There are four expectations believers should have because they are based on absolute promises the Lord has made to us. Our God is a promise-maker and a promise-keeper!
Expect to be rewarded as you diligently seek the Lord. “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” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV). You can ask in faith for a token from the Lord to encourage and rekindle your confidence. Expect him to keep his promise to reward you now when you are in greatest need. God has said he rewards those who diligently seek him, so seek him daily.
Expect to see evidence of a progressive miracle in your life. “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). I have written about instantaneous miracles and progressive miracles. Progressive miracles start in unseen, quiet ways and unfold little by little, one small mercy at a time. Expect to see God working in mysterious ways, unseen to the human eye. You can say, “I don’t know how it will come to pass, but I believe God set into motion an answer to my prayers the very first hour I asked.”
Expect to enter into God’s promised place of rest. “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God…. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:9, 11). The recent year has been one of the most stressful for many believers. God never intended for his children to live in fear and despair. We need a reckless faith, a trust in him in the face of fear and trouble. Now is the time to lay it all on Jesus.
Expect the Holy Spirit to be always in his temple. “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit abides in the heart of every believer. He is omnipresent throughout the world and universe. He desires that you expect him to make his presence manifest to you, and more so each passing day.
Believe these promises. Lay hold of these four expectations, and you will see marvelous things in your life.