The word for today is- Expectations!

Good morning,

The word for today is- Expectations!

Expectation is an act or state of expecting, hope, anticipation;  something expected.God does expect things of us; A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. God’s expectations are specific; respect, follow, love, serve, and obey Him, live according to His will, loving Him, worship Him with all your heart and soul. What is the Expectations for us God's people? To be more like Him ! We have something in us that God gave us,the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is dwelling within, we have power, which we did not have before. God’s people as believers,leaders, preachers, teachers, counselors, overseers and intercessors, must perform spiritual surgery and apply healing balm to the souls of God's people on a daily basis. We have accountability to the Lord for the spiritual watchcare of the believers for whom the Good Shepherd laid down His own life for.   We must train and prepare ourselves  and others for this race. Paul pictures the believers life like a race in Philippians 3:14,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Also, in a race there is a method to winning.   We should expect the Holy Spirit to move in our lives, to help us be like Christ. We in turn must allow God’s Spirit to operate in our life, by submitting to His will.  To know His will, we must approach the throne of God in prayer, seeking God’s will.  To know God’s will means we need to read God’s Word, which communicates His will.  We have to understand God does not require perfection for salvation, Paul like us did not attain perfection in this life, it was his goal.  Perfection should be our goal, but we will only reach it at the resurrection.  Therefore, in this life, we must always remember sanctification is an ongoing process, lets not give up when we fail, but press on. Run !  Read Philippians 3:12-14 ,Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, our expectations should not be too high. Why? There is the personal battle within, as the new man wars against the old man. There is a spiritual battle without, as Satan tries to prevent the advance of the Kingdom of God, by warring with the Lord’s army, His people, the saints.  We need to understand the battle at hand, our battle is a spiritual battle, but its still a battle. One key to victory, is understanding the battle at hand, and being engaged in the conflict.  We have the weapons to wage war; we need to learn how to use them.When we choose to live a defeated life, we get the results of our choosing.  Satan is our enemy; Jesus called him a liar from the beginning.  Satan wants us to wallow in our past, rather then to rejoice in our future.  If he can keep us focused on our failings, so we don’t try to advance in our spiritual walk. Read Romans 8:1-2,There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.What is your Expectations for your life? Our goal should be to live the victorious life, whatever our circumstances may be.So, read  I Corinthians 9:24-27, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. Thank you God for your word. Amen !