Living in Expectation: Ready for God's Miracles

 

Summary

In our journey of faith, we are called to live with a sense of expectation and readiness for the miraculous works of God. Drawing from Exodus 12:1-13, we see how God instructed the Israelites to prepare for the Passover, a pivotal moment that required them to be ready for His deliverance. This readiness is not just about physical preparation but a spiritual posture of expectation. Just as the Air Contingency Battalion in the Marine Corps must be ready to move at a moment's notice, we too must be spiritually prepared to respond to God's call and His promises.

Expectation is a critical component of experiencing God's power and miracles in our lives. God has a plan for each of us, filled with promises of hope and a future. However, many of us miss out on these promises because we are not prepared to receive them. We must cultivate a heart of expectation, believing that God will fulfill His word. This means living with vigilance, ready to act when God moves, and not being caught off guard by His sudden interventions.

The story of Simeon in Luke 2 exemplifies this readiness. Simeon lived with the expectation of seeing the Messiah, and when Jesus was presented at the temple, he was ready to receive the fulfillment of God's promise. In contrast, the Israelites in Luke 19 were not prepared for their visitation and missed the Messiah. This teaches us the importance of being spiritually alert and expectant.

To cultivate this expectation, we must stand on God's promises, obey His conditions, and expect Him to keep His word. God's promises often come with conditions, and our obedience positions us to receive His blessings. We must also have faith that God will do what He has promised, living with the readiness to move when He calls.

In conclusion, God is moving in the world, and we are called to be ready for His miraculous interventions. By standing on His promises, obeying His conditions, and living with expectation, we position ourselves to receive His blessings and be part of His divine plan.

Key Takeaways:

- Expectation and Readiness: Living with expectation is crucial for experiencing God's miracles. Just as the Israelites had to be ready for the Passover, we must be spiritually prepared to respond to God's call and His promises. This readiness involves a heart posture of faith and anticipation. [08:02]

- The Importance of Obedience: God's promises often come with conditions. Our obedience to His instructions positions us to receive His blessings. Like assembling furniture, following God's directions step by step ensures we realize the full promise of what He offers. [27:54]

- Faith in God's Promises: We must stand on God's promises and believe that He will fulfill them. This involves identifying the promises relevant to our needs and making them our target. By focusing on God's word, we align our lives with His purposes and prepare for His interventions. [19:32]

- Sudden Interventions of God: God's movements are often described as "sudden," but they are the result of preparation and expectation. By living with readiness, we are not caught off guard by God's interventions but are prepared to move with Him. [33:31]

- God's Faithfulness: God is faithful and true to His word. When we pray and stand on His promises, we can expect Him to act. Our role is to trust and obey, knowing that God is orchestrating His plans for our good and His glory. [36:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to Preparing for a Miracle
- [01:15] - Reading from Exodus 12:1-13
- [02:45] - The Importance of Expectation
- [04:30] - Living with Readiness
- [06:00] - The Example of Simeon
- [08:02] - Are We Ready for God's Answers?
- [11:23] - Crying Out to God
- [14:30] - The Reality of God's Promises
- [19:32] - Standing on God's Promises
- [23:13] - Obeying God's Conditions
- [27:54] - The Role of Obedience
- [33:31] - Expecting God's Sudden Interventions
- [36:43] - God's Faithfulness and Our Response
- [38:37] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 12:1-13
- Luke 2:25-32
- Luke 19:41-44

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Observation Questions:

1. What specific instructions did God give the Israelites in Exodus 12:1-13 to prepare for the Passover? How did these instructions demonstrate a need for readiness and expectation?

2. In Luke 2:25-32, how did Simeon's actions and attitude reflect a life of expectation and readiness for God's promise?

3. According to Luke 19:41-44, what was the consequence for the Israelites not being prepared for their visitation? How does this contrast with Simeon's readiness?

4. The sermon mentioned the Air Contingency Battalion in the Marine Corps as an analogy for spiritual readiness. How does this analogy help us understand the concept of being prepared for God's interventions? [08:02]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of the Passover in Exodus 12 illustrate the importance of obedience to God's instructions in receiving His promises? What might this teach us about the relationship between obedience and blessing?

2. Simeon was described as living with expectation for the Messiah. How might this expectation have influenced his daily life and spiritual practices? [11:23]

3. The sermon highlighted the suddenness of God's interventions. How can believers balance living with expectation while also being patient for God's timing? [33:31]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that a lack of expectation can lead to missed opportunities for experiencing God's promises? [14:30]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt unprepared for a sudden change or opportunity in your life. How might living with spiritual readiness have changed your response? [08:02]

2. Consider the promises of God that are most relevant to your current life situation. What steps can you take to stand on these promises and live with expectation for their fulfillment? [19:32]

3. The sermon emphasized the importance of obedience to God's conditions. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with obedience. What practical steps can you take to align your actions with God's instructions? [27:54]

4. How can you cultivate a heart of expectation in your daily spiritual practices, such as prayer and Bible study, to be more prepared for God's interventions? [36:43]

5. Think about a specific prayer you have been praying. Do you truly expect God to answer it? How can you adjust your mindset or actions to reflect a genuine expectation of God's faithfulness? [14:30]

6. The sermon mentioned the importance of being ready to move when God calls. What are some practical ways you can ensure you are spiritually and practically ready to respond to God's call in your life? [33:31]

7. Identify a promise from God that you have been hesitant to believe or act upon. What is one step you can take this week to demonstrate your trust in that promise? [36:43]

Devotional

Day 1: Living with Expectation and Readiness
In our spiritual journey, living with expectation and readiness is crucial for experiencing the miraculous works of God. Just as the Israelites were instructed to prepare for the Passover, we too must be spiritually prepared to respond to God's call and His promises. This readiness involves a heart posture of faith and anticipation, much like the Air Contingency Battalion in the Marine Corps, which must be ready to move at a moment's notice. By cultivating a heart of expectation, we position ourselves to receive God's blessings and be part of His divine plan. [08:02]

"For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to cultivate a heart of expectation and readiness for God's interventions in your life?


Day 2: The Role of Obedience in Receiving God's Promises
God's promises often come with conditions, and our obedience to His instructions positions us to receive His blessings. Like assembling furniture, following God's directions step by step ensures we realize the full promise of what He offers. Obedience is not just about following rules but aligning our lives with God's will, which opens the door to His miraculous interventions. By obeying God's conditions, we demonstrate our trust in His faithfulness and prepare ourselves to receive His promises. [27:54]

"And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you feel God is calling you to obedience? How can you take a step towards that obedience today?


Day 3: Standing on God's Promises with Faith
We must stand on God's promises and believe that He will fulfill them. This involves identifying the promises relevant to our needs and making them our target. By focusing on God's word, we align our lives with His purposes and prepare for His interventions. Faith in God's promises means trusting that He will do what He has said, even when circumstances seem contrary. It is this faith that allows us to live with the expectation of His miraculous works in our lives. [19:32]

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)

Reflection: What is one promise from God that you need to stand on today? How can you remind yourself of this promise throughout your day?


Day 4: Being Prepared for God's Sudden Interventions
God's movements are often described as "sudden," but they are the result of preparation and expectation. By living with readiness, we are not caught off guard by God's interventions but are prepared to move with Him. This readiness requires us to be spiritually alert and vigilant, much like Simeon, who was ready to receive the fulfillment of God's promise when Jesus was presented at the temple. By being prepared, we can fully participate in God's divine plan. [33:31]

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him." (Luke 12:35-36, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a lifestyle of spiritual readiness to ensure you are prepared for God's sudden interventions?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Faithfulness
God is faithful and true to His word. When we pray and stand on His promises, we can expect Him to act. Our role is to trust and obey, knowing that God is orchestrating His plans for our good and His glory. Trusting in God's faithfulness means believing that He is working behind the scenes, even when we cannot see it. By placing our trust in Him, we align ourselves with His purposes and open our lives to His miraculous interventions. [36:43]

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." (Deuteronomy 7:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust in God's faithfulness today? How can you actively demonstrate that trust in your actions?

Quotes



God has a plan for his people and God has a plan for your life individually. God has a plan for us. He's made great promises to us, talks about us having a future and a hope, talks about us being called and chosen, talks about us in the context of being his masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good works. [00:04:18] (18 seconds)


We have to be ready for the opportunities of blessing that rise up. God doesn't want to just say things and then us not be ready for those things and those things catch us off guard. I mean, let's be honest. One of the most common words used in the Bible to describe how God moves is suddenly. You ever read that? Suddenly. It's like, of a sudden, God shows up. [00:05:15] (22 seconds)


The Bible says in Luke 19, 41 through 44, now as he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, if you had known, even you, especially in this your day, this is your moment, the things that make for your peace, but now they're hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you and your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side. [00:06:21] (26 seconds)


They knew that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made promises that to Abraham, right? To their father. They knew that God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as many as the sand, you know, as far as the eye can see, as many as the stars in the sky, that God would give him a land and it would be given to his descendants that they would prosper and be blessed. [00:11:23] (22 seconds)


I mean, maybe, maybe the truth is they were shocked that God heard them and answered their cries. Maybe they just didn't really expect it. I mean, many of them were left behind in the wilderness. Very few of them were able to trust God and believe God enough to embrace his coming. Now, let me ask you a question. Do you believe that God will keep his promises to you? [00:14:04] (21 seconds)


Let's begin to develop this expectation of faith so that we can be prepared when God shows up in our lives. Let's begin to expect that when we lay hands on the sick, they recover. Why? Because God said so, right? Let's expect that when we pray the word of God, when we believe the word of God, when we trust in the character of God, that he's God. He'll do what he said he will do. [00:16:36] (25 seconds)


Obey the conditions. Let's look at verses five through 10 again. God speaking says, your lamb shall be without blemish. A male of the first year, you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month. Then the whole assembly, the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. [00:23:57] (21 seconds)


If you do what God says to do, then you'll see what God promises to show you. If you will pray and obey and abide in faith, then the word of God tells us you'll inherit the promises of God. Make no mistake. Obedience is a requirement to experiencing a miracle. Somebody's obeying. Amen. You may get a miracle because of someone else's obedience, but I'm telling you, obedience leads to blessing. [00:27:57] (31 seconds)


I'm telling you, God is moving. I'm telling you, we're getting closer to the end that God is going to show up and we want to be ready. How do we get ready? By faith and expectation. How do we prepare? We stand on the word of God. We obey the conditions that God lays out. So that way we are in position to receive the blessing. Amen. [00:34:32] (19 seconds)


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Transcript
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