The God of Hope

Subject: Get a Revelation of "The God of Hope"

Romans 15:13 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. I am greatly blessed today by this prayer of blessing of Paul because it describes perfectly the season we have entered and shows us how we are to move into the fullness of what He has promised us. 1. He is the "God of Hope" Basically, the English usage of the word has destroyed the true Biblical meaning of "hope". We use the hope as something uncertain, something that has a chance of not happening, and something that depends upon what is only humanly or circumstantially possible. Yet, the Bible defines hope as the expectation of good, something that is certain in the future, and something that can only come to pass by the working of God's supernatural power. He is the "God of Hope". We have entered into this wonderful hope from our God who has given us a promise, an expectation of good, of favor and of blessing. Contained or bundled within this hope is clear direction - It is our platform, our foundation, our cause which enables us to stand before His throne confidently knowing that we have a task from on high to fulfill that he has ordained for us. We possess the sure word of the Lord! I've heard it said, "Put your hope in God." But now the Lord says, "I will put my hope in you!" 2. As we "trust in Him", He will fill us with "all joy and peace" This is where faith comes into view. God gives a promise, a sure hope for something yet to come, but now what happens today? As we progress day to day, we must remember that "faith is the certainty of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen" (Hebrews 11:1). So then, I live by faith today already possessing the hope in my heart with full assurance that which God has promised me for my future. Each step is full of certainty and takes me closer to fulfillment. Human nature is driven to know, "How? Where? What? When? By Whom?" The one who trusts the God of Hope says, "He who has promised is able also to do it!" Human nature is tuned into and is limited to the realm of circumstance, of that which is only humanly possible. Yet, the one who trusts God says, "God calls those things which are not as though they already were!" Hope is the promise of the expectation of future good according to the word of the Lord who promised. Faith deals with the daily unfolding of events toward that expected end. That is why Paul said, "We walk by faith, not by sight." I will not be moved when events and circumstances appear to be contrary to the fulfillment of the promise. If God promised, then at some point all circumstances will turn toward the fulfillment of what God has decreed. How does one know if they are trusting God or depending upon natural means for the fulfillment of the promise? Check your joy level. Joy isn't being happy because happiness is circumstantially produced. Things have to be going well in order to be happy. Joy is a kingdom commodity that is developed in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Joy is not based upon what is or isn't happening in your situation, it is based upon the very unchangeable character of God who has apprehended you and has brought you into the realm of hope and promise. Joy flows in good times or bad and usually shows up the most when the promise just doesn't seem to be working out. When you trust in God, there will be a flow of joy. If you step out of trust, you step into anxiety, questioning, doubt and depression. Check also your peace level. Trust and peace go hand in hand. Stay in faith; stay in peace. Again, peace is a product of heaven. He is the "Prince of Peace". When the government is upon His shoulders, when the responsibility to govern your life is entrusted to Him, you will know Jesus as the Prince of Peace. The Holy Spirit says to us today, “I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me.” As we trust Him, He will fill us with ALL joy and peace. This is abundant living. You won't have to search far within you for joy and peace - you will be filled with ALL joy and peace. 3. The end result is "overflowing hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" Is this not the picture of what is true Christianity? We live in a hopeless world. Just look at our families to see the negativity. So many are hurting having been traumatized and then robbed of their hope by Satan. We will be ministering to multitudes that are on the brink of giving up on God, on their marriages, on the dreams God gave them. What is the answer? - "overflowing hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." People around you will begin to arise out of the ashes of their devastation as overflowing hope touches them. The power of the Holy Spirit will deliver them, restore them and set them on a higher level of living - no longer overcome, but to be overcomers, no longer conquered, but now to be "more than conquerors in Christ." We are called to release the hope of God to the nations, to operate in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to "preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations" Isaiah 61:1-4.