"Now may the GOD OF HOPE..." - why did Paul use this phrase? We know that having hope involves anticipating help in areas we are not currently experiencing victory.
"For who hopes for what he already has,
but if we hope -
we wait for it expectantly."
Back to the question why -
the GOD OF HOPE!
I believe it is because every promise we long to fully experience in an undeniable reality has only ONE HOPE of ever being fulfilled - GOD!
Abraham knew this and was commended for his hope and faith - "who against all hope IN HOPE believed." Against all natural hope - by a supernatural hope, Abraham refused to consider the present reality of his own worn out body or Sarah's dead womb, instead, he was strengthened by faith, gave glory to God, and became fully persuaded that the GOD he HOPED in had power to fulfill what he had been promised.
This is what David learned also, and subsequently time and time again he commanded his own soul to HOPE THOU IN GOD. It is too sad that so many believers are not abounding in this hope.
Until we learn to abound in hope,
we will continue to allow our present
difficulties to discourage and dishearten us.
May more and more of us be brought into the reality Paul longed to see at work in the believers he wrote to.
"Now may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Yes, we can begin to abound in hope even while against all hope we wait in hope for God's power to do what He has promised in us. Because Christ is in me, I know that He who began a good work in me will carry it out to its completion.
Jesus Christ is my hope of glory and because He lives in me, I am filled with ALL joy and peace - abounding in hope, expectantly looking forward to what is certain to come to pass. Let's be like Abraham and refuse to look at what is not yet and look instead to the GOD OF HOPE. We can hope against hope because - He CAN and He WILL do what He promised!
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