Sunday January 9th, 2005
Sermon: Raising the level of Expectation part II
Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-21
If you were to look close, we could see that God has been trying for some time now to encourage you. There have been many people who you have crossed paths with who are more successful—marriages, finances, talents, ministry—people enjoying God’s favor. They are people to be encouraged by, not jealous of. How many times and how long has God been trying to plant new seeds in your heart and the soil has been hard?
I used to work on homes—beautiful homes and during that time Renee and I were on welfare. If we hadn’t believed God and believed we could have better, that God could bless us too, we would still be there.
It’s time to start believing for and speaking out for a better marriage, a better home, a better job, greater happiness and joy. It’s time to say and believe that you can soar to higher heights.
God is trying to fill you with so much hope and expectancy that the seeds in you even now will grow and bring forth a tremendous harvest. God says, Behold, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? In other words, are you making room for it in your own thinking?
Isaiah 43:18-21
Forget all that, don’t look back at the past, forget the former things--it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do! I’m going to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Don’t you see it? Forget what happened in the past, don’t dwell on events from long ago. That new thing is already happening. Do you recognize it? The people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
All things are possible—Mark 11:22
Like the Virgin Mary and others, it’s not going to be by your might or your power, but by His Spirit. The power of the Almighty Most High God is going to come upon you and cause it to happen. Are you ready? With God on your side, how can you possibly lose?
He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He will open doors that no man can shut and shut those that no man can open!
He will supernaturally turn your life around—if you believe in your heart that all things are possible.
My question is: Will you believe?
When it gets tough and the challenge is difficult or seems impossible, praise Him. Thank Him for fighting your battles. Thank Him for showing you the far and beyond immeasurable, favor.
Getting rid of the old wineskin means to get rid of that small-minded thinking and start thinking as God thinks—BIG! Think increase. Think abundance. Think more than enough rather than a fifty cent raise, or a little bit of happiness.
There was a famous golfer who had been invited by the king of Saudi Arabia to play in a tournament. He accepted and was flown there by the King in his own private jet. They played golf, had a good time and the golfer went home. But before he left, the king wanted to give him something for making the time special—anything you want—the man was polite and said nothing, this was a wonderful time for me. The king insisted. The man said fine, I collect golf clubs, why don’t you get me a golf club. The man got on the plane and went home. The golfer was trying to picture the new club for his collection—he imagined it would probably be solid gold, or a sand wedge studded with diamonds—definitely a great gift from an oil rich king from Saudi Arabia.
The man waited and every day looked forward to the mail, but no golf club. Several weeks went by when he got a certified letter from the king—odd he thought—but where’s my golf club? To the man’s surprise when he opened the letter, inside was a deed to a five-hundred acre golf course in America.
The moral of the story is this: Sometimes kings think differently than you and I do. Sometimes we have to think outside of the box.
We serve the Most High God and His dream and desire for your life is so much bigger and higher and grander that you or I can even imagine. What is He telling us church?
It’s time to enlarge our puny little vision.
How?
Raise your level of expectancy!
I’m not here to say ditch your dreams, but the truth is, your life will follow your expectations. What you expect to get, you will get. The thoughts you dwell on will move you in that direction, whether they are positive or negative, that is the direction you will go.
If you expect defeat and mediocrity, your subconscious will make sure that is what you move toward. You will be sabotaged by your own thinking, you will fail because of what your mind has fastened on to.
That is why a key element to enlarging your vision is to raise your level of expectancy.
News flash, you have to change you thinking before you can ever change your living.
It’s time to start programming your mind for success. How? Well, it won’t be automatic. Each day, you must choose to live with an attitude that expects good things to happen to you.
What does the Bible say?
Isaiah 55:9—-Daniel 10:12
"Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer.
When you get up in the morning, the first thing to do is set your mind in the right direction. Say something like, this is going to be a great day, God is guiding and directing my steps, all day.
His favor surrounds me. His thoughts toward me are good. I’m excited about today. I will go forth with expectancy.
Then you get yourself up and march yourself right out to where you need to be and anticipate good things. Expect the circumstances that surround you to change in your favor. Expect to be in the right place at the right time. Expect people to go out of their way for you.
When the little lying voice from hell says you don’t have a chance, it’s going to be a lousy day, don’t even try to get your hopes up—don’t listen, don’t argue, tell it to shut up in Jesus name. God wants you to get your hopes up. We can’t even have faith without hope. Expect doors of opportunity to open for you. Expect to excel and rise above any challenges.
That’s where God meets us. At our level of expectancy. If you don’t develop the habit of expecting good things to come your way, then you’re mostly likely not going to receive anything good.
Jesus said this—Matthew 9:28-29
The blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, "Do you really believe I can do this?" They said, "Why, yes, Master!" He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe." Because of your faith it will happen. Have what your faith expects!
Some people expect the worse. Poor me, negative, negative, always bummed out. God, why don’t you do something? They are so overwhelmed with their troubles they have difficulty believing that anything good can happen.
Friends, that’s what faith is about—start believing that good things are coming your way, and they will. Start looking through your eyes of faith and see yourself in a better situation. Keep believing and watching. Hold on, press on and persevere. Make a conscious decision, an act of your own will, to maintain an attitude of expectancy and keep your mind filled with thoughts of hope.
Everyday say, this could be the day I see my miracle and thank you Lord for leading to it.
What do you do all that and it doesn’t work? What if you do and it does work? Whose kidding who. What is there to lose in keeping your hopes up? I know this, it won’t change if you don’t try.
