Expectation. Hebrews 11:1-2, 6NKJV
What are you expecting? One thing I do know if you expect nothing you’ll hit that mark every time!
Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758— “Persons need not and ought not to set any bounds to their spiritual and gracious appetites, [instead they ought] to be endeavoring by all possible ways to inflame their desires and to obtain more spiritual pleasures…
Our hungering, and thirsting after God and Jesus Christ and after holiness can’t be too great for the value of these things, for they are things of infinite value…[Therefore] endeavor to promote spiritual appetites by laying yourself in the way of allurement…There is no such thing as excess in our taking of this spiritual food. There is no such virtue as temperance in spiritual feasting.”
The writer of Hebrews reminds us one thing that hasn’t changed and that is faith—Having faith in God—the unseen.
Hebrews 11:1-2NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
Who were some of those elders? Abraham, Noah, Moses, Rahab, Sarah Etc.
You’ll be in good company!
Hebrews 11:6NKJV But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Think about it, I can’t please God without faith. Therefore, Faith is my substance of things hoped for…
Again, as a believer, “Your faith becomes your substance.”
For instant, If our faith—Is always our substance for seeing folks saved, restored and delivered—guess what? We shall have it.
Remember this, “Faith is a thought-style before it becomes a life-style.”
Maybe your faith is your substance to prosper in business. —“I say, keep your faith in God and keep your faith wrapped around your dream.” P.H
What is expectation…For the believer its acting as if your miracle has already happened.
You say, “God your Word says, ‘That faith gave the elders a good testimony; therefore, the faith I inherited, through Jesus, will produce my on-going testimony.”
Say—“My faith will produce a good report.”
Hebrews 11:6TM It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek him.
I was listening to a 20’s something testimony. He said when he was a teen he considered himself a “christian atheist.” To him a Christian atheist is someone who claims to believe in God, but who lives like He doesn’t exist.
He said, “During those years, I begin to look around and saw everyone else just standing around, and even more sitting, he said, ‘they’re just going through the motions of worship, acting like it was a thing of the past.”
According to the writer of Hebrews 11:6, God rewards those that diligently seek him.
Seeking Jesus becomes ongoing, and in-return, there’s on-going rewards. P.H
Just to name a few—Growth in relationships, Improved lifestyle, greater discernment, fruitful living, a keen awareness to the spiritual gifts, physical prosperity and strong faith others will be drawn to etc.
Isaiah 26:3-4ESV You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith, for they trust in you. 4 Trust in the Lord from this time forward, even in Yah, the Lord, an enduring protector!
There should be an active pursuit after God. Our Testimonies should be—“Im actively pursuing God.”
The tournament of Roses parade has a long-standing tradition. On New Year’s morning we get to see those elaborate floats—which have taken nearly a year to construct—paraded through the city streets. It quite a show, and it draws the attention of millions around the world.
One year, a stunning float came to a sputtering stop in the middle of the street. It was out of gas! Can you imagine the embarrassment? The entire parade was held up until someone could help them get refueled.
The awkwardness of the moment quickly turned to humiliation as the crowd discovered that the offending float represented the Standard Oil Company. —The company whose business was power, run out of power! Max Lucado, God Came Near: God’s Perfect Gift
Again, Faith becomes the substance of things…hoped for…the evidence…think about it, Your faith becomes evidence.
What is Evidence? Exhibit, testimony, proof refers to information furnished in a legal investigation to support a contention. Evidence is any information so given, whether furnished by witnesses or derived from documents or from any other source.
Hearsay evidence is not admitted in a trial.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substances…
Substance is costly—It entails dreaming, vision, time, devotion, study, plans, vision-casting to others, writing down the pros, and cons, it involves money, sometimes surveys, and a lot of hard preparation and work.
“Is what you’re holding onto good substance?"
Hebrew 11:2 Again says, By it (faith), the elders obtained a good testimony.
These elders kept their faith-evidence near their heart, and their mouth.
They pursued forward always progressing toward their faith dreams.
“If what you’re believing for, moves you, and it moves God, stay in faith, because it’s just a matter of time!” P.H
What is faith? Faith means, “organizing your life around your expected miracle.” P.H
You begin to—plan it. Talk it. Believe it.
a). You begin to plan for your expected miracle.
b). You begin to talk it, talk it to yourself, as well as others, as the Lord permits.
c). You begin believing, seeing, and having visions of your intended miracle.
Abel received a good report, that he was righteous; and Enoch, pleased God, and walked with him, and he was not, for God took him. Noah, was a just man, perfect in his generation, and also walked with God; and Abraham, was a believer, he was called a friend of God, and one that feared and obeyed him; and Job, he was a man that feared God, and shunned evil; and Moses, that he was a meek man, and a faithful one; and David, that he was a man after God's own heart, and fulfilled his will; and so others: and they received this report by faith, and as a fruit of it; which shows that faith is no new thing, and that the character of a believer is an old and honorable one. John Gill’s exposition of the Bible, biblestudytools.com, Hebrews 11:2
Expectation qualifies you for receivership. It transfers you from the masses who need miracles...to the chosen who receive them.
Expectation begins with a single seed, and grows from there.
Hebrew 11:32-40TLB Well, how much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and all the other prophets. 33 These people all trusted God and as a result won battles, overthrew kingdoms, ruled their people well, and received what God had promised them; they were kept from harm in a den of lions 34 and in a fiery furnace. Some, through their faith, escaped death by the sword. Some were made strong again after they had been weak or sick. Others were given great power in battle; they made whole armies turn and run away. 35 And some women, through faith, received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were beaten to death, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free—trusting that they would rise to a better life afterwards.
36 Some were laughed at and their backs cut open with whips, and others were chained in dungeons. 37-38 Some died by stoning and some by being sawed in two; others were promised freedom if they would renounce their faith, then were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in dens and caves. They were hungry and sick and ill-treated—too good for this world. 39 And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; 40 for God wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared for us.
As I close, here’s some question to ponder upon: Are the things I hope for Godly? Do they make a difference in my spiritual life? How do they affect others? Does the things I hope for touch God’s heart? Do they have any eternal value? Will what I hope for help me, so in return, I can help God’s Kingdom?
Benediction.
