November 23

The God Of Hope

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Rom 15:13 BSB

We all need to abound in hope. Hope is the artist of the soul.

Faith fills us with joy and peace, which overflow in hope. When faith brings to us the materials of anticipation from God’s Word, hope translates those into beautiful visions, painting the soul’s immortal and unfading hope with brilliant colors. Faith stirs hope to produce its finest work, until the walls of our soul are radiant with scenes of what is to come. Our faith is anchored in God’s Word, and hope is anchored in faith, which can never disappoint us. Hope is the anchor of the soul, connecting us to eternity within the veil (Hebrews 6:18-19).

Faith rests on the promises of God. It doesn’t rely on feelings, nor is it influenced by emotions. Faith clings to God’s Word, trusting completely in His unchanging nature. When God makes a promise, it is as certain as if it were already in our hands. Faith not only trusts in the written Word, but in times of difficulty, it goes directly to God Himself, reminding Him that He cannot deny His own faithfulness. Moses prayed this way when he interceded for Israel, reminding God of His character and His promises (Numbers 14:13-20). We may be attacked by doubts, but we must ignore them, as one ignores a barking dog. A businessman once said that when he is convinced of the rightness of a decision, doubts sometimes arise like mist or fog. When that happens, he turns to the promises of God, reading several chapters from the Old Testament, which brings him into touch with eternity. He is filled with joy, peace, and hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who hope in Him will never be put to shame.

Prayer

Lord, help me to know the hope of Your calling, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and the greatness of Your power toward those who believe. Grant me wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Amen.