“I have been shown that the most signal victories and the most fearful defeats have been on the turn of minutes.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 497

What is a minute man? This is a common term that many of us are familiar with. It originated in the USA military. In U.S. history, an American Revolution militiaman who agreed to be ready for military duty “at a minute’s warning,” is called a minute man.

These men wait, but they wait being ready. Ready to go on a moment’s notice.

This is what we are to be as Christians. We are fighting a spiritual battle, (Ephesians 6:12) and we must be ready to answer the call of duty without delay, sometimes on a moment’s notice.

We must not, however, run ahead and act before orders are given. Sometimes there is a need to wait. Wait, but be ready.

Moses felt ready to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage at the age of 40, when living in the court of Pharaoh, but it was not the Lord’s time. Moses had to wait another 40 years, tending sheep, before the Lord sent him. When it was time to go, Moses was instructed to go, and to go now. Although he was a bit hesitant when the Lord met him at the burning bush, nonetheless he went, and ever after was a minuteman for the Lord.

One time when King David went to fight the Philistines, the Lord told him to wait, and go hide behind some mulberry trees. “And when David inquired of the LORD, He said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.  And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.” 2 Samuel 5:23–25. David had to wait. He had to be ready when the sound came at which point he had to act immediately.

Also, just prior to the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension, His disciples went back to Jerusalem and waited. (Acts chapter 1). They waited and prayed and then suddenly one day the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they acted immediately and went to preach the gospel message (Acts chapter 2).

Sometimes the Lord tells us to wait. It is not easy to wait when you have an idea of how things should be done.  You want to get started immediately. But we must learn that sometimes it is God’s will that we stop and wait. Some have run ahead of the Lord and gone their own way and made disaster of their faith.  Waiting is difficult for the impatient person who is always in a rush to get somewhere, or who is late for an appointment.

While waiting, we need to be praying. “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Psalm 4:4. The Lord tells us sometimes to, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10, and, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

To King Jehosaphat the Lord said, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17. There will be times when we have a plan, but God says, “no.” King Jehosaphat was not to do any fighting. The Lord was to do the fighting. Also, King David wanted to build the house of the Lord, but the Lord said, “Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.” 1 Chronicles 28:3.  David was a man after God’s own heart, but yet the Lord did not allow him to build the temple. His son was to build it.

Then when the time comes that we are to go, we are to act immediately.

The Apostle Peter acted immediately to go to the home of Cornelius when the Lord directed him (Acts chapter 10). Philip, the Evangelist, went immediately to speak with the Ethiopian when the Holy Spirit directed (Acts chapter 8).

How do we know when to go? And when to wait? It takes a lot of faith and prayer, and a very close connection with the Lord. We must be minute men for the Lord. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21. We need to hear that voice.

When it comes time to act, we need to act with no hesitancy. Abraham acted when he was told to go and sacrifice Isaac. He asked no questions, he just went.

Nehemiah saw a task that needed doing and made no delay in going to do the work. He did not sit down and try to figure out if he had enough material resources, or manpower to complete the job. He just went and trusted in the Lord.

“To defer work which needs immediate attention until a more convenient time is a mistake and results in loss. The work of repairing sometimes amounts to double what it would had it received attention in season. Many fearful losses and fatal accidents have occurred by putting off matters which should have received immediate attention. The season for action is spent in hesitancy, thinking that tomorrow will do; but tomorrow is frequently found to be too late.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 452–453

“Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, ‘Go forward.’ We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, ‘Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;’ but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 290

Ancient Israel hesitated to enter the Promised Land because they were fearful of the “giants” in the land. This hesitancy led to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

“Every moment is freighted with eternal consequences. We are to stand as minute men, ready for service at a moment’s notice. The opportunity that is now ours to speak to some needy soul the word of life may never offer again. God may say to that one, ‘This night thy soul shall be required of thee,’ and through our neglect he may not be ready. (Luke 12:20.) In the great judgment day, how shall we render our account to God?” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 343

“God requires promptness of action.  Delays, doubtings, hesitation, and indecision frequently give the enemy every advantage.” –Gospel Workers, p. 134

“Long delays tire the angels. It is even more excusable to make a wrong decision sometimes than to be continually in a wavering position, to be hesitating, sometimes inclined in one direction, then in another. More perplexity and wretchedness result from thus hesitating and doubting than from sometimes moving too hastily.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 497

“Delays are virtually defeats.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 500

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1

May God help us to be His minutemen and women. There is a time to wait and to pray, and there is a time to move and act without hesitancy. How do we know what we should be doing? Wait on instruction from the Lord and when He tells you to act and to go, then do as He tells you without questioning or a moment’s delay.  We will then be victorious in the battles of this life and receive our crown of victory in heaven. Amen

Wendy Eaton