BEYOND EXPECTATIONS Foundation Scripture: Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Welcome to the online sanctuary! I thank God for each and every one of you who has logged in today. I believe there is a Word from the Lord, and I need you to stay with me because somebody is getting ready to understand that what you have been expecting is not the limit of what God is able to do!

My God!

Have you ever prayed for something, believed God for something, and already had an idea of how you thought it was going to turn out?

You had the outcome in your mind.

You had the answer figured out.

You had already decided what the blessing should look like.

But somewhere along the way, God stepped into the situation and did something you never anticipated!

And when you looked back, all you could say was, “God, I didn't see that coming!”

Listen!

We serve a God who is not confined to our imagination, restricted by our circumstances, or limited by our understanding.

And that is why the Apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 3:20:

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Pay close attention.

Paul did not say God was only able to do what you asked.

He did not say God was limited to what you imagined.

He said EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE!

That means your expectation may be great, but God's ability is greater!

You may have an expectation for your family, your marriage, your ministry, your finances, your healing, or your future.

But don't you dare put a ceiling on God simply because you cannot see beyond what is in front of you!

YOUR EXPECTATION IS NOT GOD'S LIMITATION!

And I need somebody to hear this today.

The enemy would love for you to believe that because something has not happened the way you expected, God is not working.

He would love for you to become discouraged, abandon your assignment, and walk away before you ever see what God is doing.

But I came to remind you:

THE OUTCOME IS NOT LIMITED TO WHAT YOU EXPECTED!

And today, I want to show you three things.

Your expectation is not God's limitation.

Don't let the expected outcome limit your faith.

And God is able to do exceeding abundantly above!

Because sometimes you are praying for one thing, and God is preparing something that reaches far beyond what you even knew to ask for.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You today.

Thank You for bringing us into another opportunity to sit under Your Word. Thank You for keeping us, sustaining us, and allowing us to witness Your goodness.

God, somebody listening today has been discouraged because things have not happened according to their expectations.

Somebody has been questioning whether their prayers are being heard. Somebody has been considering giving up because they cannot see the outcome.

But Father, let this Word strengthen their faith.

Open their understanding. Remove the limitations they have placed upon Your ability. Help them to trust Your wisdom even when they cannot understand Your methods.

Let revelation come forth. Let faith arise. Let hope be restored.

And don't allow us to log out the same way we logged in.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Now stay with me because this brings me to my first point.

YOUR EXPECTATION IS NOT GOD'S LIMITATION

Jeremiah 32:17 declares:

“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”

Nothing too hard!

Not your situation.

Not your circumstances.

Not the thing you have been praying about for years.

Not the thing that appears impossible to everybody around you.

And sometimes our greatest struggle is not believing that God can do something.

It is believing that God can do something beyond what we have already decided is possible.

Come on!

We pray according to what we know.

We expect according to what we have experienced.

We anticipate according to what we can understand.

But God is not operating according to the limitations of our experience.

Isaiah 55:8 reminds us:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

That means God does not need your blueprint to accomplish His purpose.

He does not need your calculations.

He does not need your permission to exceed what you imagined.

And hear me!

Just because you cannot see how God is going to do it does not mean God has run out of ways to accomplish it!

Some of you have been measuring your future according to your present circumstances.

But your present circumstances do not determine the full extent of God's ability.

Stop reducing God to what you can explain!

Stop measuring His power by what you have already experienced!

And stop allowing yesterday's disappointment to determine tomorrow's expectation!

Because the God who created heaven and earth is still able to do what you cannot figure out.

Your expectation is not His limitation!

And this brings us somewhere deeper.

DON'T LET THE EXPECTED OUTCOME LIMIT YOUR FAITH

Let's go to Acts chapter 3.

Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.

And there was a man who had been lame from birth, sitting at the gate called Beautiful.

The Bible tells us that he asked for alms.

He was expecting money.

He was expecting somebody to put something in his hand.

He was expecting temporary assistance.

But Peter said:

“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

And Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up.

Immediately, his feet and ankle bones received strength!

Come on here!

He expected alms.

BUT HE RECEIVED THE ABILITY TO WALK!

He expected something in his hand.

BUT GOD GAVE HIM STRENGTH IN HIS FEET!

He expected temporary assistance.

BUT HE EXPERIENCED A LIFE-CHANGING MIRACLE!

And Acts 3:8 says he entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God.

Listen!

He came to the gate expecting one thing, but he left experiencing something beyond his expectations!

And this is where I need somebody to understand that you cannot become so attached to the outcome you imagined that you fail to recognize what God is actually doing.

Sometimes God answers in a way you never anticipated.

Sometimes the blessing reaches further than the original request.

And sometimes the assignment you thought was intended for one person becomes the very thing God uses to minister to somebody else.

Let me bring this a little closer because I have a testimony.

My husband and I just returned from Colombia, where we had the honor of officiating the wedding of Corey and Zahory.

And listen, the enemy would have loved for us to give up before we ever got to that moment.

He would have loved for the pressures, disappointments, weariness, and everything we have had to navigate to cause us to abandon what God assigned to our hands.

But we kept moving.

We kept believing.

We kept answering the call.

And when we stood before that couple, we were not there to put on a performance.

We were not there to preach a sermon.

We were there to honor the covenant, minister to that couple, and pray over their lives.

BUT GOD HAD SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND!

Come on here!

After the ceremony, people began telling us how they felt the power of God.

Some said they had attended weddings before, but they had never experienced anything like this.

They spoke about the ceremony itself, the words that were spoken, and the prayers that were prayed over Corey and Zahory.

And what blessed me was that the ministry did not stop with the bride and groom.

Other couples were being ministered to!

People who came simply to celebrate a wedding were receiving something they had not anticipated.

They came with their well wishes.

BUT GOD MET THEM WITH HIS PRESENCE!

They expected to witness two people exchanging vows.

BUT GOD ALLOWED THEM TO WITNESS THE POWER OF COVENANT!

They expected a beautiful ceremony.

BUT GOD EXCEEDED THEIR EXPECTATIONS!

And hear me because this is where somebody needs to catch the revelation.

We did not have to turn that wedding into a preaching service for God to move.

We simply had to be obedient in the assignment He gave us.

And sometimes you are so focused on completing what God told you to do that you do not realize who else is being impacted by your obedience!

You think you are ministering to one person, but somebody else is being strengthened.

You think you are praying over one household, but another couple is being encouraged.

You think you are fulfilling one assignment, but God is allowing the fruit of that assignment to reach people you never knew needed what He placed inside of you.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT MAY BE SPECIFIC, BUT THE REACH OF YOUR OBEDIENCE IS NOT ALWAYS LIMITED TO WHAT YOU CAN SEE!

And this is why you cannot allow the enemy to convince you to give up just because you cannot see the full outcome.

What if we had stopped?

What if we had allowed weariness to silence our yes?

What if we had decided the assignment was not worth the sacrifice?

We would never have witnessed what God did in that moment.

And I am not taking credit for what happened in Colombia.

ALL THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD!

We were vessels.

We were willing.

We were obedient.

But the power belonged to Him!

And I came to tell somebody today:

DON'T GIVE UP BEFORE YOU SEE WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO WITH YOUR YES!

You may be expecting one outcome, but God is able to accomplish something far beyond what you imagined.

And that brings us right back to Ephesians 3:20.

GOD IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE!

Now let's continue because Paul says something that we cannot afford to miss.

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Not according to what the enemy thought!

Not according to what people predicted!

Not according to what your circumstances suggested!

ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US!

Come on here!

The power belongs to God.

The ability belongs to God.

The glory belongs to God.

And when God begins to move, He is not limited to the size of your request.

He is not limited to the boundaries of your imagination.

He is not limited to what somebody else believes is possible for your life.

But pay close attention.

Beyond expectations does not mean God is obligated to do everything exactly the way we want it.

It means we trust His wisdom beyond our understanding.

We trust His purpose beyond our plans.

We trust His power beyond our limitations.

And sometimes the exceeding abundantly above is not merely what God puts in your hands.

Sometimes it is what He develops in your spirit.

Sometimes it is the marriage He strengthens through your testimony.

Sometimes it is the person who receives encouragement because you refused to quit.

Sometimes it is the life that encounters Jesus because you remained obedient to an assignment that appeared small in your own eyes.

YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE ASSIGNMENT, BUT GOD WAS LOOKING AT THE IMPACT!

And this is why you cannot measure the value of your obedience only by what you can see immediately.

You do not know who is watching.

You do not know who is listening.

You do not know whose faith is being restored.

You do not know whose marriage is being strengthened.

You do not know who is finding the courage to get up again because you kept moving when the enemy expected you to stop.

Listen!

The enemy may have expected you to surrender.

But you are still standing.

He may have expected you to abandon the assignment.

But you are still answering God.

He may have expected disappointment to silence your faith.

But you are still declaring the goodness of the Lord!

And I need somebody to understand something today.

WHAT THE ENEMY EXPECTED IS NOT WHAT GOD HAS DECREED!

You do not have to know every detail of the outcome to remain faithful to the assignment.

You do not have to see the entire staircase to take the next step.

And you do not have to understand everything God is doing to trust the One who called you.

Because He is able!

Able to sustain you.

Able to strengthen you.

Able to restore you.

Able to accomplish His purpose through you.

EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK!

And when I look back over what God has done, I cannot help but give Him glory.

We went to fulfill an assignment.

But God allowed that assignment to reach beyond what we anticipated.

And I believe somebody listening today needs to receive this:

DO NOT ALLOW WHAT YOU EXPECTED TO BECOME THE CEILING OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE GOD CAN DO!

Keep praying.

Keep believing.

Keep obeying.

Keep trusting.

And let God be God!

Because He is able to do beyond expectations!

Now we're getting ready to end, but I cannot preach about the God who exceeds expectations without giving somebody an opportunity to receive the greatest gift He has given us through Jesus Christ.

Maybe you are listening today, and you have been expecting your circumstances to change before you surrender your life to God.

Maybe you have been waiting until everything gets better.

Maybe you have been trying to fix yourself before coming to Jesus.

But hear me.

You do not have to get everything together before you come to Him.

Romans 10:9 tells us that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.

Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

And through Him, we have the gift of salvation.

If you are ready to surrender your life to Christ, pray with me.

Father, I come to You today recognizing that I need You. I repent of my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and that You raised Him from the dead. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Forgive me, change me, and lead me according to Your Word. Teach me to trust You beyond what I can see or understand. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus' name, amen.

And if you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, welcome to the family of God!

Get connected to a Bible-believing church, get into the Word of God, and begin growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

And before we leave the online sanctuary, we want to give you an opportunity to sow into the ministry.

Second Corinthians 9:7 reminds us that God loves a cheerful giver.

We do not give to purchase a blessing or manipulate an outcome.

We give from a heart of gratitude, trusting God with what He has placed in our hands.

If this ministry has blessed you and you desire to sow, you may give through PayPal, Cash App, or Tithely.

GIVE

Give as the Lord leads you, and we thank God for every person who continues to help us carry the Gospel through this online sanctuary.

Now before you log out, I want you to declare something over your life.

MY EXPECTATION IS NOT GOD'S LIMITATION!

I will not allow disappointment to destroy my faith.

I will not allow delay to silence my prayers.

I will not allow weariness to cause me to abandon my assignment.

I will not measure God's ability according to my circumstances.

I will not place limitations on what God is able to accomplish.

My obedience has purpose.

My assignment has purpose.

My prayers have purpose.

And even when I cannot see the full outcome, I will continue trusting God!

I declare that my faith will not be imprisoned by what I expected.

My hope will not be destroyed because the answer looks different.

And my obedience will not depend upon my ability to understand everything God is doing.

I WILL KEEP SAYING YES!

Yes when I understand.

Yes when I do not understand.

Yes when I can see the outcome.

And yes when I have to walk by faith!

Because the God who called me is able to accomplish His purpose!

And when the enemy expects me to stop, I will keep moving.

When the enemy expects me to surrender, I will keep believing.

When the enemy expects me to abandon my assignment, I will keep answering the call!

I AM NOT FINISHED BECAUSE GOD IS NOT FINISHED!

And whatever God chooses to accomplish through my obedience, I give Him all the glory!

Father, we thank You for Your Word today.

Thank You for reminding us that Your ability extends beyond our understanding.

Forgive us for the times we have limited our faith to what we could see.

Forgive us for allowing disappointment to convince us that You were no longer working.

Strengthen every person who has been considering giving up.

Restore their expectation according to Your Word.

Give them the courage to remain obedient even when the outcome is uncertain.

And Father, let the fruit of their obedience reach every person You have ordained for it to touch.

Let marriages be strengthened.

Let families be restored.

Let faith be renewed.

Let lives be transformed.

And may everything You accomplish through us bring glory to Your name.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Listen, I pray this Word has blessed you today.

Take it with you this week.

Do not become so attached to what you expected that you miss what God is doing.

And as always, we logged in one way but we are logging out another!

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you, sustain you, strengthen you, and establish your faith beyond what your natural eyes can see. May His wisdom guide your decisions, His peace guard your heart, and His power work in you and through you according to His divine purpose.

And until we meet again, may you never forget:

YOUR EXPECTATION IS NOT GOD'S LIMITATION!

For He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!

God bless you, and I love you with the love of Christ.

Manifestation of His Glory Network, Inc.

†† Dr. G. Denise Gray

Lead Apostle & General Overseer