Conference Overview, cont.
The Battle for Our Hope Life is full of trials, tribulations, and uncertainties that can cause us to lose hope. We often find ourselves facing situations that cause us to wonder if this is as good as it will ever get. Our enemy, Satan, would love for us to believe that things will never get any better, and that it’s a waste of time to make any attempt to enjoy what God has provided. He is an expert at perverting good so that we become discouraged, disheartened, and hopeless.
As believers and disciples, we are called to hold on to hope.
“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.” Romans 15:13 (NIV) Not by our power but by the power of God “…who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) As we face the uncertainties of life, let us resist the world’s fleeting hope and let our hope be an unshakable expectation that God is at work even when we do not see any evidence or feel His presence. Jeremiah tells us that God has a plan and purpose for our lives which includes a hope for the future. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) The True Nature of Hope in Christ No matter how dire our circumstances may be, as believers and disciples of Christ, we must stand firm in the hope that is found only in Christ. He is our hope and this hope reflects … Certainty and Assurance: Unlike secular notions of hope, which often imply uncertainty, (fingers crossed, wishing on a star, or knocking on wood), hope in Christ is characterized by certainty. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) defines faith as "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." This assurance is based on the reliability of God's promises and His unchanging nature. A Future: Hope in Christ is looking forward to the fulfillment of God's kingdom. Titus 2:13 speaks of the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. “While we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13 (NIV) This future orientation provides believers with a perspective that transcends present circumstances.
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