Hope Renewed

Romans 15:13 NKJV

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Introduction:

Life in recovery is often a battle between hope and despair. Many of us come to places like this feeling like hope is something for other people—not for us. We’ve been disappointed, let down, and maybe even convinced ourselves that things will never change.

But Romans 15:13 declares something powerful:

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

This tells us two things:

Hope is not found in us—it’s found in God.

Hope is meant to overflow in us—through joy and peace in Christ.

So, the question today is: Are you serving the God of hope, or are you still serving the hang-up that brought you here?

Because what you’re filled with will determine what overflows from you.

1. Are you serving the God of hope or are you serving the hangup that brought you here?

a) How can you tell?

Let me ask you a question,

What are you filled with?

“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace,”

b)We decide what we are filled with.

2. What is hope?

1680 ἐλπίς [elpis /el·pece/] n f. From a primary elpo (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); TDNT 2:517; TDNTA 229; GK 1828[1]2 expectation of good, hope. 2a in theChristian sense. 2a1 joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. 3 on hope, in hope, having hope. 3a the author of hope, or he whois its foundation. 3b the thing hoped for.[2]

[1]James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).[2]James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Hope

2hope noun

before 12th century

1 archaic: TRUST, RELIANCE

2 a: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment 〈came in hopes of seeing you〉 also: expectation of fulfillment or success 〈no hope of a cure〉

What are your expectations?

How many of you were like me? How many of you were so used to disappointment you came to expect it, especially from God?

This is a hard truth but many of us still have working resentments against God and wonder why we have no hope, no peace, now joy.

We are going to have to let our resentment against God go.

We are going to have to forgive God for not taking our counsel.

We are going to need to forgive Him for not violating the free will of another.

How many of us are filled with anger because The Lord of all creation did not cater to our will.

Where has that anger led us too?

What would those closest to you say you where filled with?

3. According to our verse what does the Lord want you filled with?

According to the verse the Lord wants us to be filled with joy.

What is biblical joy?

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 25.123 χαρά, ᾶς

25.123 χαράa, ᾶς f: a state of joy and gladness—‘joy, gladness, great happiness.’ ἀπελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης ‘and quickly leaving the tomb, fearful and (at the same time) very joyful’

In biblical joy my happiness comes from my confidence in the Lord and His plan for my life.

this Joy is separate from my circumstances. It’s a Joy I abide in because the author of Joy abides in me.

How often do I need to get grounded in a day to allow that joy to bubble up in me? for me the thought of being joyful because i am saved was a moment of contemplation.

along with the peace of God we are going to talk about in a moment I began to see my prayer and devotional time differently.

I want to be a person of genuine joy.

If I am going to be a person of genuine joy I am going to need to put the word of God in my mind and be honest with myself and God about the anxieties in my heart that have become so common I dont even recognize them anymore. they have become for me like furniture in a room. always present and a part of my life.

I have allowed these things to minister to me until I am saved but sour. I don’t want to be that kind of a christian! I want to be joyful because of my relationship to Jesus.

According to the verse the Lord wants to fill us with peace.

What is biblical peace?

1515 εἰρήνη [eirene /i·ray·nay/][1] 1 a state of national tranquillity. 1a exemption from the rage and havoc of war. 2 peace between individuals, i.e. harmony,concord. 3 security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous).4 of the Messiah’s peace. 4 a the way that leads to peace (salvation). 5 of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is. 6 the blessed state of devout and upright men after death.[2]

[1]James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).[2]James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).

Just as with Joy…

What concerns are greater than eternity? right none, I am going to have to change the way I meditate so that I can pray with accuracy about what is going on inside of me.

Again its not tjat I am dishonest with God it is however that I am dishonest with my self as to why my peace leaks.

I don’t mean to be dishonest with myself, God, or anyone else, but my fears have been present for years… time to spend some time asking God to reveal them so that I can walk in peace.

Walking in joy and peace will lead to hope. It will lead to expecting what God has for me to come to pass.

Conclusion:

Hope is not wishful thinking or blind optimism—it is the confident expectation that God will do what He promised.

If we want to walk in renewed hope, we need to be filled with the right things: ✔ Joy that isn’t based on circumstances but on the unshakable presence of God. ✔ Peace that isn’t fragile or fleeting but anchored in the truth of our salvation. ✔ Faith that isn’t based on feelings but on the promises of God.

So, here’s the challenge:

What are you filled with?

Are you allowing old resentments, fear, and disappointments to minister to you more than God’s Word?

Hope isn’t something we manufacture—it’s something God fills us with when we surrender to Him. And when we do, we stop expecting disappointment and start expecting God’s best for us.

Small Group Reflection Question:

What is one area of your life where you need to allow God to fill you with hope instead of fear, resentment, or doubt? How can you surrender that to Him this week?