The Silent Years


What are The Silent Years? The Silent Years are:


1. The years you know you have a vision which is God-given but nothing is happening


2. The years you feel very strong about the ministry God has put in your heart and no one listens to you


3. The years when you pray and do not hear or feel anything


4. The years when everyone else is getting their breakthrough and nothing is going your way


5. The years when you have a dream - a vision - and no one even seems to care - especially those who you feel could and should help you


The Silent Years are the most important years in your life.


PURPOSE: To explain to those of you who are wondering where you are in God’s overall scheme that He hasn’t forgotten or forsaken you - YOU ARE JUST GROWING.


We are going to look at the scriptures about three famous people to see how their lives set the pattern for times of growing. JESUS, JOHN THE BAPTIST, & MOSES.


LOOK AT JESUS - Luke 2:21-22 NKJV


21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;

44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.


1. We know the Christmas story as told in Luke. That was our first encounter with Jesus. Then, V21 tells us of His 8th day - V22 tells us of His 33rd day. (For a male child the days of purification were 33 - a female, 66.)


2. Jesus disappears from age 33 days until V42 where we learn He is now 12 years old. What was happening during The Silent Years? V40 gives the answer - He was GROWING!!!!


3. V43 shows us something interesting. The Son of God and the Son of Man have a conflict. Jesus disappeared - his parents were worried - this was not normal behavior. Finally He was located. He was “listening and asking questions.” Jesus had something inside Him which caused Him to KNOW He was called. He was so ready to minister, He began to minister “before His time.”


4. Jesus again disappears from view. This time it is for 18 years. V52 tells what happened from age 12 until age 30. What was He doing? He was GROWING!!!!


God will release you when He is ready to release you. Stop trying to kick doors down and stop getting mad at everyone who does not let you do what you think they ought to let you do. When God releases you, nothing will be able to stop you. What you need to do is stop struggling and begin to pray for the favor of God. When the favor of God is upon you doors open. People who don’t even like you will hold the doors open for you. Pray for more favor and quit struggling. P.U.S.H. (pray until something happens)


LOOK AT JOHN THE BAPTIST - Luke 1 assorted


57 Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.

59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.

60 His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John."

67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.


1. The birth of John was a miraculous birth. You can read about the events earlier in chapter 1.


2. Our first record of John after his birth was on the 8th day - the same as Jesus.


3. V67 - Here John gets a tremendous prophecy. It is thrilling to hear. Have you ever had a thrilling prophecy spoken over your life?


4. Now, John disappears from view. He is gone from 8 days until 30 years of age. What was John doing? V80 - He was GROWING!!!!


LOOK AT MOSES - Exodus 2 & 3 NKJV


1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.

2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.

10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."

11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

7 And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

10 "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

12 So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

13 Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" 14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"


Here we see the story of Moses being hidden. WHEN YOU ARE DESTINED FOR GREATNESS, YOU MUST BE HIDDEN FOR A WHILE.


1. A butterfly has to be hidden in order to be transformed. The caterpillar crawls into a cocoon and disappears.


2. In order for Moses to grow, he had to be taken into Pharaoh’s house.


3. Sometimes you have to be taken into another man’s house in order to grow.


4. V11 - Moses did grow - He stepped into what he thought was his destiny - His first act was to kill a man. He was not ready.


5. V15 - Off to the desert


6. 3:11 - This time when the call came, Moses was humble.


7. vv13-14 - Moses asked God who was sending him - God said, “I AM THAT I AM.” When God backs you and sends you out, He qualifies and ratifies you to the people.


PRINCIPLE: When we are full of self, we do something and then ask God to bless it. Then we wonder why it fails. We say, “But God, I stepped out on faith!”


YES - You must step out on faith and trust that God will open the doors. However, if you step out on faith and the doors do not open, STEP BACK! It is like an electric door when God begins to cause doors to be open. You step - He opens. (Be careful, there are slow opening electric doors and there are fast opening electric doors.)


YOU CANNOT AVOID THE SILENT YEARS


STORY: A man and woman walked into a store. Immediately their eyes fell on a beautiful teacup sitting on a shelf. They began to exchange conversation concerning how beautiful this teacup was. Suddenly the teacup spoke:


1. I was laying in the ground for countless years. People would walk on me, pass me by, not recognize me. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


2. I became a lump of clay. I was patted and rolled. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


3. I was spun on a wheel and shaped. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


4. I was put into an oven and baked. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


5. I was taken out of the oven and painted on. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


6. I was put back in the over - twice as hot. I said, “Stop, I can’t stand this anymore.” The Master said, “Not yet.”


7. Finally after all of that, I became this.


Galatians 6:9 NKJV And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.


GOD HASN’T CHANGED THE PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. GOD HAS YOU EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTS YOU.


Psalms 139:1-5 NKJV


1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.


TIME IS NOTHING WITH GOD. We have a limited concept of time. The time we relate to is only as old as we are.


Psalms 90:4 NKJV For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.


2 Peter 3:8 NKJV But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.


We pray ~ “God, please make me more like Jesus. We sing, “I want you to purge and burn me to make me pure.” God just says, “Ok - 12 more years for you - 18 more years for you - back into the fire - back into the oven.”


STORY: A man walked into a goldsmith’s shop to buy some gold. No one was there, but he saw the back door was opened. He walked out the back door and found the goldsmith sitting beside a fire stirring a large pot. Every now and then the goldsmith would look into the pot and resume his stirring. “Come and sell me some gold,” said the man. “Not now, I can’t. I must watch this fire and get all of the impurities out of this gold I am working with” said the goldsmith. Again the man called out to the goldsmith - he received the same answer. “Why do you have to watch the fire and the gold?” questioned the man. The goldsmith replied, “I must not allow the fire to get too hot or too cold or the impurities will not come out.” Then the man asked, “How can you tell when the gold is done?” The goldsmith replied, “When I can see the reflection of the image of my face in it.”


NOT YET!


SOON!


IN DUE TIME!


AT THE APPOINTED TIME!


(Do you know what these words mean? They mean when God is ready.)


Isaiah 49:2 NKJV And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me."


Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV


23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.


PRINCIPLE: In your Silent Years, do not curse your seed.


1. This just isn’t doing any good at all.


2. I’m just wasting my time.


3. I’m not changing


4. No one will ever notice me.

5. Everyone gets theirs but me.


6. Doors never open for me.


Why is it so common for people in church settings to quit? Because they are doing things for the wrong reasons. Don’t do it for a pat on the back or to been seen by man. Do it because you love God.


FINALLY WE UNDERSTAND - IT IS ALL ABOUT THE LORD, NOT US.