Expectancy: forward, present and genuine

In my last post I said "The key to expectancy is not simply 'looking forward'. It's looking forward AND looking present at the same time. I'll speak more on that as well as how we pervert what I'm now considering a spiritual discipline."

Looking Forward AND Looking Present
Genuine biblical expectancy isn't as lame as "I'm looking forward to lunch." or "I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's game." While that qualifies as expecting an event to happen it it NOT the same as "I'm EXPECTING God to move in only the way or ways God Himself can move." or "I'm expecting for lives to be changed in the power of the Holy Spirit." This isn't simply waiting on some event, this is anticipating the hand of God.

With the weeks leading up to Catalyst I prayed for God to move in my life at this event. With every reservation, every meeting I set up, with every discussion... I had an expectancy that God would do great things. And HE DID. And you know what? He would have done them anyway but I could have possibly missed them because I wasn't expectant or He would have done these things for the people near me but not for myself... because I wasn't acting faithfully. The power and practice of expectancy heightens my sense of God's presence and empties myself out to be filled by Him.

Perverse Practice:
I mentioned earlier that we can see perverse use of this every day. What I mean is that ministry leaders could be the worst when it comes to using and abusing this principle among their people. You can see this in how they talk about upcoming events or upcoming message series. All across America there are Pastors sitting down to write a paragraph for the newsletter that the secretary needs by Wednesday. The Pastor in this note is obligated to invite people to the church. He talks about the programs (the ones he knows do not work), he talks about the people of his church (the ones he doesn't get to know because he doesn't trust) and he talks about the wonderful music (that he knows is completely off key and irritating). This Pastor thinks he's being faithful by writing his obligatory paragraph for the newsletter. What he's really doing is teaching his people how to lie about being expectant. His words are hollow, without meaning and void of the excitement that comes from expecting God Himself to move powerfully.

There are a few people who have the power of expectancy and use it without apologies. Just last night Perry Noble put out his Sunday Night Reflections. This is a list filled with Expectancy. Here is a sample:

• Lots of buzz in our church right now about the new series we begin next week, “Beautiful, a series for women and the men who pursue them.”
• NewSpringers…this is THE SERIES that you should go all out to get your friends here for! Seriously!
• By the way…I know I say that every series…I make NO APOLOGIES that I am freakin’ excited about all that I am anticipating the Lord doing in our church and community!
• AND…I feel sorry for the pastor that feels like he needs to run around and apologize for his passion!
• NewSpringers…I am asking you to take five minutes every day this week and ask God to…#1 - Do something awesome among us during this next six weeks. #2 - Ask God to make you aware of who you need to invite.

Perry gets it. Perry is also genuine. He's not spitting out a list of events handed to him by the secretary on a sticky note. I get the sense that Perry is sitting down with his laptop on his sofa and writing out his passion. He's expectant for God to do great things in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

So I encourage you today. Take hold of the power of expectancy. Don't use a perverted forced version. People can see through that and what's worse is that you're lying to yourself. Stop that. Start believing God because you believe in God, not because that's the language of your announcement routine.

What are you expecting God to do now? What event, activity, person are you praying for? Where is a place you are begging God to move on your behalf? Who are you telling about it? Utilize the power of expectancy.