Expectation Upon the Lord and Faith in His Finished Work by John Belt

By John Belt
What is your obstacle? Is there a pattern you are needing to break? You can accomplish more with less. Believing prayer is better than begging prayer.  Prayers of faith rather than prayers from a place of wandering. God clearly spoke to us recently on how "faith-filled" prayer is the key to answers. Instead of praying from a place of trying to get God to do something, pray from the place of what God has already accomplished. He is the Beginning and End.
 
 
 
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What is your obstacle? Is there a pattern you are needing to break? You can accomplish more with less. Believing prayer is better than begging prayer.  Prayers of faith rather than prayers from a place of wandering.
 
God clearly spoke to us recently on how "faith-filled" prayer is the key to answers. Instead of praying from a place of trying to get God to do something, pray from the place of what God has already accomplished. He is the Beginning and End.
 
Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
 
He is before, present and after. He sees it all and has accomplished it all. When we approach God move with a heart of faith, giving thanks for His finished work we are accessing His vast inheritance that is already stored for us.
 
We don't want to take on a works mindset, especially in the prayer life.  God does not want a hint of our works because the work of Jesus is a perfect work. As we see the reality and perfection of His work we will begin to lean on that work through faith. Many get saved by faith then live by works, even what would seem to be spiritual works. There is a door called faith that God calls us to walk through. Beyond that door is the land without limits where all of His promises are waiting to be manifested in our lives. It is the land of the living where all things are possible to those who believe. This is where our devotional relationship with God is a joy, refreshment and blessed experience.
 
Psalm 27:13 "I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
 
You are Ordained for High Places
 
Don't live a sub-level life in God when He has ordained you for a much higher place. He makes our feet like the feet of a deer enabling us to stand on "our" high places. There are high places that have already been created for your feet.
 
Psalm 18:33 "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and causes me to stand on my high places."
 
These were created before the foundations of the world, high places prepared just for you. The journey to these places is full of life and adventure. It is not dull and boring. But it requires you to walk in a place that is unknown. Some like to play it safe on the lower places where it is easy to keep their balance. There will also be those who stop at a comfortable point on the mountain where it is familiar rather than going up higher. The Lord calls us to the higher places because it is the place of dependency where faith is required. Here we cannot lean ourselves and other things that create a false feeling of accomplishment. In the high places the wind blows stronger, the ground is not always level and there are more challenges but God gives you new feet that are able to deal with the necessary adjustments.
 
Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes the flesh his strength. (Jeremiah 17:5) But blessed are those who put their trust in the Lord for He is a strong tower, a refuge, the glory and lifter of our heads. (Psalm 3:3, Psalm 11:1, Psalm 22:33) What is impossible with man is possible with God. There is no mountain too high, no chasm too wide and obstacle too great for God is greater still. Give thanks to God continually for in this you will find your victory. He does not know how to fail. It is impossible for Him to do anything imperfect. Therefore our alignment needs to be with His thoughts, His ways and His truth.
 
Isaiah 55:9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
 
Where are your eyes focused? Are they on the Lord or are they on other things, other people or facades of security that only give you a false hope. Don't put your expectation on people, people are flesh and they will fail. Put your expectation only on God who is the only one who can bring all things to pass.
 
Psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."
 
The word for "hope" also means to "expect" or to put our expectation upon God.  This is how we put our trust in Him. There is need to cross through the veil that keeps us from seeing what is already accomplished in the work of Jesus through the cross.  Our eyes need opened to see that which is already done, the greatness of His work, the power of His cross and the glory of His Presence. It will give us hope and expectation in God. Make it your aim to move through that invisible wall that keeps you from seeing the all-perfect work of Jesus. Enter that divine rest with a thankful heart of faith knowing that He is faithful to complete all that He has promised to you. This includes both the promises in His Word and the personal prophetic promises that He has put before you.
 
We also need to understand that what God gives is not cheap but just as Jesus wanted the very best for us, demonstrating His love through sacrifice, we also must have the same sacrificial heart that He revealed through the cross.
 
Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are encompassed with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and your hearts give up."
 
What we put on the altar is all that does not please God, all that is contrary to His Spirit and all that hinders from His plan. His Presence has a cost, His promises have cost and His best for our lives has a cost. We have to give our all to Him as living sacrifices and make some tough choices. Idolatry is listed as one of the works of the flesh "in the New Testament."  It is something people typically think of as an Old Testament issue but it is still very alive and well today. There are many options that people have in the modern world. Don't treat God as an option and He won't treat you as an option. You cannot expect much if you live a life of compromise.
 
His grace is there to empower you and help you follow Him with a whole heart. All that we are, all that we do and all that we can do is by the grace of God. Therefore let's access God's grace to live by faith, to believe, to give Him thanks and be the overcomers He has designed us to be.
 
Revelation 3:21 "To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
 
John Belt