James 1:6-7 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

When God promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation, he was still living in his father’s house in Haran and it took 25 years before the promise was fulfilled physically. David was still a shepherd when the prophet Samuel anointed him to be king of Israel. He did not ascend the throne immediately; instead, he faced many trials before being crowned King.
 
Most of the time, when we receive a word from God, we want it fulfilled immediately even though it often does not happen right away. While we wait for the promises to manifest, here are three things we should avoid:
 
1. Do not be overly skeptical. Skepticism, as defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary, is an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object. Being skeptical of God means questioning everything God has said and maintaining an attitude of doubt. It is not wrong to ask God questions and to want specifics. However, asking God questions because you doubt He can do what He has said is what we should learn to avoid. God can do all things, if only we can believe in Him (Romans 4:21).
 
2. Do not change your confession. Many a time, after we have prayed and believed God for a long time without any physical manifestation of the promises or prophecies, we begin to dilute and adulterate our confession. For instance, God has specifically told some of you that you’ll be healed of that illness, and this has been confirmed through dreams and prophecies; yet, after waiting for years, you begin to say things like, “Not all diseases will be healed on earth,” and so on. Do not change your confession. Hold fast to what God has said, knowing that, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, NKJV)
 
3. Do not lower your standards. When a promise has tarried in manifesting per our human timing, we tend to want to “assist” God in fulfilling the promise. We see this in Genesis 16 when Sarah gave her maid to Abraham as a wife to bear him a child. She wanted to fulfill God’s promise with her understanding and timing. Since this was not God’s plan, it did not work out as she had hoped. Don’t try to “assist” God concerning His promises for you.
 
Precious one, if God has said it, believe His Word. Don’t change your confession or be overly skeptical, and don’t try to assist God. Very soon, you will see His promises manifest in your life.
 
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as I hold on to Your Word no matter what, let Your good promises be fulfilled in my life this year, in Jesus’ name Amen.