Going from believing to faithing

Joyful Expectation and the Willing Heart of God

Luke 5:12–13 (NKJV)

“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’
Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately the leprosy left him.”

This leper’s act was daring. To approach Jesus, he had to press through crowds, risking his life. He was considered unclean and could have been stoned for even being there. Yet, something within him, perhaps an unshakable expectation compelled him to fall at the feet of this man from Galilee and worship.

Last week, we talked about hope. The kind of hope we often speak of today usually means little more than wishful thinking—something like saying, “I wish.” But biblical hope goes far beyond that. The Greek word elpis means “a joyful expectation of deliverance.”

This kind of hope is not passive—it is alive. It leads to great faith and is, in fact, an essential element of faith itself. Biblical hope is both a precursor and a product of faith. It is woven into faith’s very DNA.

The leper came to Jesus with that kind of joyful expectation. His worship revealed it, bowing low before the Lord, believing that an encounter with Jesus would bring the very deliverance he longed for. Biblical hope always worships. It can’t help but do so, because joyful expectation naturally overflows into thanksgiving, even before any result is seen.

But notice his faith was not yet complete. Believing is not the same as faithing. The leper believed in Jesus’ power and authority, but he was not yet confident in Jesus’ willingness to use that power for him personally. He needed both the touch and the words of Jesus: “I am willing.”

Worship that flows from joyful expectation always moves the heart of God. So stand firm in your joyful expectation of deliverance. Move beyond wishful thinking. Move beyond merely believing that God can and know that He will.  His will to heal  was settled with the leper. That question was never asked again in the gospels. It was answered. 

Your joyful expectation draws on His compassion; it touches His heart. As you bow and worship Him, you will feel the touch of His hand on your own brokenness and disease.

Go beyond believing in His power alone. Trust His willingness. As you worship with joyful expectation, His will becomes your reality.

Faith isn't just believing He can. Faith is trusting that He is both willing and delighted to fulfill our joyful expectation of deliverance.