Claiming the Victory of a Hope-Filled Life

What would we do without hope?

Both believers and non-believers alike depend on hope. It’s what keeps us stepping into each new and uncharted day. It’s at the root of climbing out of bed each morning even when the storms are big and the uncertainty heavy.

Secular hope is defined as these 4 things:

• The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
• To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
• To believe, desire, or trust.
• To feel that something desired may happen.

It made me wonder about the hope available to the believer. How is Biblical hope different from secular hope?

A confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.

Confident. Expecting.

It’s not wishful thinking. It’s a sense of certainty.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. –Hebrews 6:18-19

The source of a believer’s hope is infallible. An anchor that doesn’t sway to and fro with the wind or the waves of the world.

That’s a big difference. His promises are not just words or wishful thinking. The hope of a believer is a powerful gift from a faithful God.

It’s a hope that does the impossible.

When grief threatens to drown us, hope extends a life raft.

When fear stops us, hope propels us forward.

When betrayal breaks us, hope puts us back together.

When shame defaces us, hope restores our beauty.

But, friends, are we fully embracing that hope? Is it manifested in our lives and evident in our walk?

If not, you are not alone. I’m right there with you! There I times I rock it! I cancel every negative thought and replace it with the Truth of God. I think on the things of God. I look to my blessings and acknowledge gratitude for all that I have. And I praise and worship my Father who does all makes all things beautiful in His time.

But other times? I whine, pout, and bellyache allowing my thoughts to slip down the drain and into the sewer!

But I know this. When I’m putting into action the right steps, I walk in victory. My steps are lighter. My smile quicker and my laugh deeper.

Inevitably, when I allow my thoughts to drain into that sewer, victory isn’t mine. Instead my walk is heavier. Slower. The tears more and the laughter less.

So what do we do to claim the victory of a hope-filled life?

1. We take inventory of our thought life, responses, and actions. Through this, we can determine the condition of our attitude. Is it generally hopeful or hopeless?
2. When our thoughts slip into the sewer, we cancel them by replacing them with statements of Truth.
3. We keep on hand positive hope-filled resources that will point to the hope found in Christ.
4. We stay in the Word of God. We need to know His Word in order to know His promises.
5. We pray. In all things we pray. In the good, the bad, and the in between, we talk with the One who knows us best and loves us most. We build our relationship with Him and we learn how to pray the Scriptures. When we do, we will find our prayer life change. Our relationship deepen knowing that when we pray within His will our prayers will be answered.

If this is a set of steps to which you want to commit, I’ve created the 5-Day Hope Toolkit: Claiming the Victory of a Hope-filled Life just for you!  (Get it here) I’ve designed it so that it breaks these 5 strategies down into manageable pieces.

In it you will receive a 5-day series of Scripture prayers giving you a solid foundation in how to pray God’s Will through praying His Word. You will also receive:

• A checklist to determine whether you have a hopeful or hopeless attitude.
• A beautiful printable image with positive “I am ….” statements of truth.
• A list of my go-to books, blogs, and websites when I am in need of encouragement.

Get the kit here!

Hope and Searching for Moments

This year my heart is to explore the areas that threaten to steal our hope. Areas like shame, identity, and fear.

When we live without hope, victory is not possible. Not in our marriages nor in any of our other relationships.

So as we journey together, I pray that we become stronger. That we experience more and more of the victory and less of the heavy. That together we embrace and live a hope-filled life! 

I pray we boldly claim an expectant and confident hope. A hope of power. One that is eternal.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.-Romans 15:13