“Your expectancy level will only be matched with your level of pursuit”. This is something I made as a quote, in a recent video from our weekly broadcasts called, Expect More. When we sit and think about it, expectancy is a part of every day life. When we order something from UPS, we expect a package to be delivered. When a wife is pregnant, both she and her husband expect a baby in approximately nine months. We don’t drive to a restaurant, sit down, look at the menu, and wonder after we order, “I hope I can get this food. It looks so good.” No, you place the order, then expect your server to bring you the meal. When you sit in a chair, you expect it to hold you up.
Expectancy is part of everything we do. So, with that in mind, I would challenge you all to think about faith in this regards. Why do we pray and see no results? Why do we ask God and then think, “Well, it must not be His will for me, since I didn’t receive anything.” With all that I mentioned above as examples, there was not one instance where expectancy was not a part. There was a certain pursuit that took place in order for the expectancy to be in existence. “What does he mean by that?”, some might ask. Well, take the above example of the UPS delivery. You have to do something in order to expect a package. You have to actually order something. Or, look at the husband and wife expecting a child. You can’t just expect a child without both the husband and wife having some involvement of an act to bring forth the conception. Do you understand what I am saying about that? Man and woman get married. Man and woman consummate a marriage, thus bringing forth conception, which brings forth expectancy.
What makes faith in God and answered prayers any different? Many people go around in life wondering why they never received what they were praying for. Well, the key ingredient to our expectancy is our level of pursuit. The only reason a person would not receive what they are praying for comes from two reasons, 1. They didn’t know Gods will regarding that thing in which they prayed about. 2. They did nothing to pursue what they were praying for. I could add the third reason as being that the person is living in sin, but we won’t go there for now.
“Faith”, the bible declares, “without works is dead!”, James 2:20 KJV. In fact, read the entire passage of scripture on this in verses 14-26. The Passion translation even says it another way, “So then faith that doesn’t involve action is phony”, James 2:17. It actually uses the word phony. Being phony is fake, not real, untrue, hypocritical, not alive, plastic. You put whatever definition you want together for the word phony and it will always relate to something that is not real. So when we operate in what we think is faith, yet have no movement (works) toward what we are believing God for, then we cannot justify our faith. Rather, we will then have to be counted as phony.
I don’t know about you, but phony does not belong in my vocabulary. Faith then, has to have an action that would be tied to our belief for an answer, in order to bring about an expected end. I would say that again, however, since you are reading this, I would suggest you read that last line again.
Some may be wondering, “How then can I see answers?” “What do I have to do?” Remember, first and foremost, the ultimate definition of faith is found from Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That “substance" implies something that is already in existence. So faith, therefore, is the very thing you see already as if it was there, though it may not yet be. Secondly, you have to come to God with faith, believe that he is, and believe that he will give you that which you are seeking. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” If you don’t have the MUST BELIEVE, part down, then you are in for a problem friend. You have to not only believe that God is but also that he rewards. So, you should therefore settle that in our heart today that God wants to bless you and reward you. He is not waiting to beat you upside the head with a stick for wrong doing. Nor does he want you so fearful that you never go to him with a request. Settle it today, while you read this. God WILLS to bless you. God WILLS to answer you for whatever you pray.
Now, the last two things I want to point out as very important to put into practice. These two things will greatly increase expectancy in your life, should you learn, apply, and practice them. First, we have to learn to speak correctly.
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus spoke clearly to us, what our faith should look like. “And Jesus, answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever [everyone, including you and I] shall say unto this mountain,, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall [not might] have whatever he saith”. Emphasis added.
The Passion Translation, in verse 22, Jesus tells us to “Let the faith of God be in you.” What does this teach us? Do we hope to have the things we speak? Do we pray until we feel like we prayed enough and then if nothing happens we think it must not be God? NO! We SPEAK the things we are praying for to happen. Jesus made it simple, yet perplexing to some. Whatever we SAY we SHALL HAVE. Why this is so hard for us to fathom is unknown. However, it is the truth because it is the word of God, which is truth. The faith of God is the same faith that spoke mountains into existence. The faith of God brought everything into creation. The same faith in the God who spoke to things that aren’t as though they were, as in Romans 4:17. And Jesus tells us to have that kind of faith? YES! That kind of faith. Call me a faith preacher all you want, but I take the word of God literally. I don’t question whether it is for me now or not. I understand the word, whosoever, means anyone! I have made a decision that just as Matthew 17:20 tells us, “ . . . and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Why would Jesus say the word, nothing, if he didn’t mean it. Do you think perhaps he was just over zealous as God here in the form of man and forgot we are “just” human?
So, we therefore must learn to speak those things that aren’t as though they were. We must learn to lean on the supernatural sight and not merely the eyes we have been given. We must remember that life and death are in the power of the tongue and whatever we speak produces results. In order to speak more over the things we are believing for, we must do as scriptures tell us in Psalms 1:1-3, and Joshua 1:7-8, and what other scriptures say to do, meditate day and night on the laws and precepts. Meditate meaning to mull over regularly, speak to yourself often. Not meditate as in sit in a leg crossed position, rock back and forth, and hum weird sounds out of your mouth. The more we get the word in us and mediate on it, the more the word will come out of our mouth and proclaim great things over ourselves and others.
Lastly, the action step of faith involves doing. If you are believing God for financial breakthrough, then sow seed towards it (yes I mean give money when you need money). The laws of sowing and reaping work, but we have to “do” or “put” seed into the ground in order for it to produce. That is faith. If you are believing for a house or land, work hard to help a neighbor in need of housework. If you are believing for healing for your body, then sow into others lives by laying hands on them for healing. If your family member is unsaved and you have been having a hard time reaching them, then go lead total strangers to the Lord as seed towards it. Remember, Galatians 6:7 tells us whatever we sow we will also reap. Either way, we need to involve action, always, to our faith in order to show we are not phony.
In conclusion, remember the examples we started with? Don’t let your expectations only be for the natural things we know we can attain easier. Stretch your faith and begin to expect God to move on you behalf. Just remember, don’t sit and wait doing nothing, which is the essence of someone who is phony, but rather put to action your faith and see God really move in your life. Amen?!
Blessings,
-Rev. R. Elliott Merskin
Expectancy is part of everything we do. So, with that in mind, I would challenge you all to think about faith in this regards. Why do we pray and see no results? Why do we ask God and then think, “Well, it must not be His will for me, since I didn’t receive anything.” With all that I mentioned above as examples, there was not one instance where expectancy was not a part. There was a certain pursuit that took place in order for the expectancy to be in existence. “What does he mean by that?”, some might ask. Well, take the above example of the UPS delivery. You have to do something in order to expect a package. You have to actually order something. Or, look at the husband and wife expecting a child. You can’t just expect a child without both the husband and wife having some involvement of an act to bring forth the conception. Do you understand what I am saying about that? Man and woman get married. Man and woman consummate a marriage, thus bringing forth conception, which brings forth expectancy.
What makes faith in God and answered prayers any different? Many people go around in life wondering why they never received what they were praying for. Well, the key ingredient to our expectancy is our level of pursuit. The only reason a person would not receive what they are praying for comes from two reasons, 1. They didn’t know Gods will regarding that thing in which they prayed about. 2. They did nothing to pursue what they were praying for. I could add the third reason as being that the person is living in sin, but we won’t go there for now.
“Faith”, the bible declares, “without works is dead!”, James 2:20 KJV. In fact, read the entire passage of scripture on this in verses 14-26. The Passion translation even says it another way, “So then faith that doesn’t involve action is phony”, James 2:17. It actually uses the word phony. Being phony is fake, not real, untrue, hypocritical, not alive, plastic. You put whatever definition you want together for the word phony and it will always relate to something that is not real. So when we operate in what we think is faith, yet have no movement (works) toward what we are believing God for, then we cannot justify our faith. Rather, we will then have to be counted as phony.
I don’t know about you, but phony does not belong in my vocabulary. Faith then, has to have an action that would be tied to our belief for an answer, in order to bring about an expected end. I would say that again, however, since you are reading this, I would suggest you read that last line again.
Some may be wondering, “How then can I see answers?” “What do I have to do?” Remember, first and foremost, the ultimate definition of faith is found from Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That “substance" implies something that is already in existence. So faith, therefore, is the very thing you see already as if it was there, though it may not yet be. Secondly, you have to come to God with faith, believe that he is, and believe that he will give you that which you are seeking. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” If you don’t have the MUST BELIEVE, part down, then you are in for a problem friend. You have to not only believe that God is but also that he rewards. So, you should therefore settle that in our heart today that God wants to bless you and reward you. He is not waiting to beat you upside the head with a stick for wrong doing. Nor does he want you so fearful that you never go to him with a request. Settle it today, while you read this. God WILLS to bless you. God WILLS to answer you for whatever you pray.
Now, the last two things I want to point out as very important to put into practice. These two things will greatly increase expectancy in your life, should you learn, apply, and practice them. First, we have to learn to speak correctly.
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus spoke clearly to us, what our faith should look like. “And Jesus, answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever [everyone, including you and I] shall say unto this mountain,, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall [not might] have whatever he saith”. Emphasis added.
The Passion Translation, in verse 22, Jesus tells us to “Let the faith of God be in you.” What does this teach us? Do we hope to have the things we speak? Do we pray until we feel like we prayed enough and then if nothing happens we think it must not be God? NO! We SPEAK the things we are praying for to happen. Jesus made it simple, yet perplexing to some. Whatever we SAY we SHALL HAVE. Why this is so hard for us to fathom is unknown. However, it is the truth because it is the word of God, which is truth. The faith of God is the same faith that spoke mountains into existence. The faith of God brought everything into creation. The same faith in the God who spoke to things that aren’t as though they were, as in Romans 4:17. And Jesus tells us to have that kind of faith? YES! That kind of faith. Call me a faith preacher all you want, but I take the word of God literally. I don’t question whether it is for me now or not. I understand the word, whosoever, means anyone! I have made a decision that just as Matthew 17:20 tells us, “ . . . and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Why would Jesus say the word, nothing, if he didn’t mean it. Do you think perhaps he was just over zealous as God here in the form of man and forgot we are “just” human?
So, we therefore must learn to speak those things that aren’t as though they were. We must learn to lean on the supernatural sight and not merely the eyes we have been given. We must remember that life and death are in the power of the tongue and whatever we speak produces results. In order to speak more over the things we are believing for, we must do as scriptures tell us in Psalms 1:1-3, and Joshua 1:7-8, and what other scriptures say to do, meditate day and night on the laws and precepts. Meditate meaning to mull over regularly, speak to yourself often. Not meditate as in sit in a leg crossed position, rock back and forth, and hum weird sounds out of your mouth. The more we get the word in us and mediate on it, the more the word will come out of our mouth and proclaim great things over ourselves and others.
Lastly, the action step of faith involves doing. If you are believing God for financial breakthrough, then sow seed towards it (yes I mean give money when you need money). The laws of sowing and reaping work, but we have to “do” or “put” seed into the ground in order for it to produce. That is faith. If you are believing for a house or land, work hard to help a neighbor in need of housework. If you are believing for healing for your body, then sow into others lives by laying hands on them for healing. If your family member is unsaved and you have been having a hard time reaching them, then go lead total strangers to the Lord as seed towards it. Remember, Galatians 6:7 tells us whatever we sow we will also reap. Either way, we need to involve action, always, to our faith in order to show we are not phony.
In conclusion, remember the examples we started with? Don’t let your expectations only be for the natural things we know we can attain easier. Stretch your faith and begin to expect God to move on you behalf. Just remember, don’t sit and wait doing nothing, which is the essence of someone who is phony, but rather put to action your faith and see God really move in your life. Amen?!
Blessings,
-Rev. R. Elliott Merskin
Posted in Breakthrough, Endurance, Freedom, Holy Spirit Power, Answered Prayer, Faith
Tagged with How to hear God, Faith, Faith in God, Faith of God, Belief, Believe, The Word of God, Power of the Tongue, Speech
Tagged with How to hear God, Faith, Faith in God, Faith of God, Belief, Believe, The Word of God, Power of the Tongue, Speech
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