A Divine Expectation

The Bible says that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12). We are entering a Season where the investment that God has and will make in His Chosen will be manifested on behalf on the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Lord. With this in mind, there will be an expectation that the Father will have of us in regards to the fulfillment of His Divine Will being properly executed in our lives. 

We need now, Saints, to do some serious inventory and make sure that when the "games begin," we are prepared to "run the race with patience" and to "finish our course" (Hebrews 12, 2Timothy 4). This is not the time to be ambivalent about the standard that God is calling us to meet. We need to understand that God has laid upon us a divine expectation.  

We live in a society now where excellence is no longer promoted. Mediocrity and "getting by" has become satisfactory. Such is not the case with the God we serve. Jesus makes it clear that the Standard for every born-again child of God is to "be ye perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is Perfect" (Matthew 5). This does not mean "sinless". It means holy and complete (1Peter 1). Holiness, righteousness and perfection in Christ must now be the standard for which we not only strive, but submit to, in order that the divine expectation that the Father has placed upon us as His people may be met. Remember, the Scripture says that we are a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2).

In order to fulfill the divine expectation that the Father has placed upon our lives, we must reach for a spirit of selflessness. The issue is not being "sinless." The Blood of Jesus has taken away all of our sins. However, Jesus makes it clear that if we're going to be His discples, we must learn to "deny ourselves" (Matthew 16). What we will discover is that if we indulge the self, it's just a matter of time before we engage in sin. Whether it's a sin of behavior or a sin of the mind. Whether it's a sin of commission or a sin of omission. At the root of every manifestation of disobedience to the divine will of God is the indulgence of self over against the submission to Christ.

Another area we must address in order to meet the divine expectation of the Father is the area of sanctification. The scripture says that, "this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (1Thessalonians 4). To be sanctified means to be "set apart" unto God. Just like a spouse is set apart unto their husband or wife, God expects us to be strictly and solely set apart unto Him. That doesn't mean that we don't have other committed relationships like our marriages or to our children or even our congregations and communities. But none of these commitments take precedence over our Devotion and Commitment to the Father. As a matter of fact, when the primary relationships that we have do not grow out of our commitment and devotion to God, we'll find, inevitably, some degree of flaw or dysfunction in terms of how we operate and interact in these key relationships. We must make sure that we are sanctified unto God.

The last area we want to address as we strive to fulfill the divine expectation of the Father is the call to suffer. As we continue to move through this Next Season, this area right here will be what separates, spiritually, the men from the boys and the women from the girls. We must understand and accept that God has called us to suffer with His Son Jesus Christ (1Peter 2). This is not an option, this is a divine commandment, a divine expectation. 

Part of the reason why the witness of the American church is so weak as it relates to the manifestation of the Power of the Kingdom is because collectively and congregationally, we have not made a commitment to suffer for the cause of Christ. We have not made the standard of being a Christian to bear one's cross (Matthew 16). The church, like most of Western society, is addicted to convenience and comfort. This is not the will of God. Jesus didn't come to earth to be comfortable. Jesus didn't come here to live a life of convenience. Jesus came here to die! And He expects all of those who are going to faithfully follow Him to do the same. 

Are you prepared to take this step? Are you positioned to answer this call? If not, it's time you get ready, for it is the divine expectation of the Father.