SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
to happen to you because of God’s great goodness. Hope enables us to endure hardships and long waiting periods so God can develop character and endurance in us. Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”
C. Hope is a Confidence that God is POWERFUL. HOPE energizes and motivates us to take action by causing us to step out in faith and act in obedience with God’s Word. Hope believes boldly, decides daringly, speaks firmly and perseveres passionately. When we embrace HOPE on purpose, it influences our thoughts, our attitudes, our outlook and the way we speak. HOPE builds us up as we wait on God. It releases joy, and “the joy of the Lord becomes our source of strength” (Neh. 8:10). If you want to live a life full of HOPE, turn the leadership role of your life over to God. Make Him master of your life! Invite Jesus as Your Savior and wholeheartedly follow the Holy Spirit’s great plan for your life! With His help…
III. YOU CAN OVERCOME THE IMPOSSIBLE
A. No matter what the situation looks like around you; God is greater than any obstacle you may be facing. Never assume that where you’ve been or where you are is as good as it gets! Think big — the way God does! Choose to believe God is going to do something better in your life. Get your hopes up…get connected to the People of God for God wants to lead
you to something better than you can imagine!
B. Remember how good God has been to you in the past, knowing he will continue in your future. Maybe Peter was inspired by what David amid tough times said in Psa. 23:6, “surely God’s goodness and mercy follows me all the days of my life…” Peter found a HOPE that does not disappoint. This is how he could sleep through his circumstances, knowing God and a Church Praying and Believing TOGETHER were ultimately in control! Just as God has been good to us in the past, it is His nature to be good to us through what we now are going through.
C. Believe that tough times are the times to GET YOUR HOPES UP. It’s when disturbing things are happening that we need to put our hope in God. Maybe Peter was inspired by what David wrote in Psalm 43:5 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Don’t be downcast and disturbed. Don’t let your circumstances get the best of you. You don’t have to live just getting by. God has called us to far more! GET YOUR HOPES UP.
D. It's time to claim God's promises in Isa. 61:7, double for your trouble if you do things His way. Why it says, "in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs." If you had a bad year and the devil has given you trouble, then for that trouble you can expect to receive a double portion blessing! What an