Presented by KANG Jolivette EWO

This topic could be rewritten as “ single and waiting for marriage and all the blessings that come with marriage in Gods presence”

Definitions

Single: Unmarried.

Wait: To stay in a position in anticipation of something

The Presence of God

• God is omnipresent meaning His presence is everywhere Read Psalm 139:7-12
• Even though He is everywhere, He will never impose Himself on anyone. You have to invite Him into your life before His spirit can dwell in you and before you can be considered His Romans 8:9 Msg version: But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about.
• His presence can be revealed to anyone however he chooses

Why do you want to get married?

As Christian women, our definition of marriage should not be same as non- christian women. We must see marriage as a covenant through which we and the husbands we marry will use to advance the kingdom of God

• We are not getting married to please society
• We are not getting married to alleviate poverty
• We are not getting married to pepper our enemies
• We are not getting married because all your friends are getting married
• We are not getting married because you are getting old
• We are not getting married because your family says so

Understanding Singleness in God’s Eyes

• Singleness is not a curse but a gift from God 1 Corinthians 7:7 But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another. It’s a season where one can focus entirely on their relationship with God, growing in faith, character, and
• Jesus Himself was single, and His life serves as the ultimate example of dedication to God’s will and purpose
• Singleness allows individuals to serve God with undivided attention Read 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, engaging in ministries and missions without the responsibilities of marriage.
• You need to heal
• You need wisdom
• You need to grow spiritually
• You need to break patterns
• You are single because God is preparing you to be the best version of yourself as a wife; most of us do not understand what is expected of us as wives. We do not understand what it means to submit and why we have to submit. We are prideful
• God is keeping you single to transform you from within to mold you into the biblical wife His son deserves; once you are in God’s presence, there is a change that happens inside of you. You begin to realize that the things you enjoyed doing before, contrary to God’s commands, you find no pleasure in them any more. You start noticing a change in your character and attitude
• You are single because God is fixing, healing and moulding your husband for you Ephesians 5:25; Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. He will only bring him into your life when he can love as He instructed.
• He wants you to marry for the right

The Period of Waiting

• There is no form of waiting that is easy. Everything that has to do with waiting comes with a lot of thought.
• The devil brings about a certain consciousness during your period of waiting that what you are waiting for may never come and that makes waiting very excruciating as those thoughts can leave you in doubt and fear but what does the bible say about waiting and fear?

 Isaiah 40:31; but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

 2Timothy 1:7; For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind

• When waiting for something in particular, you can tend to feel like one who has not accomplished anything. In that period, everything else seems very unimportant as long as you do not have the one thing you are waiting for. This can bring about discouragement and mistrust in God.
• Sometimes, we spend our period of waiting feeling rejected and downcast because of the many failed relationships and broken promises we have had.

 Lets consider the story of Jacob, Leah and Racheal. Put yourselves in Leah’s shoes. She was given to Jacob as wife instead of Racheal. Jacob was very clear about his feelings for Racheal that he preferred to work for 7 extra years to get her as a wife. How would you have felt if that was you?

 What Jacob did not understand was that Leah was not a mistake to begin with. She was God’s way of showing him mercy after he made the wrong choice (at face value, Racheal looked like the right choice but she wasn’t).

 Leah was the choice the of God. All the consequential tribes of Israel did not come from Racheal. They came from Leah. (Judah, Levi, Moses, David, Jesus) the lineage of the messiah came from the rejected woman.

 The fact that you are rejected doesn’t mean you are ordinary. You may just be with someone who doesn’t know who you are

 Sometimes people may not know who you are and God likes it so, so that you can mature, develop and become.

The Importance of Waiting for Marriage

• Marriage is a sacred covenant instituted by God designed to reflect the relationship between Christ and His church.
  • Genesis 2:24;That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
  • Matthew 19:5-6;’For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh )
• Waiting for marriage honours God’s design for intimacy and companionship

 Hebrews 13:4; Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

• Patience in waiting for the right partner demonstrates trust in God’s timing and wisdom

 Proverbs 3:5-6; Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on. your own understanding; in all your ways submit to. Him, and He will make your paths straight

• Matthew 6:8 that our father in heaven knows what we need even before we ask for it. Thus we need to have confidence that as we wait on him, He will surely fulfil his word, promises unto us and the prayers that we pray unto him.
• God wants the best for us. Jeremiah 29:11; For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
• God’s will must prevail in the end whether we like it or not. God is going to do what He wants to do, no matter what. In Isaiah 46:10 God says: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’.” God’s silence is not always a no. His silence sometimes is a wait. He may not answer right away but He will answer. He may not answer how we want, but He will answer. He will provide what is best for you when it is best for you. Just pray for the ability to obey and align with His will for you
• God’s timing is always perfect and the only option we have is to trust Him Ecclesiastes 3:11; He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Often times it’s not how long we think it should be. Most times we run out of patience and stop waiting whereas all we needed was to wait a little longer
• Waiting gives us an expectation based on knowledge and trust; waiting on Him is knowing that He will give you the best and you do not have to settle for less Philippians 4:19; But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
• waiting gives us time to seek When we enter God’s waiting room we are not to just sit doing nothing. Rather, we need to spend time seeking Him. This means:
  • Time in   the   Word   studying,   seeking   answers,   and   claiming   God’s promises;
  • Time in prayer praying about the issues, praying for wisdom and discernment;
  • Time meditating on who God is, what He wants to do in us and through us, and on what we need to do by way of answers and direction.
• Waiting gives us time to examine and evaluate our motives and attitudes, our values and priorities, and our goals and objectives in life.
• Waiting gives us time to pursue our purpose

Guidelines for Waiting in God’s Presence

• Seek God’s will above all else Matthew 6:33;But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you .
• Spend time in prayer and meditation, seeking His guidance and direction in all areas of life.

 Mark 1:35; Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

 James 5:16; The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much

• Cultivate a relationship with God through His Word. The Bible serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path Psalm 119:105; Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. God’s word provides wisdom and discernment in decision-making.
• Surround yourself with a supportive community of believers who can offer encouragement, accountability, and godly counsel Proverbs 27:17; As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
• Know God for yourself. The moment people know you are gullible, they will impose themselves and their beliefs on you

    Hosea 4:6; My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge

 John 8:32; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 2Peter 3:18; But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

 2Timothy 3:16; All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

 Philippians 3:10; I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death

 Romans 12:2; Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• Create a gratitude journal and a blessing list 1Thessalonians 5:16-18; Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
• Work on yourself: practice self love, emotional intelligence, acquire skills, educate yourself, exercise, dress well

 Genesis 1:11; God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them. If God created us in His image and we know that God is love, then we are love.

    Psalms 139:13-14; You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.

 1peter 3:4; Instead, make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes

• Meet new people; take walks, go out with friends, visit new places
• Do the things you enjoy doing
• Look for people who have what you consider the kind of marriage you want and make yourself an intercessor in their marriage: the same God who has done it for one will do it for you.

 Romans 10:12-13; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever shall call upon name of the Lord shall be saved

• Do not distance yourself from your friends whom God has blessed with the blessings your require. When God is in the neighbourhood, do not run away from that neighbourhood

Embracing Contentment in Singleness

• Contentment in singleness comes from finding fulfilment in God alone Read Philippians 4:11-13 Recognize that true joy and satisfaction are found in His presence.
• Trust God’s plan, knowing that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him Romans 8:28; And we know that all things work together for God for them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. His timing is perfect, and He has a beautiful plan for your life.

Conclusion

Embracing singleness and waiting for marriage in God’s presence is a journey of faith, patience, and surrender. By seeking God’s will above our own desires, trusting in His timing, and finding contentment in His presence, we can experience the fullness of life He intends for us. Our take home message from this retreat should be from Psalm 37:4, which says “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” May we find joy and fulfilment in Him as we wait expectantly for His perfect plan to unfold in our lives.