minute’ to intervene?
Answer: God rarely comes when we want Him, but He always comes when we need Him. He waits so that when the breakthrough happens, no man can take the glory. He waited until Lazarus was four days dead so that there would be no doubt that a miracle had occurred.
V. THE STRATEGY FOR ENDURANCE IN 2026
Silence the Mockers: Do not discuss your “waiting period” with people who have no spiritual depth. They will discourage you.
Focus on the Character, Not just the Gift: God uses the waiting period to “strengthen your heart” (Psalm 27:14). He is more interested in who you are becoming while you wait than in just giving you what you want.
Lean on the Love of the Saviour: As our hymn says, “Free and changeless is His favour, all, all is well.” Your expectation of a “bright tomorrow” is not based on luck, but on the Father’s love.
VI. REFLECTION & PRAYER SUITE
QUIZ: Even though waiting on God’s timing may seem difficult, He provides the STRENGTH to endure such periods.
KEY POINT: God’s timing always brings the best outcome.
PERSONAL PETITIONS:
1: The Heart-Strengthening Decree: Father, I receive the “Good Courage” mentioned in Psalm 27. Strengthen my heart today! I refuse to be weary, and I refuse to faint in this season of waiting, in Jesus’ Name!
2: The Eagle-Grace Activation: Lord, grant me the grace to mount up! Give me a fresh perspective on my current situation. Let me see the end from Your viewpoint, in Jesus’ Name!
3: The Fast-Season Breakthrough: Father, as I join in this current fast, let my obedience trigger a supernatural harvest. I trust Your timing for my marriage, my career, and my health, in Jesus’ Name!
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:
4: The Bright Tomorrow: I declare that my tomorrow is bright! I sing through my days of sorrow because I know that “All is Well.”
5: The Supernatural Momentum: I declare that my period of “walking” is turning into a period of “running.” I shall overtake those who started before me because the hand of the Lord is upon me!
HYMN 8: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR
Faith can sing through days of sorrow, ‘All, all is well.’ On our Father’s love relying, Jesus every need supplying, in our living, in our dying, all must be well.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 28, Leviticus 20–21
PRAYER: Father, help me to wait with joy. Thank You for working behind the scenes for my good. I rest in the assurance that Your timing is perfect. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
