What Can It Be?

Introduction

What can it be? What could it be? This is a question of anticipation. It’s a question of dreaming. This question, “What can it be?” can also be a question of faith!

There a great pastor & missionary in the 18th century, William Carey. He stated this quote in one of his sermons: “expect great things from God [and to] attempt great things for God.”

How many of yall know that God can do great things? If we know this, are you expecting Him to? Let’s look at Ephesians 3:20–21

“20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Whatever we ask, think, expect, God is able to to do far more abundantly! There are no limits on the work God wants to do or can do! He is ready to move in people’s lives.

If God is wanting to move in people’s lives, what is our part in expecting Him to do great things?

Psalm 66:18–20 “18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!”

Listen to the first part of verse 18, “If i cherished iniquity (sin) in my heart, the Lord will not listen.” Expecting great things from God, involves praying to a great God. BUT we cannot pray to Jesus if there is sin in our lives.

The great things that God can do tonight and at DNOW is beyond anything we think or desire. When we come to God asking Him to do something great and sin is in our life, that interferes with our prayer.

Tonight I want us to come together and ask great things of God and expect great things from God. Before we can do that, we must make sure that there is no sin in our life.

Pray for a short moments asking God forgive us of our sin.

Will you pray with me, asking God to forgive you of any sin in your life?

We find in verse 19 of Psalm 66 that God truly listened! When our hearts are right with God, He wants to listen to your prayers. The Bible tells about asking anything according to His will.↓

1 John 5:14–15 “14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that ↓if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

↑We know from 1 Timothy 2:4 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:9 “9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Expecting great things from first involved asking for forgiveness, now it involves seeking His will and asking for it. God not only wants to do great things, but He wants His people to seek after pray for those great things.

When our mindset is expecting God to do great things, we will begin moving, doing, praying for God to do great things. When you play a game (sports, video game, cards, board game), there is an expectation to win the game. When I play mario kart I don’t expect to win because I know how bad I am. Not expecting to win, does not boost my drive to win the game.

When there is drive & excitement to win a game, you’re walking out expecting to win. I remember when I play basketball 6th-9th grade, I learned to go out on the court expecting to win the game. Our expectation means something!

We read a few minutes ago from 1 John 5:14 “…that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” Just like we went to prayer asking God to forgive us, let’s come together asking God to do great things