Hope is essential to how we live our lives and exemplify a life of faith as believers. Knowing the truth and confidently living our identity in Christ requires eternal perspective, knowing the truth of God’s promises through His Word, a hope built on faith along with action.
It is this living hope that leads to a life of faith that sets believers apart from nonbelievers. We must place our hope back in Christ Jesus and align ourselves with the eternal perspective rather than the short-sighted or futile hope we sometimes succumb to.
There are four keys to hope,
1. Hope requires an eternal perspective
“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen“ – Hebrews 11:1
We need vision, without vision, hope is peril and we perish. When we have a hopeful faith partnership, we hope in things unseen and the truth aligns with His Word, abiding in His promises above present circumstances.
2. Hope is based on God’s promises
“For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly but because of Him who subjected it to hope” – Romans 8:20
Our hope is not futile, but alive. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We as the children of God and co-heirs with Jesus, share in His sufferings so that we may also share in His glory. We have been given the Holy Spirit and a living relationship with God through Jesus. If God is for us who can be against us?
3. Hope is built on faith
“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does then, I will liken him to a wise man, who builds his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, and it fell – and great was its fall” – Matthew 7:24-27
In this hope, we are saved. Hope that is not seen is not hope at all. Hope is built on faith and isn’t easily shaken or defeated. Our inventory in Jesus is rooted in who God is and who we are as children of God and Co-heirs.
4. Hope activates perseverance
“Through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in where we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope. And hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” – Romans 5:2-5
Patience is the fruit of hope. As we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
From Pity to Praise 