Today a family member was experiencing some undesirable symptoms related to the pollens in the field and backyard. Normally, I would have a lot of sympathy and pray for my loved one but this time I felt the Lord tell me to rise up and expect him to be healed when I speak forth his healing. I didn't worry so much about what I prayed but that I was expecting to see healing. I prayed and commanded the histamine levels to be balanced and the symptoms of allergies to cease in Jesus' Name!
Then I shared that God told me He was not concerned so much with how we prayed but that we should have an expectation that our prayer is answered. In the past I would worry about the right words to say or how to remember the exact phrase from God's Word. It's about expecting God to do what we pray. Not because we demand it but because it is His pleasure to answer prayer according to His Word.
My family member was feeling better in record time when in the past this type of seasonal allergy thing would cause problems for at least overnight and sometimes days. Wow! I hope I've stirred you to expect when you pray too.
Here are some key points that I've studied in God's Word that I hope encourages you too.
- Spending time in the Word of God and renewing your mind (Romans 12:1) will cause you to develop more expectation when you pray. Sitting and soaking after you read the Word and purpose to expect to hear God's heart on the scripture you just read. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17. That faith will cultivate expectation.
- Taking time to pray in the Spirit and encourage your spirit man with things of the Spirit. Jude 20.
- Remember that God is a good Father who gives good things to those who ask. It is God's great pleasure to fill you with His joy and fruitfulness. Psalms 16: 6 says you have a good inheritance in Christ.
- Intimacy with God will give your heart confidence to know He is the one who tore the veil so that we could enter into His presence as a son or daughter of the Most High. You will come to understand that you are blessed and highly favored by God. As you worship, linger in the presence of God and thank Him that He created the Way to a relationship with Him. Confidence in your relationship with God in Christ will cause you to expect more and more in your prayer life. Hebrews 4:16 says to come boldly to the throne of grace. Developing an intimate relationship cultivates boldness.
- Purpose to give thanks to God when you pray. Jesus said to believe you have received whatever you ask for in prayer. Since you have already received it, go ahead and give thanks for it. "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them" (Mark 11:24).
- The Word is God is like a seed (Luke 8:11) expect it to grow don't waver in your belief. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Do not waver between faith and doubt. James 1:8 says not to be double-minded. Ask and expect to receive the answer! Knock and keep knocking knowing it will be opened up to you. Pursue and expect to find what you are seeking.
- Submit to God's way of doing things and resist the devil and he will run from you. (James 4:7) In Jesus Name you have supernatural authority and you can expect God to back you up 100% of the time. You are a vessel of the Holy Spirit and as you continue to grow and understand who you are in Christ it will make a huge difference in what you expect when you pray and speak forth what God's Word says.
