Why is it so important to wait for what God has for you instead of accepting a substitute that's almost, but not quite, what you wanted?
Have you ever made a mistake by moving too fast on something? I have. I've had to learn the hard way what the Bible teaches in Proverbs 21:5: "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want in a hurry."

I remember one of the first new cars I bought. I'd been believing God for years to own a particular kind of car, and finally, I was able to negotiate a very good deal on one. But the day I went to pick it up, the salesman told me, "I'm sorry, Keith, but my manager won't let me sell you this car for what we agreed on. We have to go up on the selling price."

Of course, I should have walked out. After all, they make cars every day. I should have said, "No thanks. I'll wait until I find one at the right price." But did I do that?  No.  I stood there, looked at the car, kind of hem-hawed around and said, "Ok." And missed God.

The price was too high. Because of that, I couldn't pay the total amount in cash, so the payments were too high. And I had trouble with the car. It never did run right. I missed God. Why? Because I moved too quickly. I'd been wanting a new car for years and years. And I was so close to having one. I wanted it...so I got it!

I had to learn that moving too quickly is a good way to lose money and miss God's best.

The Second Line of Defense
This experience—and some others like it—taught me that the enemy has a special technique he uses when he can't make you give up standing in faith for something. Of course, his first objective is to get you out of faith. He tries to make you look at circumstances, to cast away your confidence, to become discouraged and quit.

But if he doesn't succeed in getting you out of faith—if he sees that look in your eye that means you've had a taste of victory before and you're not going to quit believing God—then he moves back to Plan B. At that point, he tries to slip in a substitute on you.

His second strategy is to get you to settle for much less than what God has for you. You see, if Satan can't have a total victory, he'll take a partial one. His primary objective is to get you to give up and get nothing. But if he can't achieve that goal, he'll drop back to his second line of defense and attempt to trick you into accepting a substitute.

He counts on the fact that your flesh wants what you're believing for so much, you'll settle for something that doesn't satisfy your heart.

Have you ever done that? Have you ever settled for something that didn't quite satisfy you?

Maybe those shoes were just what you'd been looking for, but they were a half size too small. You were just barely able to squeeze your right foot into one of them, but the salesperson kept saying, "Don't worry. They may be a little bit snug right now, but they'll stretch. However, if you want to wait, we can order a larger size and have them for you in about six weeks."

When does your flesh want those shoes? Now! (And yesterday would have been better!)

Now is one of your flesh's favorite words. You buy the shoes that are too small, the dress that's the wrong color, the car that's too expensive or the computer system that doesn't have all the features you wanted, because of the impatience of the flesh.

Remember…"the carnal mind is enmity against God"…and those who are in the flesh cannot please Him (Rom. 8:7-8). When you settle for what the flesh wants now instead of waiting for what truly satisfies your heart (spirit), you miss God's best.

Why Wait?
Why is it so important to wait for what God has for you instead of accepting a substitute that's almost, but not quite, what you wanted?

Well, let me ask you this: When God answers your prayer of faith and you receive something from Him, is it going to be almost up to your expectations? Will you have to say to Him, "I guess this will do, Lord, but, You know, I really had my heart set on a blue one"?  Of course not!

We serve a God Who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power working in us (Eph. 3:20). What you receive from God should be more than you asked. It should have features you didn't even know you wanted because you didn't know they existed.

Therefore, if something shows up that's only almost up to what you were believing for, it's not from God. The gifts God gives are good and perfect (James 1:17). Perfect means complete, flawless, entire and lacking nothing. So, if the gift doesn't completely satisfy you, don't settle for it. It's not from God. It's a substitute the enemy is using to make you miss God's best.

"Make Do" Won't Do
The principle of not settling for a substitute isn't limited to material items alone. It applies to every area of your life. For instance, a young single man approached me one night after a service.

"Brother Keith, I'm a young minister with a call of God on my life, and serving God is my first priority. But I want to be married, and I'm believing God for a wife the best I know how. Two young women have shown some interest in me, and it might be possible for me to pursue a relationship with one of them. But, the problem is, I'm just not super-excited about either one of them. Do you think I'm being too hard to please?"

I said, "No! Don't try to make yourself be satisfied with someone who isn't quite what you have in your heart. That's no reflection on them. It simply means someone else is right for them and another person is right for you. Don't settle for a substitute. Be patient. Keep believing God, and He will send you His best. Don't settle for something that doesn't satisfy your heart."

Timing Is Everything
It pays to wait and keep believing God, because when it's right—you'll know it. You'll have a knowing on the inside of you that this person, this opportunity, this thing is the one God designed just for you.

Attempting to talk yourself into being satisfied is an indication you're trying to settle for something that's not what God has for you. As long as you're questioning and wondering...that means it's not for you.

But when it's right, you'll know. You'll say, "Yes! This is it!" People can try to talk you out of it, but you'll just smile and say, "Praise God, this is it! This is my Ephesians 3:20. This is my James 1:17. This is the one that satisfies my heart."

Moore Life Ministries
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