“But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6

Do you remember as a kid making your Christmas Wish List?  Oh, the excitement of writing down every single toy you have been dreaming about.  I remember my kids getting so excited with the Toys R Us Catalog and their big box of markers.  Each of our sons picked a different color marker and between all the catalogs they held onto with dear life, they circled away.

Just recently my niece Khloe did this very same thing.  But hers was far more detailed.  She showed me her Christmas Wish List she had posted for everyone to see on her refrigerator.  This wasn’t some 9 x 11 sheet of filler paper.  Oh no, this was a lonnnnng sheet of paper, almost poster size.  Every inch intricately covered in images of store names and items she is wishing for Christmas.  With no care of cost or worry what if mom and dad say no, she clipped away.  Now that’s what I call bold with some serious EXPECTATIONS!

Driving home I thought of her poster size Christmas Wish List.  How bold she was when she went about selecting her gift wishes.  She has this expectation that mom and dad, including her uncle and I will surely grant her wishes.  I realized that night, we too should pray to God with that same expectation.  But most often, we pray with a timid, I don’t want to ask for too much, I’ll just settle for just this little, kind of attitude. 

Not long ago, we had the pleasure of seeing Joseph Prince at church.  He made this incredible statement that left us thinking.  “We should not come to God asking Him to simply fill our cup.  We should come asking Him to fill our reservoir.”  He was right!!!  I had been finding myself just praying with a get by prayer.  Just bless me with enough to sustain me.  And well, God was doing just that.  He sustained us during this season.  In 2 Kings 3:16 Elisha says, “This is what the Lords says:  I will fill this valley with pools of water.”  God wants to fill your valleys with pools of blessings.  But like Joseph Prince said, we just ask for a mere cup. 

This past Thursday evening, the ladies and I hopped online for our weekly bible study and the topic was on Praying In Expectation.  Not settling for just enough.  Not settling for just a cup.  But expecting a reservoir or valley.  Below you can download the entire bible study guide for Thursday’s, Girlfriends, Coffee & Jesus Bible Study Group.  It’s a 2 page study where we learn about Elisha and how through his prayers in expectation, the widow’s son was brought back to life.  I want us to be that bold.  I want us to pray with that type of expectation. 

Praying In Expectation Bible Study

Praying In Expectation.list

Below are a few pointers on How To Pray In Expectation.  I loved going through each pointer and apply this to my way of praying.  I don’t know about you, but I want to live in ALL of God’s glory and not just settle for get by.  So let’s get to Praying In Expectation!

XOXO…Ileen

psst…God Loves You

HOW TO PRAY IN EXPECTATION

1.      BELIEVE with a complete heart of faith in what you are petitioning God for.      Mark 11:24 says, Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have   received it, and it will be yours.

2.      BE BOLD when going into prayer with God.  Don’t pray with a timid just give me enough to get by kind of attitude.  Pray without worrying about your circumstance but give it to God.                                                                                                                                  James 1:6 says, “Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.  People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves.”

3.      BE EXPECTANT believing without doubt that God will answer your prayers.    Jeremiah 17:14 says, “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved.”

4.       TRUST God’s will.                                                                                                                Psalm 143:8 says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.”                                                                                                                                     John 5:30 says, “I can do nothing on My own initiative As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

5.      BE THANKFUL as though God has already granted your request.                            Psalm 66:19-20 says, “but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.  Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!”