Sheerah told us that we are in a spiritual war, and the quality of our life depends on taking the Bible at it’s word as the complete work of the Holy Spirit and applying the Word to our lives. When we do that we can have hope in the midst of challenging circumstances. In Greek the word Nike means hope.

If Christians fear to have hope they can be bound by the enemy.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Hope does not disappoint. If we do not have hope then circumstances we face can cause disappointment. Paul survived many trials in his sharing of the Gospel. He was stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, mocked, and rejected. If he did not have hope he would have been disappointed, but Paul held on to hope and faith in God.

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

In Hebrew the word “deferred” (Strong’s 4900) means “to draw, used in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong, to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall, etc.):–draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, give, handle, make (pro-, sound)long, sow, scatter, stretch out.”

Hope draws out and stretches out.  Notice that Proverbs says WHEN the desire comes, not IF the desire comes.  As long as there is desire we have a choice to hope or give up on hope.

What is hope?  It means to anticipate or desire, expectation.  In Strong’s the Greek word for hope (1680) Vine’s Expository Dictionary gives the following definition of hope: “favorable and confident expectation. It has to do with the unseen and the future. ”Hope” describes the happy anticipation of good (the most frequent significance), the ground upon which “hope” is based, ”Christ in you the hope of glory;” and the object upon which the “hope” is fixed.”

The essence of hope is to wait. It is not waiting with the focus on the result, but it is a waiting with JOY, EXPECTING. It is similar to how a child waits for Christmas, knowing that there will be presents and with child like anticipation thinking about the presents.

Romans 4:18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 

Abraham had no realistic expectation of producing a son, everything in the physical said that it was impossible, but Abraham believed God. He believed in hope.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

In this definition of faith we see that faith has two components. 1. the substance of things hoped for and 2. the evidence of things not seen. Without hope we can have no faith and without faith it is impossible to please God.  Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Without hope there is nothing to have faith in. Hold onto hope not only in spiritual warfare but in pleasing God. If we want to make God smile we want to protect our faith. Lies come in to steal hope.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

We are told that without love we make a whole lot of noise.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Without hope and abiding in hope, there is no place for faith to go. HOPE is like the gun that you put your faith bullet in. A bullet is not useful without a gun, the gun concentrates and directs the charge of the bullet. Hope gives faith direction. The next aspect of faith is to SPEAK WITH YOUR MOUTH. We need to speak the Word of God, and we need to know how to effectively use the Word of God.

Sheerah brought a toy sword (Word of God) to demonstrate that we need to not only have the weapon but know how to effectively use it. If you grab a sword by the blade you cut your hands. If the enemy is charging you need to know to hold the sword by the hilt and effectively wield the weapon. We want to effectively wield the Word of God. We need to take HOPE by the HANDLE, how?

Psalm 33:17-18 A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy,

Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

Psalm 38:15 For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.

Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

Psalm 71:5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth.

Our hope is in God, not in family, spouse, friends, etc. God’s sword is the Bible. Faith moves mountains. We can rest in God’s sovereignty.  The power of God is greater than any challenge we face. We need to hold on to hope even though humans fail us.  God remains faithful.  Keep our hope in the right place – on God. God does not change or disappoint.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

If there are tribulations, persecution it produces perseverance, character and hope.  Hope does not disappoint. Keep going forward in the face of trials.

Sheerah said “HOPE IS TO THE SOUL WHAT OXYGEN IS TO THE BODY.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Pastor Don added a few other points.

He said hope and don’t give up. We abandon hope when we get out of the fruit of faith. 

There is carnal hope: hoping for what you do see.

Spiritual hope is hoping for something that you do not see. 

We can attach ourselves to something impossible, worldly, and that can at times lead us to true faith. If we look at what we are hoping for, not in the literal sense, but go beyond and see with understanding what is working behind the curtain, we can change the direction of our hope to line up with God’s will, hoping for the right thing.

Spiritual faith delivers what we will really be happy with, even though we don’t see it when we are hoping. Carnal hope changes, but spiritual hope does not change.

In Acts 9 the Holy Spirit is active in the earth. God is calling His people and nominal christians who do not know faith, will not have the power to deal with challenges. We want to pray that the Gospel message gets out. 

I pray your day is blessed.

Heather

I missed two weeks of Bible studies because of preparing and taking Kids to college.  This study was taught on 8/27/10 

Before we began the study on Isaiah 39 someone asked Pastor Don a question. I love how well Pastor knows the Bible, and is able at the drop of a hat to answer questions that we have.  I want to know the Bible that well!!!! 

The question had to do with Proverbs 3:13-18 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. 

Pastor Don had us laughing when he said that women were wiser than men – then he pointed out that they also made some stupid mistakes in the Bible.

Pastor continued by saying that God is triune the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  He said that the Holy Spirit has traits that are referred to as feminine. We see these traits in John Chapters 14-17. The Holy Spirit has some functions that are motherly. In the Spirit is all maleness and femaleness. But the Spirit nurtures, comforts, cares and we can trust Him. Wisdom is present in all aspects of God. Wisdom helps us to know what to know and how to understand. 

On earth a mother has one shot to impart wisdom to her child, for later in life the wisdom of the father comes in.

Grace produces repentance which leads to the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the Holy Spirit. 

We impart wisdom in our children for we need to train up a child in the way we should go so that when the child is old he will not depart. That does not mean that there is not a time when your children will do stupid. We need to pray that they grow older and wiser at a younger age before they do too many stupid things.

That is why Sunday School is so important. We are training up children, it is a vital ministry of the Church. If we can reach the child for the Lord before they turn 18,  eighty percent of them will return to the church and be faithful Christians.

Isaiah 39 

Isaiah 39:1-3 At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.  And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.”

Merodach-Baladan was a king of Babylon. Hezekiah was so impressed that the king of Babylon would send him a letter, that he shows the king all the stuff – even the stuff the king had no business seeing such as what is part of the Tabernacle’s riches. 

Isaiah 39:4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 

Isaiah asked Hezekiah what he had shown the king, and Hezekiah told Isaiah that they had seen all the stuff. The problem is that it is not Hezekiah’s stuff, it is God’s stuff. These things Hezekiah showed the king belonged to God, and now they were exposed to the heathen.

Isaiah 39:5-8 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”

Notice that it is the sons that will be taken away, what Hezekiah did will impact those who were not born yet.  We need to be careful what we speak over our kids – our spiritual kids and our natural kids, for that will impact them and future generations.  

Isaiah 38:1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’”

Hezekiah was dying, but after petitioning God, God reversed the decree. The discord you have now in your life can kill you. But if you go to God with sincerity and repentance, God can reverse the decree.  Hezekiah knew that repentance and petitioning God can cause God to change an outcome.

Pastor Don then asked what was Hezekiah thinking? After the curse that the Lord gave regarding the sons becoming eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon, instead of petitioning God, Hezekiah said “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”  What was He thinking!!!!???? 

This curse is for future generations and will affect his nation, and he accepted it because then there would be peace and truth in his days. 

Where is the comfort?  We need to remember who God is. And we MUST CANCEL THE WORDS WE HAVE SPOKEN OVER THE GENERATIONS. Take the curse off and don’t accept the curse that is spoken. NEVER GIVE OUR CHILDREN OVER TO THE DEVIL WITH THE WORDS OF OUR MOUTHS.  

Nothing is irreversable. Appeal to God with sincerity as Hezekiah did in Chapter 38.  God will come up with an answer. Our words are current words. We have rights over the kids we teach, pat on the head, in our lives, in our families. We have the ability to speak Godly Words over them and help to reverse the curse.

All in Hezekiah’s house would end up in Babylon. Hezekiah could reverse that. 

The curse continued that they would be eunuchs – meaning have no progeny, they would die as a slave and servant.  Hezekiah made no effort to reverse this. He could have asked God, “Lord, can’t there be one to sit on my throne?”

We have entered into a covenant with God. If we violate the covenant God is not obligated to do what He has said He would do. 

Hezekiah was so close to blaspheme, when he showed all to the king of Babylon it was as if he was saying that all of that was at his disposal. 

Throw yourself on the mercy of God. The Lord never said that we would only have peace. When we find ourselves straying from God’s perfect will, reconnect with God.

Never give up on a kid – know that you have a covenant for life and eternity, if you give up on them (no matter the errors of their behavior) you are dooming them. If you don’t know how to pray for them, pray in tongues.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Someone once said that not enough of the Will of God is accomplished on earth because there are not enough people praying in tongues so God can interpret it and do what needs to be done on earth. Until Jesus comes to crush the head of satan, the covenant that God gave to Adam is now in satan’s hands, but that is for a limited time. Because of that covenant, God is not free to do all that He wants to do on the earth, He needs man to ask Him. That is why, when Jesus went to cast out demons, the demons mentioned that he was here before His time. There is a time when the enemy will be defeated, and even the enemy is aware of that. But the enemy will cause as much grief as possible until his time is up.

Jesus won the battle, took back the earth, and gave us the authority God had previously given to Adam. People give up too soon.  When we ask for something and the answer does not come immediately it does not mean that God is not answering your request. The devil is glad to give you an immediate response so he can use that to destroy you in the future. Godly things can take time. We need to judge the source of our answer to prayer. Some use the following passage in Matthew 7 to say we should never judge, but that is not what the passage says, we are to judge, it is how we judge that matters.

Matthew 7:1  Judge not, that you be not judged. 

This does not say do not judge (period).  But there are consequences when we judge. If we judge, correcting others and we are backslidden, doing the same sin or worse, we will receive judgment for our judging for then we would be judging improperly.

Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 

We want to judge with mercy, helping a person to grow in Christ. If we are tearing people down it is not judging in the spirit of Christ. Paul says that we will judge angels. If we don’t judge here on earth how will we be qualified to judge angels? But we are to be careful how we judge – we can never judge a person and say to them, “Game over.” We don’t judge who is going to Heaven or hell. But we certainly can judge if a person is living a Biblical lifestyle.

Matthew 7:3-4 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

The rule of judging is to consider your sin before you judge someone else’s sin.

Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

When we deal with our own sins our eyes are cleared to help a brother deal with their sins. Your dealing with sin will make you compassionate in dealing with your brother’s sin.

Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

This is the sin of Hezekiah – he showed the holy things of God to the idol worshipping pagans.  This sin is rooted in the oldest attack of the enemy – the sin of pride. God can do so much for us and we begin to think it is because we are all that, and get lifted up in pride. 

We can be given every comfort and financial aid possible, and still not have the peace of God. Our pride can cause us to treat people in a way that they think we believe that we are perfect, better than them. But the truth is that we are imperfect and we do not have it all down.

John 16:5-11 But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 

The Holy Spirit is going to bring conviction on the whole world. Jesus judges, and we have His Spirit in us, so we are able to judge the ruler of this world. When someone speaks words over us that are not in line with the Word of God, we have the right to say, “I walk in divine health, God lives in me, have a nice day.”  We do not have to be pulled down by the things of this world.

I pray this Bible study blesses you.