Digging Wells: The Well of Expectation

As we continue to dig the ancient wells, one of the most pertinent for this season is the well of expectation. Throughout Scripture, God’s people were called to wait, to watch, and to prepare their hearts for what He had already promised to do. This kind of expectation is not passive. It is faith-filled anticipation that positions us to receive what God has spoken.

Over recent months, as we have travelled and ministered, we have been reminded again and again of God’s faithfulness and His desire to move powerfully amongst His people. We sense a stirring, a calling to look up and expect God to act. In many places we visit, there is a weighty awareness that something new is coming.

Expectation is a well that must be dug. Without it, we can miss what God is doing. With it, we prepare our hearts for His work.

With faith, seek the Lord and expect revival.

A Vision for Revival

Throughout history there have been moments when God has moved with unmistakable power. These moments often appeared suddenly, yet they came upon hearts that were seeking Him, looking for Him, expecting Him.

A.W. Tozer wrote of the Welsh Revival of 1904:

“The nation had drifted far from God… Suddenly, like an unexpected tornado, the Spirit of God swept over the land. The churches were crowded so that the multitudes were unable to get in. Meetings lasted from ten in the morning until twelve at night.”

Testimonies of transformed lives, restored families, and genuine repentance spread quickly. Tozer recorded:

Infidels were converted, drunkards, thieves and gamblers saved… Mules in the coal mines refused to work being unused to kindness. In five weeks, 20,000 joined the churches.

These accounts stir something within us. They remind us that God has moved before, and He can move again. Many prophetic words have pointed to a fresh work of God in our day. But prophetic promises do not remove our responsibility. Like every well in Scripture, this well must be dug and reopened.

We have two vital ingredients to live in a genuine “pre-revival” atmosphere:

• We own the reality of the coming revival in vision form.

• We have prophetic words from heaven to assure us such vision for true revival is not an empty dream.

Preparing for What God Has Promised

In many places we visit, we sense a hunger rising in God’s people. The last few years have brought shaking and uncertainty. Many Christians recognize that the foundations of this world are being tested, and they feel a renewed longing for God’s presence and power. There is a hunger for the glory of God to return to His people, a fresh desire to walk in an authentic relationship with Jesus, and a growing eagerness to read and understand His Word. These are often signs that God is preparing hearts.

In such seasons, it is important that we keep our eyes on the Lord. Psalm 32:8 offers this assurance:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

God Himself promises to guide us. Our responsibility is to stay close to Him. Jesus’ words still lead us:

“Come, follow Me, and I will make you…”

If we are to be “made,” then we must posture ourselves before the Lord so He can shape us, strengthen us, and mature us for what lies ahead. This applies to our personal lives, our families, and the church as a whole.

It is good to ask:

• Am I preparing my heart for what God wants to do in this season?

• Am I watchful, prayerful, and attentive to His voice?

• Do I carry expectation for God to move in my life and in His church?

  
  

Expectation grows when we turn toward Him with sincerity and a willingness to be formed.

Guarding Against Unbelief

Scripture gives us a clear warning about the danger of unbelief. In Hebrews 3:12, the writer speaks directly to Christian believers and cautions them against “an evil heart of unbelief.” This is not unbelief in Christ as Savior, but a quiet, careless unbelief that can enter when we do not watch over what God has spoken. It can also show itself as an inward resistance — a reluctance to fully surrender to God’s promises. Both can keep us from stepping into what the Lord desires to do.

We see the same principle in the account of Israel in the wilderness. God had given them a clear word—a good land, His presence, His victory—yet they allowed fear and doubt to outweigh what He had spoken. Hebrews 4:2 tells us that the good news did not benefit them because it was not mixed with faith.

The same can be true today. God may speak, stir, or reveal His purposes, yet we can hesitate to believe Him. We might agree with His promises in theory, but struggle to take hold of them in practice. Unbelief often works quietly. It can settle into the heart without announcement.

Expectation guards us against this. When we choose to believe what God has said, and when we turn toward Him with simple, trusting faith, unbelief loses its influence.

Reopening the Well of Expectation

Like every spiritual well, the well of expectation can become blocked if we do not pay attention to it. We must keep it open so that expectation stays strong in our hearts.

Here are some practical ways to reopen this well:

• Return to the Word of God. Spend time reading Scripture with an open heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to stir faith and hope within you.

• Seek the Lord intentionally. Set moments aside to be quiet before Him, to listen, and to wait for His leading.

• Ask Him to enlarge your capacity. Expectation grows as God widens our understanding of who He is and what He desires to do.

• Resist unbelief. Reject the doubts, fears, and hesitations that keep you from embracing His promises.

  
  

As we reopen this well, we position ourselves for what God desires to bring forth. Expectation does not make something happen; it prepares the heart to receive what God has already planned.

Let us come before Him with faith and readiness. Let us ask Him to stir a deeper hunger for His presence, His Word, and His ways. And let us believe that He will lead us in this season, just as He has promised.

God is faithful.

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