Will your expectations of what Jesus can do limit or release his power in your life in 2023?

When Jesus visited his hometown, Nazareth, his childhood friends and neighbors were initially impressed. But then they recognized him. “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us? And then they took offense at him” (Mark 6:3).

Once they realized they knew Jesus, or thought they knew him, their expectation of what he could do changed, and they were offended. That’s when Jesus talked about a prophet being without honor in his home town.  

The Scripture then says: "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them” (Mark 6:5-6). That’s a profound statement. The low expectations of the Lord’s hometown crowd limited his exercise of miraculous power.

Just before this incident we find the story of a woman with a 12-year flow of minstrel blood. She had spent all of her money on doctors and only gotten worse. Yet, this woman, who had not grown up with Jesus, expected to be healed if she could touch only his robe.

On that occasion many people touched Jesus, as His disciples declared. But her expectation touched the heart of God and released great healing power. In contrast, the no-expectation people from the Lord’s hometown bridled His healing power. Their familiarity bred contempt as they wondered who Jesus thought he was. They knew, or thought they knew, He was nobody special. Yet, He pretended to possess divine healing power.

As I look to the New Year, I want to raise my spiritual expectations. I don’t want to view Jesus through eyes of limited knowledge and unbelief. Rather, I want my faith to grow so I expect him to do today, what he did back then.  

If you want this too, join me in daily asking the Lord to: “Open the eyes of my heart to see who Jesus truly is. Help me live with a high expectation of what he can do in and through me."

Because Jesus is more powerful than whatever you’re facing now, and will face throughout 2023, expect him to act on your behalf as draw near to him.

To strengthen my faith in Christ, I’m going to read through the four Gospels monthly throughout the year. I hope you’ll join me in this pursuit of an expectant faith in Jesus. If you'd like a copy of The Jesus Story, the blended Gospels, go here www.duplicatejesus.com.

I thank God for you and expect to see the Lord work though us in a wonderful way throughout 2023.