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Expectant Prayers ®

Jennifer Jo Weiss

Hope

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24

A few days ago, I posted about the topic of faith.  In our ever changing times, there is a great need of faith like never before.  Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."     Faith and hope walk together.   Hope can be defined as: a cherished desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment or success.    So, faith is being sure of what we expect to be fulfilled in life - certain of things that just simply cannot see.  Faith and hope are essential to the believer's walk.   They are also two areas where the enemy will bombard you the hardest because he knows that undermining your faith and hope is to take away the essence of your core makeup.  This key not only unlocks understanding for your spiritual walk, but also radiates to every nook and cranny of your life. 

The question for you today is, "What do you have hope in or for?"  

When you answer that question, you will begin to see where your faith is.

Many of us hope for peace in the world, security, provision for our needs, a united mankind, a meaningful life, a better world for our children, and enjoyment and fulfillment along the way!

These can and will be fulfilled, but not by mere men, opportunity, or self reliance.

Christ is the center, the focus, the way.   If you've asked yourself what you hope for or in  and can truly answer , "My faith and hope are in the Lord and His plans and purposes for my life", then you've founded your hopes in God.     He never fails, never disappoints.    Oh, that's not to say we may not be disappointed in life, but usually those things that disappoint us are things we have built up in our own minds.   Romans 5:5 says, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

When affliction and perilous times arise, this should cause our hope and faith to increase, not decrease.  There are many accounts in the Bible - especially the Psalmist, David, and in the book of Job where the word "hope" occurs more often than in other books.  Their souls were downcast, their lives bleak and grim - but all the more they sought the Lord and professed Him (and His Word) as their hope.  Even the prophetic books of the Bible seem to radiate the same theme of "hope", even when the prophets were predicting calamity.  The New Testament (Acts, Romans, etc) also seem to point to the hope that we have and profess.

God desires for us to be people of hope. 

So what really gives us hope or the desire to hope?  It is a work of the Holy Spirit within us.  There are many accounts of this.  For example, Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Faith and hope will remain throughout all time (1 Corinthians 13:13).  1 Corinthians 15:19 tells us,
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."   Our eyes need to grow dim toward the things of earth and the "present" and begin to understand that there is a forever!  Hope is eternal - as are our lives.   We hope for the life to come, and especially in this present time - we trust in the blessed hope (the return of Jesus Christ). 

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."   2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17

My prayer for us today is that we will become a people of steadfast and unbridled hope!

Lord,
Help us today to become a people of hope.  Work in our lives by the power of your Spirit to transform our discouragement into joy; our sorrows into laughter, our doubt into unwavering faith.  May hope arise in our hearts that cannot be quenched by the enemy.  Give us eyes for eternal hope and strengthen us for the hour ahead.  Help us to clearly hear your voice and walk in obedience today.  Teach us to place our hope, faith, and trust in You alone.  Amen.

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