Recently, I asked a young man about his plans and expectations. He told me that he’s just fine with whatever comes. When I asked to know why, his response revealed the outlook of a lot of people today; “Sir, I have decided not to expect anything. Whenever I expect something positive and great, the opposite is what I get.”
Friend, a hopeless man is a helpless man. Once the devil can steal your expectation, he has robbed you of your manifestation (Psalms 42:11). Expectation remains the mother of manifestation. What you don’t expect, you may never experience. Hope is positive expectation of good. It is the livewire of the kingdom.
Without expectation, life loses its value and vibes (Psalms 27:13). You must learn to sustain your expectation. Expectation is what secures divine commitment (Proverbs 23:18). It is what shows to God that you are interested. It is what tells the devil that you are still in the game. It is what rearranges your reality (Psalms 118:24).
There is a reason we are called believers. It is not just a title; it is a life. We must keep believing and expecting, even in the face of contradictory evidences (Romans 4:17-22). Like Abraham, we must hope against hope. Sometimes, hope appears stupid and senseless. But it remains our anchor in the journey of life, especially in the midst of storms (Hebrews 6:19).
Hope is the seed of faith. Biblical faith is a fruit of well nutured and channeled hope (Hebrews 11:1). Never claim you are in faith when you lack expectation. The woman with the issue of blood expected her healing, just as the lame man at the beautiful gate expected to receive something from Peter and John (Matthew 9:21, Acts 3:5). Faith is simply hope substantiated. Without hope, your faith is fruitless (Hebrews 11:1).
Courage is the ability to move from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. People refuse to rise to hope due to past failures and disappointments. You need the Holy Spirit to shed God’s love in your heart again (Romans 4:4). After all said and done, it would not be about your weakness or the wickedness of the devil; it would be about the unchanging love of God (Romans 8:35-39). This is the basis of our hope and faith. Rise to hope!
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria