Chris Bailey III - The devil In The Delay

Haggai 1:2-5 KJV
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built. [3] Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, [4] Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? [5] Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai is not one of those books we crack open often (Old Testament between Zephaniah & Zechariah), but he has a powerful ministry as one of God's prophets. The LORD called him to speak after the release of the people of Israel from Babylonian captivity. A group of God's people returned to settle their homeland and rebuild the temple. But 16 years later, the project was not finished. The people had homes but the Deliverer of the people didn't. In short, personal business took priority over prophetic business.

The hearts of the exiles who returned to rebuild were noble and courageous to obey the call of the LORD Jehovah to rebuild. They knew His will and were well versed in His intentions and what they should and should not be doing. While being careful to avoid "the devil in the decision" and not stay in Babylonian captivity, they fell prey to "the devil in the delay" by not following through on entering into complete restoration - which included a living connection with God as embodied in their completion of His temple. Their example teaches us that just because we are in a better situation, that does not make it the best situation. Complete restoration was not limited to just being out of our past. It means to be living fully in God's intended blessed present.

Remember when Jesus said the parable:

Matthew 25:21 KJV
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Notice how the lord in the parable didn't say you were faithful over a few, so I'll promote you a few. That would be fair. But with the Everlasting Father of Love Who emptied the treasury of His heart and gave us His only begotten Son, that's not enough! No, Jesus said the lord promoted the servant of a few, with MANY! Could it be that God is waiting to upgrade us with many if we would allow Him to lead us to finish a few things?

To forgive or to be forgiven. To quit, for the last time. To start, by the power of God this time. He's not asking us to go back to the old life and destroy our ceiled houses or houses with ceilings, He's just asking us to finish His temple and go forward into a fellowship reflected in complete followship.