Exceeding Your Expectations: Expect Infinitely More From God Series

We continue in our series on discovering your destiny and today we are thinking about Exceeding your expectations.

What are your expectations?

Specifically, what are your expectations of God and what are your expectations of yourself this morning?

Consider these words from Ephesians chapter 3:

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT)

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, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

(Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV)

God is able to accomplish infinitely more or do exceeding abundantly more than we can ask or think.

Matthew Henry commenting on this truth wrote:

“There is an inexhaustible fullness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open your mouth ever so wide, still he has the wherewithal to fill it.”

What are your expectations?

God is able to do more in your life and mine than we can hope or think or imagine.

There may be many things we can not do in our own strength or our own ability as Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

When we pray according to God’s will all things are possible.

Perhaps our problem when we pray is we often put limits on what God can do.

Often we can think our problem or circumstance or situation is beyond the scope of God’s ability.

If we think that our problems are bigger than God is able or willing to handle,

then we show a lack of faith in the God who loves us and cares for us.

A lack of faith may make us expect far less than God is willing to do.

Yet the Word of God is clear when it tells us to expect God to answer when we pray in faith.

Listen to these verses to encourage your expectation:

Matthew 18:19- “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

Matthew 21:22 - You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Mark 11:24 - I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

John 14:13 - You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

John 15:7 - But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

John 15:16 - You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

John 16:23-24 - At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

James 1:5-6 - If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:17 - Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

1 John 3:22 - And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.

1 John 5:14-15 - And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.

Friends, when we pray, we need to pray in faith and we need to expect God to do infinitely more, exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think or imagine.