Carry Yourself With Great Expectation
“But Peter said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!’”
My life has had its share of grief and heartache. The pain of dreams deferred has sometimes made me push hope down, keeping my expectations low. However, God recently challenged this posture I tend to settle into by reminding me of His healing in Acts 3.
After the Holy Spirit filled them in Acts 2, the apostles were preaching and performing miracles. One afternoon, as Peter and John were going to the temple to pray, they encountered a man who was physically disabled from birth. Every day, he was placed at the temple gate, where he asked for support from passersby.
“When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!’ Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up …” (Acts 3:3-7, CSB).
Before God healed him, not only was this man's posture limited, but his expectations were as well. Perhaps he didn’t even know who Peter and John were or how the Holy Spirit was at work in them. Thus, he postured himself to receive only what his limited faith could request.
At times, I feel like this too. The blows of life can leave me feeling so broken and jaded that my posture of faith before the Lord is limited. But just as Peter said to this man, “Look at us” (Acts 3:4), I believe the Lord speaks to us.
We might imagine Him saying, Daughter, fix your posture. I’m the Creator of the universe. My Spirit hovered over the formless waters, and look at all I created in just six days. I can do exceedingly and abundantly more than all you could ever ask or imagine — so I’m asking you to carry yourself with a posture of great expectation.
God calls me to increase my faith and believe the promises the Holy Spirit has spoken through His Word to my heart — and He’s calling you too. It’s not for our logic to figure out or our will to control. We simply need to trust the Lord, taking Jesus’ hand when He reaches out to raise us up miraculously.
Well, OK, Lord! Chin up, shoulders back, I'll ask with my chest because I have access to resurrection power!
Sister, even if you’re still battling fear and doubt, keep fighting to fix your posture. Jesus is patiently waiting for you and has great expectations of all He has planned for you.
Prayer Starter
Father, thank You for reminding us that we don’t serve a God of limited and shallow expectations. Help us repent of our unbelief, carrying ourselves with a posture of great expectation because we know You are faithful and good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Dig Deeper
Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (NIV).
Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (NIV).
Reflect
In what ways has limited faith pushed down your hope or pleading for miracles from the Lord? How can you approach His throne of grace with confidence?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
