PRAYERS THAT EXPECT

 

(c)Daneille Gray Snowden 2024

by Daneille Snowden

God is stirring in my heart more and more about prayer. I know, we all as Christian got the 1.1 on prayer! Seriously, I feel the Lord awakening His people to the simple and yet deep truth of praying to Him with profound expectation.  

The time we spend in His presence, the pouring out of our hearts, the worship in not only our words but even our thoughts, and also in recognizing Him as our Abba Father, our Great Creator our King, our Healer and of course our Friend! This time transforms our minds and spirits and takes us to a depth in Him,  where we are unshakeable in our faith. 

Expectancy is certainty! We are absolutely certain that GOD'S GOT THIS! Trusting in the fact, He will act in His Way and Time! And to be at peace with the entire process! RIGHT?

Our entire thought life must be attuned to what God's expectations / Will is. "If we ask anything, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL He hears us! (1 Jn. 5:14) His expectations and purposes for us, become our own. He does want health, He wants us cared for, He wants so much for us! 

He desires to impart into us, a mountain moving faith, that all who see will KNOW that indeed- God did that!

Look at Moses, He knew God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and he knew God had led him to that place (by the sea) at the perfect time. So, when he faced the Egyptian army coming and the huge-impassable red sea before him,  he HAD TO COME TO KNOW THAT: he could only go forward by knowing the HEART OF GOD:

"And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea." Ex. 14

This type of Expectation-Faith,  comes with KNOWING GOD! 

EXPECTING PRAYERS - BELIEVING FAITH are imparted by God to those who believe in Him. 

In the story in Mark 9 we read about a young man who had been tortured his entire life with demonic possession. It was a sad and difficult life for him and his family. His exhausted, desperate father sought out for the disciples to deliver with no avail. Then this father cried out to Jesus! The AUTHOR & FINISHER of our faith. 

THE FATHER FOCUSSED ON JESUS - the person, His Words, and believed!

The father states in verse 22 to Jesus "...But if You can do anything,..." I can picture this dad, seeing the torment of his son, desperate as can be; totally pouring everything out to Jesus. And I just love how Jesus took this HEART CRY OF EXPECTATION and replied: 

v.23: ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes. 

v.24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!

And indeed Jesus delivered and set free this young man. But also gave a powerful witness of the power of expecting prayer.

THE OBJECT OF EXPECTING FAITH IS

JESUS!

The power that comes through expecting prayers comes from God Himself. In Matthew 17:20 He states: "If you have faith as small as a grain of a mustard seed, you shall say to that mountain be removed...and NOTHING shall be impossible for you.:" Matt. 17:21

EXPECTING FAITH IS NOT: A Belief in faith.

EXPECTING FAITH IS: Faith IN God!

Remember I wrote earlier that this type of faith is IMPARTED by God! 

How? By His Word: "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

By Jesus: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 

"I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:9

By the Holy Spirit: "to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit," 1 Cor. 12:9

QUESTIONS: Do we feel hopeless when we pray? We ask for the same thing over and over again, do we expect from God?  When someone says the 'C' word (cancer) we must ask ourselves; do we expect this person to be healed? 

In our region where we serve in Africa there are a couple of wars that thousands have been killed, chased from their homes and live in refugee camps. We are witnessing so much evil and great deprivation. When we pray for them, do we expect God to move? It amazes me how God leads my prayers for this. Praying for the Muslims who are killing our friends, (our people) - for them to see Jesus. THIS INDEED IS HAPPENING! I am praying general prayers of 'PEACE BE STILL!' God did this for Israel and crushed their enemies. I pray for the demonic evil that controls these individuals to flee completely from their lives. 

WITH EXPECTATION!

Praying God's Word, in His Spirit will give us a great faith; an EXPECTATION FAITH! 

May I encourage you in your prayer times TO PRAY WITH A HEART OF EXPECTATION! GOD WILL DO THIS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL AND WAY!

~Daneille