Last week we focused on the Great I AM—the foundation of our faith and our hope. This means that for the child of God, hope can be as strong as what we have learned about God’s goodness and faithfulness. 2 Corinthians 1: 10 gives us the assurance of our hope: “He who rescued us from so great a danger of death will continue to rescue us—we have set our hope on Him that He will rescue us again.” We must hold fast the unwavering confession of hope, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10: 23) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in trusting so you may overflow with hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15: 13) This is the hope Paul holds out in his letter to the Romans. It is a prayer for believers and reveals significant reasons why hope is such a priority.
First, God is “the God of hope.” Our joyful expectation isn’t without foundation. Hope’s foundation is not a theory or a philosophy; it is a person. Paul wants us to embrace hope as a reality rooted in God Himself, not as something we have to work up in our own strength. We need not fear the future because God is already there. Our future is in His hands. He releases it to us day by day and moment by moment. Therefore, we are not to worry about tomorrow knowing that God has it!
Second, Paul instructs us to “overflow in hope.” As God’s children, we have been given His Spirit and the powerful hope that comes from Him. Hope should be a vital characteristic of the follower of Jesus because God is the foundation of hope and because He has given us His Spirit. Genuine hope is one of the greatest distinguishing characteristics between believers and those who do not know Christ. Writing to the Christians at Ephesus, Paul reminded them what life was like before they received their salvation. “You were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2: 12) The last phrase is crucial. They had “no hope” because they were “without God in the world.” Peter also affirms our need for hope: “Blessing be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Peter 1:3)
Recently I was in a waiting room with a black woman about my age and she and I were discussing the plaque there with the verse “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1: 37) She said that she could have not made it through her life unless she had Jesus. I agreed with her and when we parted, we said “See you in the Rapture.” One scholar says that for those who don’t know Jesus, hope is a verb. But for the Christian, hope is also a noun. This is an important distinction. Hope is not simply something we do, with teeth gritted and fingers crossed. Hope—joyful expectation—is something we have. We possess hope because we know the God who is the source of and the reason for our hope. The number of people who are without hope and God are on the rise. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. About 49,500 people took their own lives last year in the U.S., the highest number ever, according to new government data. Suicides are more common in the U.S. than at any time since the dawn of World War II. People are in need of hope today. Paul in Colossians 1: 27-28 says, “God chose to make known to them this glorious mystery regarding the Gentiles—which is Christ in you, the hope of glory! We must proclaim His message and teaching to everyone in all wisdom so that we may present every person complete in Christ. He gives us our marching orders as believers: “To this end I labor, striving with all His strength which is powerfully at work in me.”
Third, hope is courageous. “Having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech” (2 Corinthians 3: 12). We are to be encouragers to others who are in need of hope. Everyone needs to be reminded of the hope that God, Jesus, and the Bible offer us in our daily lives. When we need encouragement and refreshment for our soul, turn to the scriptures that build our faith and courage and give us hope!
Fourth, hope is patient: “We give thanks to God always for all of you…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.” (I Thess. 1: 2-3) There are three pillars of joyful living—faith, hope, love, abide in these three.” (1 Cor. 13: 13) May these three pillars take root in our body, soul and spirit.
Fifth, hope is a source of stability: The writer of Hebrews says: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.” (Hebrews 6: 19) John the disciple added that true hope actually has a purifying effect. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (I John 3: 3) With hope followers of Christ can confidently take one day at a time knowing that God has a plan, He is in control and He loves us! Genuine hope will strengthen us for the wide variety of challenges we face because we see those challenges through the lens of God’s character and in Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
Sixth, hope is expectant: We are looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2: 13-14) Our expectation is from God—not from man. We are to encourage our self in the Lord and know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4: 13)
ALL OUR HOPE IS IN JESUS!
H old on to God’s promises,
O pen myself to His Will, not mine.
P raise and trust Him in all things,
E xcitedly wait in anticipation for all that He has planned. The best is yet to come!
“As you sit quietly in My Presence, your awareness of My Life within you is heightened. This produces the Joy of the Lord, which is your strength. I, the God of hope, fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in Me, so that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” From Jesus Calling
A Prayer for Hope: Lord, I maintain my hope in You and I hold onto the assurance that what I am praying for is already accomplished in the name of Jesus. Your Word promises “no good thing does He withhold from those that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). I wait upon You for Your definition of the “good thing” You will not withhold from me. As David prayed in Psalm 18:1: “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” In Jesus Name, AMEN