Do we have big enough expectations?

 Do we have big enough expectations?

 

How do you define hope?  Do you define it as most of the world has come to define it which is basically wishing?  Actually, hope is to have an expectation for something or that something will happen and this is especially true in a Biblical context. 

Take a look at the following verses and every time you read hope say expectation.  

 

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 

 

Romans 15:12-13 And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.” ¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

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.

 

When we pray do, we really expect what we are praying for to happen?  Could it be that we don’t have a faith problem but a hope/expectation problem because we are limiting our faith by not expecting?  

What do you think would happen if we really expected everything that God has said, promised even, was for us?  For example, what if instead of wishing that God would heal someone when we prayed for them to be healed, we instead just laid hands on the person expecting them to be healed? (Mark 16:17) 

Could it be that the reason for so much worry and anxiety in the church is that we don’t have big enough expectations?  Do we know the scriptures enough to have big enough expectations?

I will end this with the best example I know of.  When I go to get money from my bank account, I go with the expectation that they are going to give me the amount I put down on the withdrawal slip.  I have no doubts and don’t ask them for it or beg for it.  Before I go to the bank, I know how much money that is in my account and so I 100% confidence that any amount up to the total balance that is there I can get.  Why do we not have the same confidence to expect what God has provided for us?

 

Now may the God of expectation fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in expectation by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

 Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

 

2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

 

In this verse Elisha gives us an example of what we need to do when we are in doubt.  That is that we are to take action.  

Elisha had asked for a double portion of the Spirit that was on Elijah and Elijah had told him that if Elisha saw him be taken it would be his.  Elisha saw but obviously he still had some doubt hence the question “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”.  Even with doubt, though, Elisha took action. He struck the water with the mantle just as he had seen Elijah do. The water parted, not because of what Elisha said, because those were words of doubt, but by the act of faith that he did.  

The power that doubts can have in our life is if it keeps us from taking action.  Elisha did twice as many miracles as Elijah and he didn’t have what we have.  First, we have the complete written word of God, in Elisha’s time the scriptures were still being written.  Second, as believers, we have God the Holy Spirit living within us.  What more do we need to go forward and take action?  Why should we allow doubt to bind us in fear and inaction?  

Doubt without action becomes unbelief.  Acting upon what God’s word has said, what the Spirit prompts, even with doubt in your thoughts, is still faith. Trusting God to move doesn’t require us knowing how or when, it is acting as if He will because it is His will. 

Let it Go

 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

 

As we read these verses, we see that one of the ways that we humble ourselves is by casting ALL, our care upon Him. 

 For a clearer understanding the definition of all is- Every one, or the whole number of particulars. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or degree; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all the strength. This word signifies then, the whole or entire thing, or all the parts or particulars which compose it.

It is so important to remember that there is NOTHING too big for God but also there is NOTHING to small form God either.  We need to be giving it all to Him.  Every and anything that we could possibly care about in any degree we need to cast on Him.  It is a lack of humility to do otherwise.  It is a lack of humility, and a lie, to think that something is too small to trouble God with as if we are doing the Lord a favor but not bringing something to Him.  Do we not understand that EVERYTHING compared to God is a small thing?  It is the height of arrogance, really, to not cast every single thing that troubles us and that we care about upon Him.  

He cares for us, He already knows what the need is, He is just waiting for us to release it.  He will not forcibly take our cares, troubles and worries from us.  He is not going to fight with our pride.  He will though willing accept everything that we will release to His care.  

I finish with a line from a song that was popular a few years ago.  “Let it go, let it go”