Healthy Expectations

The Lord seems to be building on several themes throughout these Friday night watches, and what the Spirit is speaking throughout the week. This week the Lord bringing some things together.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace." (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

For many, it feels as though they live in Babylon, carried away in captivity. To look at political climates, condition of the church, school systems, government, etc., can be pretty bleak. We must be praying for our cities. A harvest is being made ready. If we pray for the peace of our cities, we will reap what we sew.

Likewise, Hebrews 11 makes Abraham an example of one who "desires a better, that is, a heavenly country." His perspective was from a heavenly mindset - focused on "the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." That's where we need to be.

"You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you." Deuteronomy 8:5,10

This part still remains a bit elusive for me. How in our western culture, enjoying the blessings from God and "have eaten and are full", how do we still operate in faith? Seems like a delicate balance.

Now for the meat. Over the last few weeks, the Lord has impressed heavily the word in Revelation 3 which says "strengthen that which remains" and to be "watchful." I believe the Lord is testing those in the body to bring us to the end of ourselves with expectation, and to see how heavily we will rely on Him.

I know personally, and in talking with a few close friends, the Lord seems to be squashing our expectations. Every time I seem to have a bit of hope for something or someone, those expectations are being smashed. I believe this is of the Lord - it is a testing to see if in spite of circumstances, of things unfolding completely different than we expect, or things we've hoped for fall apart, will we continue to trust in Him. This is the test. To those who overcome, they are promoted.

Looking at
Judges 7, we see the account of Gideon trimming down the army. It is interesting to me that the first thing he does to trim the army is to remove those with fear. I've heard it said "Fear is faith for things you don't want." So true. If our faith is greater for the things we fear, then that's a hinderance. We must operate in faith as an overcomer. The next thing is how those who drink. For those who drank in a position of watchfulness, they were kept.

To those who totally lean on Him in faith, they will be fit for service in the army outlined in Joel 2. I truly believe that is what the Lord is preparing in these days. God is showing us the cost of being a true disciple. Will we stand in the gap for our cities? Will we fix our eyes on Jesus? Will we embrace chastening? We must weigh our options. We are being given a choice right now - will we enlist for service?