Confident Joyful Expectation

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'll believe it when I see it!" ? Perhaps you've even said that at one time or another. I know that's just an expression, but the bible says, 'out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks'.(Luke 6:45) Truthfully, there's not any faith in that statement. Faith is, first, believing THEN seeing. Which is a hard thing for a lot of people to do. Let me just say that once someone comes to the place of being truly, in sincere confidence, they will see the results of their belief. That's where faith and hope meet.

There are numerous people that think hoping is a desperate cry for their desire. These are the individuals that believe lamenting, longing, and yearning IS hope. Hope is really: Confident Joyous Expectation!  Think about that! Confidence - true trust, belief, and certainty.  It's where we just know that we know!  Joyous - that place of happiness that nothing can deprive us from rejoicing. Expectation - the eager excitement of knowing we have something.  Heb. 11:1 (AMP) "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."  In other words, faith is the practical expression of our confidence in God and His Word.  We may not actually SEE what we are believing, but we BELIEVE we already have it.  That's faith! Because it doesn't take faith to believe for something we already possess. 


When we can begin to Praise the Lord and express our thanksgiving for something we are believing, before we actually have it, that's genuine faith.  And faith pleases God! (Heb. 11:6) Our exhibition of trust through praise and thanksgiving is acknowledging what God has done, is doing and will do! 


Remember Faith is like a seed, when it's planted, the changes in that seed take place below the surface before it happens above the surface.  Our faith activated by our praise and thanksgiving is working in the unseen realm before it's manifest in the seen realm. 


I encourage you today to remain in faith, keep your conversation on what God's promise is to you (don't say anything about what you see), thank Him and praise Him for the result of your belief. Someone, just said, "so when do I stop?"  When you receive it! Never give up, never faint - God IS faithful!

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