Today’s attitude about hope is rather amazing. Romans 15:13 reminds us that . . .
IT IS AN ABOUNDING HOPE
God does not intend us to live an ordinary life. God gives adjectives for every attribute He wants us to enjoy and experience. When He talks about hope, He wants us to ABOUND in hope.
Now get ready to understand this word. It is “perisseuo” and means “to superabound, to be excessive, to excel, abundant, enough and to spare, over and above.”
The hope God gives is far more than “I hope this might happen.”
• It is exuberant hopefulness,
• It is speaking words of confident expectation when everyone else is negative,
• It is an overflowing spirit of optimism,
• It is believing God will do good things when everything looks bleak.
To everyone else you will seem “over the top” and crazy. But it is normal Christian living. We all live so abnormally according to the biblical way of life.
We are all facing a world-wide dilemma as we face this corona virus. We read or watch on TV all the different projections of how many are going to die and how long it is going to continue. Dearest ladies, these are only projections. They are what MIGHT happen. They are not fact! And yet we say, “Yes, Sir,” and give into fear.
I know you are praying, but what could happen if we REALLY took time out to intercede and take authority over this virus in the realms of prayer? Prayer is powerful. But not little prayer. It is MUCH prayer (Revelation 8:3). It is the “effectual fervent prayer” of the righteous (James 5:16).
Psalm 53:5 says: “There were they in great fear, where no fear was.” I believe that we can see a BREAKTHROUGH as we pray and release words of HOPE to our families and everyone we are in contact with. Oh yes, you’ll be met with “doom and gloom,” but answer back with faith and hope. We must spread faith and hope, not fear.
We hang on to hope even when we don’t currently see any results. Paul writes in Romans 8:24, 25: “Hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
I recently read the wonderful little book, “MAKE YOUR BED – LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE . . AND MAYBE THE WORLD!” by Admiral William H. McRaven. He states in this book:
“Hope is the most powerful force in the universe. With hope you can inspire nations to greatness. With hope you can raise up the downtrodden. With hope you can ease the pain of unbearable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference.”
IT IS A PATIENT HOPE
1 Thessalonians 1:3 talks about out being “patient in hope.” The word “patient” means cheerful and hopeful endurance. It means to keep joyfully hoping as you endure troubles. It does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.
IT IS A HANGING ON TO THE END HOPE
Hebrews 6:11, 12 says: “And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Hebrews 10:23 (NET): “And let us HOLD UNWAVERINGLY to the hope that we confess.”
Be blessed today and keep spreading hope,
NANCY CAMPBELL