Rev 12: 11 ‘And they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.’

In this new season of 2019, I pray that God will surpass your expectations in Jesus’ name.

There is a direct relationship between expectations and testimonies

God is the giver of all good testimonies. And when He wants to give someone a testimony, He pays attention to their level of expectation!

According to Proverbs 23: 18, ‘For surely there is an end; and your expectation will not be cut off.’ In Jeremiah 29:11-13, God’s word tells us that, though He has great thoughts towards you, you will only find Him when you seek Him with all your heart….with a heart full of expectation!

Many examples in the Bible tell us that our expectations play a key role in what we receive from God. A woman who desperately needed healing got her miracle because she expectantly followed after Jesus and touched the hem of His garment, in spite of the crowd. Bartimaeus in Mark 10: 46-52 had an earnest expectation of Jesus, which made him cry for mercy until he received heaven’s attention.

There is a strong connection between what you expect and what you get! I pray that God will grant you more than you even expect in Jesus’ name!

If you raise your expectations of God and rise to His expectations of you, you will receive your testimonies in Jesus’ name!

No matter how small or great your expectations, God is more than enough! Ephesians 3:20 says, ’He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or think.’ God is so more than enough that, He satisfies the desire of every living thing. (Psalms 145; 16). He even meets the food expectations of the birds of the air and clothes the plants in the field. (Matt. 6: 25-34). God’s Word tells us that He is faithful to fulfill whatever He has promised. (Numbers 23: 19). All you have to do is find the promise and hold on to it! There is no expectation you have that is beyond God’s power. (Gen. 18: 14, Jeremiah 32: 17 and 27). One of the best examples of God turning expectations to testimonies is Abraham and Sarah who waited 25 years for a child! The promise came in Gen. 12 when Abraham was 75 years but the testimony came at 100 years (Gen. 21: 5).

From the testimony of Abraham and Sarah, we can learn certain conditions that God considers in turning people’s expectations into testimonies:

1. Demonstrated Faith

This is a basic, yet highly valued expectation God has of us! (James 2: 23). When we do not relate to God in faith, we make it difficult for God to move on our behalf. (Hebrews 11:6). Testimonies come when we act in faith towards God! SEE examples of demonstrated faith in Hebrews 11: 7-11. How can we apply these examples to our lives today? What can you do today to show you have faith in God? (Matt. 13: 54-58). Stop playing safe! Take God at His word today, Act in faith and see the result!

2. Relationship

Abraham had a deep and intimate relationship with God, so much so that God called him His friend (James 2: 23). What you call God is not as important as what God calls you! Abraham’s relationship with God was so profound that the Lord answered some other people’s prayers on the basis of it. (2 Chronicles 20: 1-7). He had a covenant relationship in Gen. 17: 1-23. There is a big difference between an ordinary relationship, a contract, and a covenant! You can trust God to keep His covenant come what may.

By shedding His blood on the cross, Jesus has made a way for us to be a part of God’s covenant relationship with Abraham. (Matt. 26: 28, Gal. 3: 29). We can be a part of God’s covenant with Abraham by committing to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior! Once you are in a covenant relationship with God, you can expect greater things to happen in your life. Pro. 4: 18 says, ‘The path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.’ No matter what you do, nurture and protect your relationship with God. It will ensure your expectations are greatly surpassed. You must keep faith with the covenant by living in obedience and purity. (Heb. 12: 1-4). Since all testimonies come from God, it is only wise to constantly draw closer to God. Abraham was totally addicted to nurturing his relationship with God. You must steadfastly pursue intimacy with God. So if you have expectations of God this year, I have a couple of questions for you:

• What is the state of your relationship with God?
• What are the practical things you can do to nurture your relationship with God?

If you find that you are distant from God, like the prodigal son, return home to get your Father’s attention.

Remember: Only God can turn your expectations to testimonies. I invite you to get in step with Him today:

1. Commit to a covenant relationship with God: Ask Jesus into your heart as Lord!
2. Demonstrate your faith in Him by the things you do: Give, Serve, Witness!
3. Wait for Him in expectation, not in doubt! And He will settle you in due time in Jesus’ name!

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Olusola is the Senior Pastor of RCCG NewSprings, a passionate teacher of the word of God and an accomplished Human Resources Consultant.