EXPECT - EXPECT by Guest Kathy Watson

EXPECT the BEST for 2017

Expectation by Kathy Watson, Rockland, California

Expect! Expect! Don't expect the worst, expect the best! The best is yet to come. The best wine is saved for the last day. Don't wait for the other shoe to fall. But get up on your feet and put on your new shoes of the Gospel of peace that your feet are covered in. Expect a miracle, expect answers to your prayers, and expect the best in you and see the best in others.

1.) Expectation

Romans 8:19-21, "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."

Philippians 1:20, "According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."
Psalm 84:12, "O Lord of hosts, how blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation]."

1 Corinthians 13:13, "And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God's love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love."

2 Corinthians 3:12, "Since we have such a [glorious] hope and confident expectation, we speak with great courage."

2.) Exceedingly and Abundantly

In Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." So in and through Christ Jesus we have this abundance that goes exceedingly above our thoughts, our circumstances, the abundance in Christ goes beyond our human comprehension. We will be exceedingly glad and rejoice. Joy will overcome sorrow.

Psalm 21:6, "For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence." This will come from His presence and us abiding in His presence.

Matthew 5:12, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Then I heard, "Be courageous, take courage." Like in Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Look in the mirror and see the image of the one who created you in His image. The one who loves you with an everlasting love, the one who has drawn you by His loving kindness. You are His beloved and He is yours. Let old things pass away and behold all things are becoming new.

Let it be today that today is a new day. Let faith arise, encourage yourself in Him today, stir your spirit and arise! This is your time to shine, you were born to shine. Don't settle for anything less. You are His best and you have first place in His heart. You have won His heart with just one look of your eyes. It has been this way for Him before the foundations of the world as you were purposed in His heart for such a time as this in such an hour.

This is your time! You are His dream come true a chosen one; chosen by God who is your Father. So arise and shine. This is your time, the glory of the Lord has already risen on you. Take it today! Dream His dream! Take courage today! Expect today!

So let go! Let it all go! Don't enter in the New Year with old leftovers and stale bread, trying to pick up the crumbs from the floor. Don't enter the New Year with dread, regrets, bitterness or an unforgiving heart. Don't enter the New Year with any disappoint you may have felt in this last year, but drink the new wine of Him.

Shed off the old wineskins and expect that new wineskin to take shape in His image! He will meet you in that place—in that secret place. Embrace a fresh touch from His presence, a fresh awakening of the power of His love for you. Just an ember can become a burning flame when stirred with His love for you. Let first love be renewed. Be confident of this very thing—that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it to the end...expect it!

Kathy Watson and her husband Michael; oversee Ephesians 4 Equippers School in Roseville, California.
Kathy founded W.I.R.E.D. (Women in Revival Equipping Disciples) in 1999 and CHOSEN Women's Ministry; she has held conferences in her hometown and helped facilitate conferences in other cities and countries for the past 16 years. Kathy is ordained with Christian International. They have planted churches and oversee many ministries in the U.S. and the U.K. and Central America. She has two grown children and three grandchildren.
*************************************