One day, I was hanging up from a phone call that let me know something had been taken care of that I had tried to work out for a few weeks. The phone call brought much relief, because after trying to work it out myself I had become frustrated and was nearing angry – therefore I let it go and prayed instead. I had told God that He would have to work it out or it would not get worked out.
Needless to say, the phone call was a nice surprise. As I hung up the phone I heard something in my spirit. I heard ‘from now on expect things to go well for you and become much easier.’ That was great news.
Since that day I have meditated on the word ‘expectation’ a great deal. Today I could not get it off my mind. I began to ponder on the many expectations of people I knew from ministry and how difficult it is to have a good expectation if bad things have happened or if you have been disappointed by having good expectations and seeing the opposite happen.
After studying this word I have found our expectation is vital to seeing a favorable outcome. Let me share the definition of ‘expectation’ with you from the Webster’s 1828 dictionary.
The act of expecting or looking forward to a future event with some reason to believe the event will happen. Expectation differs from hope. Hope originates in desire, and may exist with little or no ground of belief that the desired event will arrive. Expectation is founded on some reasons which render the event probably. Hope is directed to some good; expectation is directed to good or evil.
Isn’t that interesting – hope is wishing and it’s only foundation is desire. However, expectation is founded and grounded on something. The other interesting thing I have found is that hope or wishing is always for something good but when it comes to expectation, it can go either way – good or bad. You expect one or the other to happen.
Psalm 62:5 says our expectation is from God. If our expectation is from God then it is founded on the word of God – it is grounded on the word of God. And if you are really grounded in the word of God then you shouldn’t expect anything but good. What I am saying is that we MUST change our expectations and make sure that we are expecting – fully expecting – something good – because every good and perfect gift comes from God.
Let me share one more thing I found about expectation. An additional meaning is: the state of expecting, either with hope or fear. According to this definition you will either expect with hope or fear – or we could say with fear or faith. This should make it simple to determine what we should be expecting.
If you expect in faith and according to the word of God then you are expecting a good outcome. That is what the word of God promises us – Jeremiah 29:11 says; For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil to give you an expected end. God has promised us an expected end and He wants a good expected end…however, what we expect is up to us, therefore to a great deal of our end result is also up to us.
Some people don’t tithe because they expect if they do that they will run out of money. Some people do tithe knowing when they do they will have the expected end that the word of God promises them. Each expectation has a foundation, one of faith and one of fear. One is founded on the word of God and one is founded on the lies of the devil.
Some people love easily because they know that God has promised them that love never fails. Others refuse to love because they have been hurt and the fear of being hurt again drives them.
If I can get one thing across to you today it is this; if you are not fully and always expecting what God says will be then change your expectation and do it now – it may be difficult but it is a choice. When the enemy comes whispering in your ear and says ‘this is going to happen’ talk back to him, tell him what the outcome is going to be and confess your expected outcome – refuse to back off of it.
I have had reasons to expect bad outcomes in certain situations however, since God spoke this to me I have literally been practicing expecting according to the word of God AND every time I did and stood firm on it – I have seen my expected end. You see that day God didn’t say ‘things will go well and easier from now on’ He said ‘EXPECT’ them to. He showed me that I have a part to play in the outcome. He was telling me to change my outcome by changing what I expect.
I have a promise from Him, from His word. Proverbs 23:18 says ‘your expectation shall not be cut off.’ This works both ways, for our good and for evil, you will and I will get what we are expecting – what are you expecting?
