As we look around today there are many things which do not give us any hope…. the economy, our work situation, debt that we may find ourselves in, to name but a few.
If we continue looking at all these negative situations we will eventually become disheartened and downcast.
The Lord promised us that we would have hope as partakers of His covenant through our relationship with Jesus. Actually, we don’t have to be downcast about our current situations. Once we understand what the evil one is trying to do to us (keeping us away from God), then we are able to actively overcome the plan.
How do we find hope in a practical way?
We need to seek the Lord. Jesus told us to keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking (Matt 7:7). He also said “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. (Matt 6:33).
As we seek the Lord He will show us that our hope will come through the Holy Spirit which the Lord left with us after Jesus’s work on this earth was completed. What would be the purpose of the Lord sending the Holy Spirit as hope for us?
The living bible describes the answer in John 16:7-8: “But the fact of the matter (Jesus speaking) is that it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the comforter (Holy Spirit) won’t come. If I do He will – for I will send Him to you. And when He comes He will convince the world of its sin, the availability of God’s goodness and of deliverance from judgement.”
Eph 1:13-14 tells us… ”And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.…”.
As new Christians, the first thing that the Holy Spirit did for us was to convince us of our sinful condition and our need for change.
Traveling through our daily lives we can sense the Holy Spirit (that small voice deep in us) telling us that certain things we are doing are not right according to God’s principles. It’s never good to be told that we are doing something wrong but what a blessing to know that the Spirit of the Lord is dwelling in us! The scripture tells us that as we feel the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we have guarantee of inheritance to the Kingdom – what a wonderful hope!
As the Lord reveals this truth to us ….that we have His Spirit dwelling in us….we can be assured of new hope in our lives.
If we look through our ‘worldly eyes’ we will see the negative things in our day and if we continue on that path our attitude will become negative. When we look through our ‘spiritual eyes’, we will see the new hope and then peace will grow in our hearts. We may not always have the power to physically change our country’s economic situation or situations that are negative, but we do have the power to seek the Lord and take hold of our new hope. Hope starts from within and can be shared with those around us.
1 John 4:7 says ..”hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit”.
From: “time with the Master…