CLARITY

“Strengthening Your ‘Delay Muscle’”
Pastor Doug Heisel – October 9, 2022

Genesis 25:29-34 — One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

“All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

“Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

We will all be tempted to trade what has LASTING VALUE LATER, for what brings LIMITED ENJOYMENT NOW.

How To Strengthen Your “Delay Muscle”

1. Embrace good THEOLOGY first. God is good and has GOOD things for you. Some blessings are NOW but some are LATER.
   
   1 Timothy 6:17 — Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
   

   Deuteronomy 4:40 — Obey the laws and commands that I am giving you today so that things will go well for you and your children…
   

2. Value PAUSING so you can ask, “Is there a FUTURE benefit or blessing at stake?”
   
   Hebrews 12:16-17 — See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
   

3. Believe that delayed gratification is POSSIBLE.
   
   1 Corinthians 10:13 — No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
   

4. Write down who you want to be in the FUTURE and REFLECT on that often.
   
   Hebrews 12:2 — Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.