Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15
What is hope?
Hope can be defined as trusting in, waiting for, desiring, or expecting something beneficial in the future. ( Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical theology).
The believer’s hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s not an empty expectation of good. It’s a joyful expectation and assurance of God’s faithfulness.
What is the reason for our hope?
We have a hope that doesn’t disappoint.
Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5
Suffering here is significant because we are told it is able to produce hope in us. A hope in God’s promises that doesn’t disappoint. We can rejoice in this hope; it is our assurance that God has poured His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
As it is written and forever remains written, “ BEHOLD I AM LAYING IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE: AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM [ whoever adheres to , trusts in, and relies on Him] WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED [ in his expectations].” Romans 9:33
We can fully put our hope in Him and know without a doubt that our expectations of Him will not be disappointed. Our hope is different because it’s placed on Jesus. It’s not on our circumstances; it’s not on ourselves, or anything in this world. Therefore, it is a hope that will not disappoint.
Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; Hebrews 10:23
We can hold on confidently to our hope knowing that the one we’ve placed our hope in will not fail or prove untrustworthy to His promises for us.
Our hope is anchored in Him.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor for our soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20
Because it is anchored in the One who lives forever we can be assured it will not disappoint.
We rejoice in hope
Constantly rejoicing in hope [ because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer[ continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength]. Romans 12:12 AMP
NIV says…Be joyful in hope.
GNT says…Let your hope keep you joyful.
Weymouth says…Full of joyful hope.
We have joy because we have hope.
As we rejoice in hope, we receive the ability to be patient in trouble and stay devoted to prayer. Without hope, we cannot be able to have joy in trouble or remain faithful in prayer. Hope keeps us joyful.
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
We abound in joyful hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is a connection between joy and hope. As we trust in Him, God fills us with His joy and we are able to abound in hope. We can infect others with our joyful hope because we have been filled to overflow.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Ephesians 1:18 NLT
We are called into joyful hope. However, to know this hope, we need the light of His knowledge to lead us into an understanding of the hope He has called us into. Without God revealing it to us, we will not be able to know.
We have hope for eternal life
Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:23-25
We have a hope to receive full redemption and be adopted as sons for eternity.
So that being justified by grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7
By His grace, we have become heirs through hope of eternal life.
Awaiting and confidently expecting the [ fulfillment of our ] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13
In Christ Jesus, we have an expectation of hope in His appearing and in our inheriting eternal salvation.
We have hope in His plans for us.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Even in trouble, in circumstances that don’t make sense, we have this assurance of the plans that God has for us. We can trust His plan for our lives. We can have hope that He has good things in store for us.
And we know [ with great confidence] that God [ who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [ as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his plan and purpose. Romans 8:28 AMP
Because we know His plans for us, we can hope confidently that He is working for good those things that aren’t so good in our lives, according to His plan and purpose.
A blessed weekend overflowing with joyful hope!
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