More often than not, people shy away from expectations or expecting but what is the bible saying about expectations? I don’t need to ask if you have an expectation because i know that you do. I do have an expectation as well and we all do.
We all are expecting answers to one prayer request or the other, we all want to see our desires fulfilled and our needs met. but most times people tend to suppress or set limits to their expectations because they feel the more you get your hopes high, the more you’ll be disappointed
What is expectation
Expectation is the act of looking forward to a future event with at least some reason to believe that the event will happen. (Some reason to believe). Your expectations are your strong hope and believe that something will happen or that you’ll get what you want.
This is where the difference between expecting from God and man lies. This is also the reason why some people don’t see the manifestation of their expectation. When your hope or expectations are toward God, you must at least have some faith, even though it is as tiny as a grain of mustard seed, it could move mountains.
What does the bible say about Expectations
A lot of time you hear people say that it is better not to expect anything if don’t want to be disappointed. They feel it’s better not to expect at all because of what they might have been through or because of the series of disappointment they’ve had to go through. While this might be true with man, it cannot be true within God’s family.
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The reverse is the case with God. The more you expect from God, the more you get. In fact if you don’t expect anything from God you can’t get anything. You must have an expectation when dealing with God.
expectation in the spirit (God’s kingdom) and expectation in the physical (the world) are two very different things. Expectation is a very powerful force in the spirit. In the world, you are advised not to expect or to keep your expectations low so you don’t get disappointed. But in the kingdom you come expecting because you won’t receive anything if you are not expectant anything.
that’s why Matthew 7:7 said; Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you’ll find, knock and it shall be opened to you. You’re asking, seeking, and knocking because you have an expectation.
God could have given you what you wanted without you having to ask, but he said ask, seek, and knock why? Because he is aware of your expectations and he wants you to communicate them with him (fellowship) and so he gave a platform for conversing those expectations of yours with a free token of faith to access them.
When you expect little, you’ll get little but if you expect much, you’ll get much. Whatever you ask in prayer believing, you’ll receive (Matthew 21:22).
In order words whatever you expect in faith you’ll receive. You can receive anything you ask (expect) because the word of God said your expectations as a believer will not be cut short. It didn’t say some of your expectations but that your expectations shall not be cut short. (Proverbs 23:18).
If the bible said your expectations won’t be cut short then they won’t be so why been afraid to expect? Your hope should in God and not in a man. Many people are disappointed because their confidence is in man and not God. When the hope or faith backing your expectation is based on a man, you may be disappointed because a will always be a man.
That’s why (Jeremiah 17:5) said; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm. I like the way the NIV said it; it says cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh (man) and whose heart turns away from God.
Reasons why you don’t see the manifestation of your expectations
Empty Expectations
Empty expectations are faithless expectations and they don’t come to manifestation. Most times people don’t see the manifestation of their expectations because they don’t trust God enough to bring to fulfillment their expectations. When faith meets with expectation, the results thereof are unlimited. We must understand that God’s promises must through faith come to pass in our lives.
In order to see the fulfillment of these promises in your life you must believe that God is able to make good his promises concerning your life. Remember all your expectations as a believer, are summed up in his promises and his will concerning your life.
As long as your expectations are not contrary to his will, and they are based on his promises, and as long as you are have a right stand with him you’ll definitely see the manifestation of your expectations, because his words will not return to him void, but will accomplish his desire and achieve the purpose for which he sent it, (Isaiah 55:11). And also, because the expectations of the righteous will not be cut short (proverbs 23:18)
Just like faith without work is dead, so expectation without faith is empty. If you must see the manifestation of your expectations, you must believe that God is able to bring to manifestation that very expectation of yours. You must never doubt his power to fulfill his promises.
Contrary/wrong expectations
Sometimes, people don’t get the answers to their prayers or the manifestation of their expectations because their expectations are not in line God’s promises. If your expectations are not based on his promises they’ll not be fulfilled. If your expectations are based on his promises, then be rest assured that his words won’t go back to him void, (1 John 5:14).
Also if your expectations are selfish and lustful you’ll never see the manifestation of your expectations (James 4:3)
Impatience
Impatience is a very deadly and dangerous enemy to expectation. While expecting, you must be patient and wait for God to bring to manifestation your expectations. God does not work with your time but his time. It might seem to you like your expectations are not coming forth but to God they will definitely come to pass. Delay is not always denial.
Your faith is much more needed when it seems like they aren’t coming forth. Remember father Abraham also waited. After waiting for fifteen years for the child of promise, God visited him and reassured him that the promise would be fulfilled in due time. It took another 10 years after the reassurance for the promise to come. That is a total of 25 years of waiting and yet the bible said he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God. (Romans 4:20-21)
Many would have lost hope and probably told God that there was no need for the reassurance, if he couldn’t do it within 15 years there was no need for waiting any further. If you must see the manifestation of your expectations then you must believe and you must be patient.
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Things that triggers or quickens the manifestation of expectations
- First of all, you must trust God completely. You must believe that he is able to do all things and that there is nothing too big or too small for him to do. You must believe that nothing at all is impossible with God, (Luke 1:37). If you must see the manifestation of you expectations then you must trust and depend solely on God, and nothing wavering.
- Secondly, you must maintain a joyful heart. Never give room for sorrow or self pity. Being sorrowful indicates that you don’t completely trust God. Faith gives rest. If you trust him enough you won’t be anxious, you’ll be at peace, because you know whom you’ve believed in and so you’ll always be happy and joyful believing that in due time your manifestation will come.
- Finally, you must understand that it can only be God’s time and not yours. It’s not yet coming doesn’t mean it won’t come. It’s just not your time yet. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1) including your expectations. So be patient and Wait for God.
Don’t ever run faster than God because you’ll always end up running back to him wounded after you must have wasted your time. You can’t afford to waste your time because timing is everything. Stick to him no matter how long it takes, remember the vision (your expectation) is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Habakkuk 2:3), and also, remember that he makes everything beautiful in his own time-(Ecclesiastes 3:11). The wait is for the best.
Conclusion
When your expectations are based on man you’ll always meet disappointment. A lot of people have been disappointed severally that they forget to realize that God is not a man that lies. They seem to forget the authenticity of his word and so they avoid expectations in order not to be disappointed. But the truth is, if you don’t expect you can’t receive. You’ll be cheating yourself if you don’t expect from your father. Expectation births manifestation. Whatever your expectations may be, it is impossible to see them come to manifestation without faith.
Be sure to also read: Reasons for unanswered prayers
