October 15, 2010
-
The Importance of Hope by Sheerah FIsher-Schatzel
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
