Exceeding Your Expectations

Living with Expectation: Trusting God's Promises in Your Life

Do you wake up each morning expecting God to move in your life? Or do you find yourself doubting whether He'll come through for you? True faith requires expectation—a confident assurance that God will do exactly what He has promised.

Why Should We Live with Expectation?

God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives. This isn't just positive thinking; it's biblical truth. Jeremiah 29:11 in the Amplified Bible says, "For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

When we truly understand God's character, we can walk with expectation because:

1. God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19)

2. His Word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89)

3. His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11)

4. All His promises are "Yes" in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Our faith isn't in ourselves—it's in the Lord Jesus and what He did for us. The power of sin has been broken in our lives through Christ's sacrifice, giving us the ability to overcome through the Holy Spirit's power.

What Does God Expect From Us?

While we focus on our expectations of God, it's important to understand what God expects from us:

• Daily commitment to Him (not just Sunday attendance)

• Trust in His timing and methods

• Regular prayer with expectation

• Filling our minds and hearts with His Word

• Putting Him first in all areas of life

Without these elements, we can't experience the power God wants to manifest in our lives. Church attendance alone won't bring transformation—we need daily connection with God through prayer and His Word.

How Can I Increase My Level of Expectation?

Our level of knowing, understanding, and experiencing God comes directly from our level of expectation for Him. If you want to see miracles in your life—whether healing, deliverance, or breakthrough—you must have expectation in Jesus.

Here's a powerful illustration: During a severe drought, an entire town gathered to pray for rain. Hundreds came to pray, but only one little boy brought an umbrella. That's expectation! He prepared for the manifestation he believed would come.

Similarly, there was a story of a man with a club foot who came to a healing service bringing a brand new pair of tennis shoes. He expected God to heal him—and he wore those shoes home!

What If My Prayers Haven't Been Answered Yet?

God doesn't always work on our timetable. We live in a fast-paced society where we want immediate results, but God often works differently. His timing is perfect, even when it doesn't align with our expectations.

If you've been praying for something for years without seeing results, don't give up! One pastor prayed for his father's salvation for over 20 years before it happened. What if he had stopped believing?

Remember that expectation makes preparation for manifestation. When we truly expect God to move, we position ourselves to receive what He has promised—even if it takes time.

How Does Expectation Impact Others?

Our level of expectation doesn't just affect us—it impacts those around us. When we live with genuine expectation in God's promises, it creates an atmosphere where others can experience God's power too.

Like the pastor who felt led to pray for healing in a church that didn't practice it, our obedience to God's leading—even when it goes against tradition or seems unlikely to succeed—can open doors for God to move in miraculous ways.

Life Application

This week, I challenge you to live with intentional expectation. Start each day declaring God's promises over your situation, whatever it may be. Don't just pray about your needs—prepare for God's answer as if you know it's already on its way.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What area of my life am I struggling to have expectations in? Why?

2. Am I filling my mind with God's Word daily so I know what His promises are?

3. What practical step can I take to demonstrate my expectation that God will fulfill His promises to me?

4. How might my level of expectation be affecting those around me?

Remember, expectation isn't wishful thinking—it's standing firmly on God's Word, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill every promise. As you align your expectations with His truth, you'll begin to see His power manifested in ways you never imagined possible.