Expecting an answer
Expectation according to English dictionary is defined as: The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen. That which is expected or looked for. The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to occur; prospect of anything good to come, especially of property or rank.
Phm 1:1-25 KJV 1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, 2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: 3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. 8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, 9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. 20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. 22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. 23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; 24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers. 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
I don’t know your expectation but in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, its coming to pass. it will come to pass in your life, it will come to pass in your marriage, it will ome to pass in your job, it will come to pass in your business.
In the text we read in Philemon, Paul wrote a letter to Philemon about a slave that ran away but during the crusade of Paul, he got converted and became a Christian. Now Paul asked Onesimus to go back to his master Philemon to seek forgiveness. Paul gave him a letter to that effect. The letter is what we have as Epistle to Philemon.
After pleading for Onesimus, Paul made a request for himselffrom Philemon in verse 22.
Phm 1:22 KJV But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
The request is that Philemon will prepare him a lodging place because he believes that through the prayers of Philemon and others, he Paul will be released and he will come and visit him.
As at the time Paul was writing this letter that we ar considering, Paul was in Prison in Rome, but he believed that if Philemon prays, he will be released and so he anticipated his release from prison. Because of that he asked Philemon to prepare a place for him, that he will soon come out.
This is a big lesson here that it is enough to pray but we must expect answers to our prayers and make preparation for the answer.
It is not when the answer comes that we will now begin to make preparation but we should prepare in anticipation of answers coming.
This is a huge step of faith that many Christian don’t know and they don’t know that this one of the things that causes speedy manifestation of your prayer request because it is an evidence of your faith.
Someone operating in faith will be like Paul that asked for lodging place even though he was still in prison. I hope you grasp it. Paul did not wait till he was out before asking Philemon to prepare him a place but while still confined in prison, he said Philemon should pray as he himself was praying.
If Philemon really believes that his prayer will be answered then let him prepare a place for rest for him.
I don’t know what you are believing God for, i don’t know your expectation and anticipation but you need to pray, after prayer you need to expect answer by preparing o receive the answer
Jesus said in Mark 11:23-24, that whatever you ask when you pray, believe you receive them and it shall come to pass.
Mar 11:24 KJV Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Part of believing that you receive them is when you make preparation for them even though there are little or no signs at all.
In 1King 18, When Elijah saw a small cloud the size of man’s arm, he was exited, he sent message to Ahab to run very fast-preparation because abundance of rain was coming.
1Ki 18:44-45 KJV 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
Truly, few minutes after he made the pronouncement, rain came. I decree abundance in your home in Jesus name.
Elisha the Prophet in 2Kings told the widow woman to make preparation to receive supernatural flow of oil by borrowing plenty jerry cans of oil from her neighbours. In fact Elisha warned her not to borrow few.
2Ki 4:2-3 KJV 2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
The woman obeyed but did not fully prepared because when the oil started flowing, she wanted more jerry cans but her son told her that there was none available and so the oil ceased flowing. Lack of adequate preparation for answer to prayers.
2Ki 4:5-6 KJV 5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
May your blessing not be abruptly terminated in Jesus name.
As i said one of the evidences that we are operating in faith and we truly believe God and His servant is to adequately prepare for our miracle. God expects us to do that on daily basis.
Isa 54:1-3 KJV 1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Isaiah 53 talked about the passion of the lord Jesus while Isaiah 54 talks about the benefits that comes to the church as a result of that suffering of Jesus.
verse 3 is where the blessings is but it is dependent on verse 2
in order word for verse 3 blessings to take place, verse 2 has to be obeyed in anticipation and expectation of verse 3.
God said Zion shall break out to the left and right, the place where she is occupying now will be too small for her, so God said in order to receive this blessings, enlarge your coast, spread out your curtain.
That will be your lot in Jesus name.
God wants to bless us abundantly but He wants us to create CAPACITY to receive it.
HOW DO YOU MAKE FAITH PREPARATION?
Expect favour everyday, expect miracle and angelic intervention.
Look forward to it in daily, hourly and minutes by minutes.
Make physical preparation. For instance: If you need a car, create a car park space in your compound. If you want more clothes in your wardrobe, take out old clothes to create room for new ones coming. You believe God for babies then go and buy baby materials in the market because they are coming. If you need a house start talking to landlords and estate agents. If you want to marry start buying wedding materials because it will take place. You want to work in a bank, start dressing like bankers. Prepare a good quality CV ready because God will create a place for submission so don’t wait until they ask for your CV before you start running helter skelter that is not faith, faith says get ready, job is coming.
Everyone should live in faith, faith is substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
Your expectation is evidence of your faith, can you show me evidence of your faith if i come to your house? If i open your wardrobe, if i visit your offices or stores, if i see the way you dress, does it portray somebody in anticipation and expectation of answer to prayers?
When expectation meets anointing miracle is the answer. This month your miracle will takes place, your blessings will happen in a hurry, get ready for miracle job.
When you study the life history of Paul, he was actually released and he visited Philemon.
Prayers
Every yoke of disappointment in life over my destiny and life, be broken by fire today
I decree in the name of Jesus i shall not be disappointed again in life.
Every yoke of near -success syndrome, yoke of almost, be destroy from my life in Jesus name.
I receive my answer now in Jesus name, no more delay, no more barrier. Answer come now, come from the east, come from the west, North and south, come, my answer i call you out, i call out my husband, i call out my job, i call out my children, i call out money for business, i call out admission to higher institution, i call out good jobs, come in Jesus name.