Anticipation

<<expectation>>

An emotion often involving pleasure and excitement although sometimes dread. For example, a farmer sows in belief there will be a harvest – an increase of the seed sown. By walking obediently with the Lord we position ourselves to be blessed, so eagerly await His hand to be on you – in hopeful excitement, as a child looks into the face of their loving parent (Mt 7:11). Open your arms wide to receive His gifts so you can in turn bless others on earth.

Prayer is communication with God, committing situations to Him anticipating His intervention and answers, confident that what He has said, He will do. "We have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask; because we obey His

Petition the Lord, expect an answer

commands and do what pleases Him" (1 Jn 3:21,22). We should be so confident in Him we expect answered prayer, a healed relationship, the home coming of a wayward child or whatever we ask. Anticipate a reply to your requests – while many times they are not necessarily what we asked for, they are given with our best interest at heart. If our requests fail to materialize as we hoped this can cause selfish disappointment. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Heb 11:1). Do I simply hope God will answer, or do I see God's generous loving hand at work in my situation? We will see God when we anticipate His involvment in our live. Thus we can praise Him with thanksgiving before we see the answer.

Anticipation is acting in advance. Noah began building the ark, by faith, "in anticipation of a flood when warned about things not yet seen..." (Heb 11:7). Similarly, the Israelites were ready to leave on the night of the Passover in respond to the clear directions of Moses

Anticipation is an act of faith

(Ex 12:11). They were fully committed to what God had told them was coming. Am I hearing from God and acting on it? Do I visualize the end result. Jesus looked beyond the hardship of the cross to the glorious future of multitudes of redeemed people in heaven (Heb 12:2,3). The present is only stepping stones into what is yet to come.

If your anticipation has diminished it needs to be rekindled – look at the truth of who God is and who He says you are, positioning yourself for God's purposes to be outworked in you, led, spurred on, and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Jn 1:12; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Cor 12:11). Don't allow Satan to rob you of your inheritance in Christ.

With our limited minds we can't comprehend God's glory that will be revealed in us because we have suffered for Him and what He has prepared for us in heaven (Rom 8:18; 1 Cor 2:9,10).

See also: expectation, faith, hope.