If you’ve ever experienced a season of darkness in your life - this scripture should give you great hope. About 10 years ago I went through a terrible season of darkness and despair. I had lost my hope and couldn’t see God’s plan for my life. It was a lonely journey that I wouldn’t wish on my enemies. I prayed this scripture over and over “that God would fill me with joy and peace and that I would about in hope.”
Well, God did give me hope and brought me through that season. I look back now and realize that I NEEDED to go through this time in order to connect and help others going through their own place of darkness.
Christmas will be here in a few weeks. It is a great season of hope. It is about a Savior coming to a lost world and bringing us hope in our darkness. We were lost and now we are found (by the grace of God). It should be a season of hope but it is often a season of despair and drugery.
Notice this verse says, “Now may the God of Hope fill you…”
God is, by nature, FULL OF HOPE. He is a HOPEFUL God. He is the God of HOPE. When everything is going against you - God steps in and speaks over your life and your situations! By NATURE He is Hopeful. He steps into our lives and gives us hope also.
If you’ve lost sight of hope in your lives - GO TO GOD TODAY. Ask Him to fill you with His hope.
The original Greek text here says it this way..., "Now may the God of THE Hope fill you with all joy." He is the THE God who is all powerful and mighty who intervenes into your life with great blessings and answers to could come by no other way.
He is truly "THE GOD OF HOPE".
Note the next phrase with me: "...fill you with ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING."
I’m a candidate! I want in! I want to be filled with HIS joy and HIS peace.
You can have that also!!!
Romans 12:12 says we live "rejoicing IN HOPE".
Jesus words are clear that "Indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you . . ." (Luke 17:21).
And in Romans 14:17 it says: ". . . for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT".
These are the things that are to characteristics our lives - NOT misery and discontent! (It’s not "spiritual" to be miserable!)
Speaking of this great Hope we have as Christians, in 1 Peter 1:8-9 we read: "Though now you do not see (Jesus) (with your physical eyes), yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls."
Notice the last phrase… "... that you may ABOUND in hope"
This word "abound" is the Greek word "perisseuo", which means "to super abound, to have in excess". God wants us to SUPER ABOUND in Hope. He wants this Hope that we have to be filling us up to overflowing so that it pours out of our lives to affect others. THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS SHOULD BE CONTAGIOUS!
You know the Early Church evidenced this abundance of Hope. Whenever they would greet another believer they would say "MARANATHA" - "the Lord is coming!". They expected Him daily; they lived in that hope.
I pray that you would ABOUND in hope today. That, God would fill you with expectancy of great things to come.
Lastly, notice what is said at the end of this verse…"...by THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."
We receive this hope, and we live in this hope, we keep this hope alive, BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. There is no other way!
The word for power here is "DUNAMIS". This means “miraculous power.” Our hope releases God’s miraculous power in our lives. I need this to carry me through life’s difficulties and problems and dark days. As His Holy Spirit is released in me - God brings great POWER in our lives.
We NEED this abundant hope to carry us through thick and thin times in life.
In Galatians 5:5 it says: "For we THROUGH THE SPIRIT eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith".
As Christians, we should be the MOST hope filled people in the world. We should be filled with joy that pours out to those around us.
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.” Romans 15:13 NKJV
No comments:
Post a Comment