By Susan Smith
A dictionary will describe hope as a feeling of trust, or a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Biblical hope is similar, yet different because we live by faith, and not by feelings. Biblical hope is better described as a confident expectation in who God is, and what God has promised, and taking strength in His faithfulness to keep His Word. You see, biblical hope is not hoping for something, but hoping in someone! That's the ticket. And it's a game changer.
Isaiah 40:31 tell us: "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint". This means they won't pass out or fall out along the way. They will make it. Friend, if our strength, endurance and perseverance are directly related to hope, and if hope is directly related to the Lord, then we can be encouraged by learning more about this.
The source of our hope is the God of all hope. Romans 15:13 says this: "May the GOD OF HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing (in Him), so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope." How awesome is that! God not only gives us the promise of being filled with joy and peace, but the Holy Spirit steps in and also fills us with an abundance of hope. God isn't stingy. He doesn't supply just a dribble of hope. Nope. He supplies an abundance of hope. Enough for you and plenty to share. He is the God of all hope, and if you have taken Jesus as your savior, then you are His child, His family member and 2nd Peter 1:3-4 assures us that "we are then partakers of His heavenly (divine) nature through the new birth."
Romans 8:29 also assures us that "We are being conformed into the image of Christ, meaning, we are being changed into His character." And Jesus is not a hopeless Savior. We have hope because the Father, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit are the source of our hope.
I don't know what you are going through right now, or where hope is needed, but here's what I do know: In the midst of life's most brutal hardships, difficulties, tests and trials, we are not left alone. The Lord's attitude isn't "Welcome to My Kingdom. Good luck on earth. See ya when you get here." No, He is caring. He is compassionate. He is on over-watch. He never slumbers or sleeps. Hope has been provided because our Heavenly Father knows it is needed here on this earth. Hebrews 6: 18-19 tells us that "Those who have fled the world to take hold of the hope offered to us (in Jesus Christ) are greatly encouraged....we have this HOPE as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure." And the anchor holds.
I love the Word of God. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible never ceases to thrill me. Check out 1 Peter 3:15: "Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope." Love it. Over two thousand years ago, even way back then, believers in Jesus Christ were told to be ready to share their hope with others who needed hope. It's no different today. People have had enough, they are having trouble coping, and are losing hope. If you have hope in God, then you can help with that. You have something precious and valuable to offer - true and lasting hope in the Lord who is more than able to help.
Currently, as I write this, there is great fear and panic unfolding and building about the banking systems of the United States and several other nations. It's getting dicey out there. Here's the thing - Hebrews 13:8 promises that "God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore." He is also Jehovah Jireh, our provider. And if we depend on Him, and trust Him, and follow Him, He will make a way. We are living in the end times so yes, of course, we all need to use wisdom. We need to pray, ask, and listen for the answer. If the Lord leads you to take a specific action about your finances, do it. But don't anything in fear after watching the news or social media. I'll let you in on hidden truth that many people are missing: There's no recession happening in Heaven. There is no economic collapse happening there either. The Lord's ability to bless you, multiply what you have, increase you, and provide necessary provisions are absolutely not dependent upon, or connected to, any economy on this earth. In Philippians 4:19, He has promised to meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory (heaven) in Christ Jesus". God is able to make all grace abound." There's that word abundance again. I hope you are seeing a pattern. This is the hope I am sharing on this topic with those I come in contact with: Our God has been faithfully providing for the needs of His family long before there were banks, stock markets, 401K, CD's, or treasury notes. He knows what we have need of and He has never been accused of child neglect. If one door closes, another will open. Remember, Jeremiah 32:27 promises that "There is nothing too hard for the Lord." If you have true and lasting hope in the God of all hope, then you have something valuable and precious to offer other people. When I tell you that our God is still the same as He was yesterday, and will be the same forever, that He doesn't change, I'm telling you that He hasn't run out of miracles. He provided money for taxes in the mouth of a fish. He has a way to provide for all of us.
Hope is an assurance that God is good, and knows and wants what is best for us. He knows better than we do and His timing and strategy are perfect, though so often we run ahead and do things on our own without consulting Him or waiting on Him. Releasing hope requires faith, patience, and confidence that God hears us, loves us, and will help us. From the time of our prayer, Heaven is at work on our behalf. "This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of Him." That's 1John 5:14-15. Add to that 1 Peter 3:10 "The Lord has given to us everything that pertains to life and Godly living."
God hears us. Because He is listening to us. And yet hope in God can't be insisting that He do exactly what we say, they exact way we want it, how we want it, or when we think we want it. God is sovereign. His ways (methods) and thoughts are higher than ours. Often, we have hope for the "yes" we want, or think we need. But we may not see the protection afforded to us that comes as a "no" from heaven. If you pray for something, if you release your faith for it, and God has a different plan, don't let a "no" make you feel even more discouraged. Gods got your back. He doesn't give bad gifts. If it's a no, take it as it's supposed to be a no. So let's be ready. Let's keep our ears open for opportunities to share hope with someone who needs it. It could even save a life. Let's keep our hope correctly positioned in the God of all hope, not in the thing you are hoping to for. Major difference. One is the source. The other is the outcome from the source. Night and day difference.
Hanging on to hope is as simple as hanging on to these three truths about Jesus:
1. He is entirely faithful, and He doesn't fail.
"Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. He doesn't change." Hebrews 13:8.
2. He will never leave us:
..."for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 3:16
..."for God has said "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
..."I am with you always, even to the very end of the world." Matthew 28:20
3. He has compassion on us:
"The Lord has compassion (mercy) on those who fear Him." Psalm 103:14
Jesus isn't going to change who He is for me, for you, or for anyone else. There are no shortages on hope, no rationing, no daily limits. His mercies are new every morning! Hope is free for the taking. Hope abounds. No matter the storm, no matter the need, the anchor of hope will hold. Whatever the need, whatever the issue, God is bigger than the problem. You are never alone when you need fresh hope.