I shared recently that the word ‘anticipation’ has been echoing within me. I do not know why God is stirring this within me. Maybe it is because we are in a season filled with anticipation! Kids anticipate graduating at the end of the school year! Farmers anticipate reaping at the first signs of their crops springing forth fruit! Birds anticipate welcoming newly hatched chicks! Everywhere we look there are signs of anticipation.
I am walking through a season of fasting and beyond the anticipation of food, I anticipate God speaking. I anticipate Him to speak through the noise, through the brain fog, and the hunger pains. I anticipate. I anticipate direction, discernment, provision, guidance, but most of all I anticipate His presence.
Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint.” Anticipating’s prerequisite is waiting. Before God’s presence can be realized sometimes weariness and fainting may occur, but when we are weak He is strong. His presence fills us and we soar!
Following Jesus must have felt like this. The disciples must have constantly felt on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what Jesus would do next as they followed Him. But what made following Jesus so exciting, and what continues to make Jesus so exciting to follow, is that when we thirst with anticipation for Him, He always provides. Sometimes that might materialize after seasons of hunger, exhaustion, persecution or trial, but when we wait on the Lord, He is faithful to fill us with His strength and with His Spirit.
His Spirit encourages and empowers me with all that I needed during this season of anticipation, but also in the days ahead. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) We are strengthened by His Spirit for a good purpose—to live as ambassadors for Him who are able to run and walk out His commands to go and make disciples. “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.” (Matthew 12:18)
The amazing thing about this fasting experience is that when you walk with God, we are always in a season of anticipation. He is always revealing something new and leading us to new people and places to serve Him. Our aim is to continue to wait in anticipation for Him and His leading.
