Great Expectations

What is it that you are hoping for?

Most of us are hoping for something.  Maybe it's that job that we really want. It could be a physical healing, a better marriage, or a soul mate for those who are not married.  Perhaps it's increased finances, or restored relationships with estranged family members. 

All of us have need of something.

I'll stick my neck out and assume that, in this crazy, mixed-up world, where nothing is certain in the current perilous economic, ecologic and political climate, that what we could all really use right now is some peace of mind.  We humans have really made a mess of this planet.  Tensions have never been higher.  That's true globally, in the government, in our culture, and certainly in most relationships.

I think it's safe to say that all of us have had situations in our lives where we could lament; "Things have not turned out as I had hoped..."

Some things have simply not panned out the that way we had expected them to.

One author describes the disappointing, disillusioning experience of unmet expectations in this way:

"Has God abandoned us?  Did we not pray enough?  Is this just something we accept as “part of life,” suck it up, even though it breaks our hearts?  After a while, the accumulation of event after event that we do not like and do not understand, erodes our confidence that we are part of something grand and good, and reduces us to a survivalist mind-set."

When we hope, and we pray, and we wait, and wait for something... but it doesn't turn out—the way we had hoped—it has a way, over time, of subtly eroding our confidence that God is going to "come through" for us regarding a desperate situation that we have asked for—the way we had expected Him to do it.

So what happened?  

Did we totally blow it by messing up and our unmet request is God's way of disciplining us?  Have we simply reaped what we have sown?  Or does God just not care about our plight in our measly little situation, and He is ignoring us because He has 'more important' issues to deal with?

First, nothing is more important to God than your heart.

So, what in the world is going on?

The author nails it on the head in the following statement:

"You won't understand what is happening to you, and what's going on around you, until you see it in the context of war.  Something has been set against us."

He goes on to ask:  "Where did you think all this opposition was coming from?"

Look, I wish we didn't have a diabolical, unseen Enemy who constantly comes against us—to kill, to steal, and to destroy. But God's Word clearly warns us of our Enemy, Satan, who prowls about like a roaring lion, looking for whomever he may devour. 

Our Enemy is highly organized.  He has ranks.  He has "principalities and powers" over cities, over regions, and over entire nations.  If you don't believe that, read the following account in Daniel chapter 10:10-13,

"Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands.  And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia."

Daniel had prayed and fasted for understanding in time of need. And help was dispatched in the form of an angel of the Lord.  But the angel of the Lord was hindered by a powerful spiritual entity—the Prince of the kingdom of Persia (modern-day Iran).  And this angel of the Lord had such a difficult time with this spiritual entity that he had to call for help from Michael, the arch angel.

But, ultimately, it took 21 days for the angel to actually get to Daniel. 

In your own battles and struggles, where do you think all of your opposition is coming from?

Just because we can't see into the spiritual realm, does not mean we should just ignore it, as if it does not exist.  We set ourselves up for defeat when we act like we have no unseen Enemy, and we just carry on, business-as-usual.  Or, we listen to and agree with the lies of our Enemy who tries to tell us that we've blown it, and that God does not really have good thoughts and good plans for us, and that He really has not given us a hope and a future.

Like it or not, our Enemy has organized ranks and principalities and powers over our cities, over our states, and over the nations. The Bible also speaks of "The rulers of the darkness of this age" (or world).  There is a prince of the kingdom of Las Vegas.  There are princes of the kingdoms of Seattle, of England, and of South America.   Again, if you don't believe that, just read Daniel's account of the prince of the kingdom of Persia. 

And we wonder why so much evil is brewing in Iran and in the Middle East today.  

So, when we get deathly ill for no explainable reason—when everything we do at our job seems to be met with resistance and backstabbing; we must remember that, as God's Word tells us, that we have an enemy who only comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

But Satan is not just our collective enemy—he's your personal enemy.  Look at the text in 1 Peter 5:8,

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

You have a personal enemy who is constantly scheming creative ways to trip you up and take you down 24/7.  He never sleeps and he studies your every move.  The Bible says he only comes to steal, to kill and to destroy.  That's his sole mission.  To try and take you out.  He wants to isolate you, and get you to believe there's no hope for you. He's the Tempter, the Accuser of the Brethren, and the Father of a Lie. 

He's your enemy.

The Bible says (2Timothy 3:12):

"All those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Not 'may' suffer persecution.  Shall suffer persecution.  It's a given.  It's a promise.

So, is all hope lost?

Certainly not.

The finished work of the Cross and blood of Jesus Christ, His resurrection, and His indwelling Spirit in us, have given us power to resist our unseen Enemy who was ultimate defeated that Day in the spiritual realm, on a dark hillside in Jerusalem.   

Follower of Jesus; the same power that raised Christ from the grave lives in you, and in me.

We can proclaim (not name and claim) the Truth of the work that Jesus finished on the Cross, and bring it between us and the Enemy of our hearts.

Not intended to be a formula, but one of the ways I have been led to pray against our Enemy, is to identify the spirit that is coming against me/us, such as, the spirit of Division that seeks to come between my wife and I and destroy our marriage.  And if you don't think that happens, go back to the beginning in the Garden, and see how the first godly institution that Satan attacked on earth was the first marriage—Adam & Eve.

And there are many others; a spirit of lust. A spirit of apathy.  A spirit of spite and malice.  A spirit of despair. A spirit of deception.  Etc.

How I have been led to pray against such identifiable spirits goes something like this:

"Father God, I bring the Name, the Authority, the Power, the Blood, and the Finished Work of the Cross of Jesus Christ between us and the spirit of division who seeks to divide us and destroy our marriage.  Father, I pray that You yourself would rebuke the Devourer for our sake.  Lord God, I ask for a hedge of protection around our marriage and family, and ask that You would send Your angel armies to watch over us and keep us safe. I pray this in faith; believing, not doubting, and not wavering, in Your name I ask and I thank You, amen."

Again, this is not intended to be a formula, or a one-time script. 

There are specific spirits, and principalities and powers who have been set against us, and our prayers should be led and directed, day by day, moment by moment—by the Holy Spirit, Who helps us to pray when we do not know how we ought.   

The Spirit of Christ is our very present help in time of need.

The abundant life that Jesus said He came to give us—a life of inner peace and joy—despite our circumstances—is the fruit of the Spirit; which is (Galatians 5:22-23): 

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

Our pursuit and greatest expectation in this life should be this abundant life in the Spirit.  This is the abundant life that Jesus promised us; not getting that fancy new car we really think that we want. 

If I place all of my hope and expectation in things that I don't absolutely know the outcome of, such as getting a certain job, or a healing, or acquiring a certain material need, I can set myself up for failure and despair, because I don't know exactly what God's perfect will is for me in any of these situations. 

God, Who alone is all-knowing, may know that the job I think I want most, would actually be the worst thing for me.  The healing I may desperately want, may not be His will for me, and He may instead be ready for me to come Home to Him.  The big new house we think we really need may not be good for us at all. 

More times than not, the best answer to many of the things I ask God for is, "No."

Our Heavenly Father knows best.

My hope and prayer for you, and for me, is that God would give us the faith that, when we ask Him for anything, we would ask in faith, believing and trusting in Him, and then fully leave the results up to God.

May we be the people of faith, who, no matter the outcome to our prayer requests, will gratefully proclaim:

"Lord God; true and righteous are Your decisions."

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.