Keep Watching and Expecting - Remaining Faithful
Keep Watching and Expecting - Remaining Faithful
How many times have we had things before God that we wanted or felt we NEEDED to see happen?
There was once a time where the people of Israel had been suffering from a drought, which then caused famine and also Jezebel was persecuting them with constant threats.
1 Kings 18 NLT
Elijah told all the people of Israel to join him along with the prophets of God that had been hiding in a cave to keep from being killed by Jezebel.
He also called all the prophets of Baal that thought they could “impersonate” power by calling on the power of Baal to save them after they had all suffered the drought for more than 3 years.
Verse 21: How long will you guys be wavering between 2 opinions, not knowing WHO you will serve and who has the true power of God?!
If the Lord is God, then follow HIM, But if Baal is God, follow him.
So he came up with an idea to lay a bull on wood but not set fire to it, and Elijah said he would do the same.
Then they would call on the name of THEIR GOD (the true God vs. Baal) and see which God would put FIRE on the altar.
Verse 26-39 (READ)
You see, before they saw this “miracle” happen, that we all read and rejoice about today, they FIRST went through 3 years of drought and crops failing, and famine.
They FIRST had the people (prophets) of God hiding in a cave for their very lives.
They FIRST had a whole lot of endurance to deal with, doubt to deal with, and defeat they went through.
How many times do we believe for something, and we just don’t have the endurance, and we just feel like throwing in the towel and not follow through doing what it takes to see the results that GOD’S WILL can bring if we CONTINUE?
There’s a culture that’s prevalent in our day of exiting the hard things, and short cutting our effort if we don’t see results fast enough, or what if the results turn out completely DIFFERENT than what we envision was “supposed” to happen in our mind?
1 Kings 18:43-46 NLT
Elijah sent his servant to look toward the sea seven times for a sign of rain.
What if he had stopped at 6 times and didn’t expect anything different to happen?
When the people of God say “Yes” to Jesus, His Word, His leading, His correction, and His mission, powerful things happen and the church becomes life changing and we all grow together.
It’s so important that we have OBEDIENCE even when we don’t see WHY. It can change the course and outcome of everything.
Acts 20:7
⁃They prepared several lamps, figuring they would be there awhile to hear the Word, and were hungry for spiritual impartation.
⁃They were EXPECTING
⁃Sleep happens when you become DISTRACTED about what’s going on, you become numb to the things of God that He wants you to be passionate about, you become comfortable in ways you shouldn’t be.
⁃When you’re falling asleep, you usually do not RECOGNIZE that you are! When you are spiritually sleeping, you are UNAWARE that you are asleep, and don’t realize until you are awake.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT
“So be on your guard, not asleep like others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
Jesus also said to His disciples to Watch and pray so they wouldn’t enter into temptation.
When we learn to watch in the Spirit, we become more discerning of what God’s will is, and He empowers us to ENDURE until His power is manifested in situations.
What are we expecting when we spend time with God?
Do we expect to get our prayers answered? For selfish reasons (Meaning: Are we believing for OUR WILL to be accomplished in our prayers, instead of discerning what GOD’S WILL and best is?)
We should never expect to come into God’s presence in our prayer time, in our worship, or even in this place (Church) without leaving changed! What are we expecting?
Is our prayers motivated by faith or fear?
God has set us to be watchmen. We are to be AWARE and EXPECTING!
We show we are EXPECTING through our OBEDIENCE.
Just like Faith without Works is dead, being alone.
Ezekiel 33:5 NLT
“They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.”
Ezekiel 33:31-32 NLT
“So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!”
We should not be merely amused by the things of God but should be expecting and desiring while being watchful and warning others of the importance of what He says!
Hebrews 10:35-38 KJV
“Cast not away therefore your confidence (in God), which has great recompence of reward. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
KJV: “Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
There was once a time where the people of Israel had been suffering from a drought, which then caused famine and also Jezebel was persecuting them with constant threats.
1 Kings 18 NLT
Elijah told all the people of Israel to join him along with the prophets of God that had been hiding in a cave to keep from being killed by Jezebel.
He also called all the prophets of Baal that thought they could “impersonate” power by calling on the power of Baal to save them after they had all suffered the drought for more than 3 years.
Verse 21: How long will you guys be wavering between 2 opinions, not knowing WHO you will serve and who has the true power of God?!
If the Lord is God, then follow HIM, But if Baal is God, follow him.
So he came up with an idea to lay a bull on wood but not set fire to it, and Elijah said he would do the same.
Then they would call on the name of THEIR GOD (the true God vs. Baal) and see which God would put FIRE on the altar.
Verse 26-39 (READ)
You see, before they saw this “miracle” happen, that we all read and rejoice about today, they FIRST went through 3 years of drought and crops failing, and famine.
They FIRST had the people (prophets) of God hiding in a cave for their very lives.
They FIRST had a whole lot of endurance to deal with, doubt to deal with, and defeat they went through.
How many times do we believe for something, and we just don’t have the endurance, and we just feel like throwing in the towel and not follow through doing what it takes to see the results that GOD’S WILL can bring if we CONTINUE?
There’s a culture that’s prevalent in our day of exiting the hard things, and short cutting our effort if we don’t see results fast enough, or what if the results turn out completely DIFFERENT than what we envision was “supposed” to happen in our mind?
1 Kings 18:43-46 NLT
Elijah sent his servant to look toward the sea seven times for a sign of rain.
What if he had stopped at 6 times and didn’t expect anything different to happen?
When the people of God say “Yes” to Jesus, His Word, His leading, His correction, and His mission, powerful things happen and the church becomes life changing and we all grow together.
It’s so important that we have OBEDIENCE even when we don’t see WHY. It can change the course and outcome of everything.
Acts 20:7
⁃They prepared several lamps, figuring they would be there awhile to hear the Word, and were hungry for spiritual impartation.
⁃They were EXPECTING
⁃Sleep happens when you become DISTRACTED about what’s going on, you become numb to the things of God that He wants you to be passionate about, you become comfortable in ways you shouldn’t be.
⁃When you’re falling asleep, you usually do not RECOGNIZE that you are! When you are spiritually sleeping, you are UNAWARE that you are asleep, and don’t realize until you are awake.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT
“So be on your guard, not asleep like others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
Jesus also said to His disciples to Watch and pray so they wouldn’t enter into temptation.
When we learn to watch in the Spirit, we become more discerning of what God’s will is, and He empowers us to ENDURE until His power is manifested in situations.
What are we expecting when we spend time with God?
Do we expect to get our prayers answered? For selfish reasons (Meaning: Are we believing for OUR WILL to be accomplished in our prayers, instead of discerning what GOD’S WILL and best is?)
We should never expect to come into God’s presence in our prayer time, in our worship, or even in this place (Church) without leaving changed! What are we expecting?
Is our prayers motivated by faith or fear?
God has set us to be watchmen. We are to be AWARE and EXPECTING!
We show we are EXPECTING through our OBEDIENCE.
Just like Faith without Works is dead, being alone.
Ezekiel 33:5 NLT
“They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.”
Ezekiel 33:31-32 NLT
“So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!”
We should not be merely amused by the things of God but should be expecting and desiring while being watchful and warning others of the importance of what He says!
Hebrews 10:35-38 KJV
“Cast not away therefore your confidence (in God), which has great recompence of reward. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
KJV: “Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
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